Plowing Through the Water
Zambia, Africa
Hippos are highly adapted for life in water, with physical features that allow them to see, breathe, and move around underwater. They have a clear membrane that protects their eyes while underwater, and their ears are high on their heads, so they can hear while submerged. They are able to close their nostrils and hold their breath for up to 30 minutes. Hippos can sleep underwater, using a reflex that allows them to bob up, take a breath, and sink back down without waking up.
They are equipped with strong leg muscles that help them push off the bottom of rivers. Their legs have extra amounts of cancellous (lighter) bone, helping them to achieve neutral buoyancy. That, combined with their body fat and the buoyancy of the water, keeps the stress of their body weight from their legs.
Hippos move through water at an average speed of about 5 miles per hour (8 kilometers per hour). They are not considered to be swimmers because they are not adapted to paddling. Instead, they gallop along the bottom of shallow rivers and streams. Their slightly webbed toes helps them push off the bottom of rivers.
Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.
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