Beyond hunting skills, tigers are known for their exceptional swimming abilities. A new video, shared by Susanta Nanda, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, showing a tiger’s majestic leap into the river is grabbing attention on social media. According to Nanda, the tiger was released back into the wild after being rescued in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal. The viral video opens with the rescue team preparing to release the animal from a boat. The moment the cage opens, the tiger makes a breathtaking dive, straight into the river. As the video continues, it shows the tiger swimming across the water before reaching the opposite bank and disappearing into the dense forest. The rescue team can be heard celebrating the moment with clapping and hooting. “A tiger being released after it was rescued in Sunderbans, WB. The tigers here have adapted to the mangrove ecosystem & so have the methods adopted for their rescue & release. A unique story of conservation & the works of green soldiers working in such difficult conditions," Nanda wrote on X. Watch the video here: A tiger being released after it was rescued in Sunderbans, WB. The tigers here have adapted to the mangrove ecosystem & so have the methods adopted for their rescue & release. A unique story of conservation & the works of green soldiers working in such difficult conditions🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/8vDE1tr5du — Susanta Nanda IFS (Retd) (@susantananda3) July 16, 2025 With over 50 thousand views, the video prompted an array of reactions. "Jumped into waters, freshened himself, a small swim and off to where it belongs. Fully adapted to the environment," a user wrote. "Any idea on age. Seems like a young soul with lot of energy," another user commented. "I would have hugged him before letting him go," a third user wrote. "What a dive," a fourth user reacted. Recently, a drone footage capturing a leopard swiftly swimming across a river after being released post a rescue went viral. The video showed the big cat making its way towards the dry land.
