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Elephants are surprisingly agile animals for their enormous size. They can run at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour, and their cubs are able to hold their bodies and walk on their own for hours after birth! In fact, after just a couple of days, the baby elephants are more than strong and fast enough to keep up with walking and running with the adults of their herd. But can elephants swim?
Let’s take a closer look at how elephants live in water rather than on land. How does an animal as big as an elephant keep afloat? Can elephants swim underwater? Read on to find out more; the answers will surprise you!
How do elephants swim?
Surprisingly, elephants are very strong natural swimmers. Almost all mammals are able to swim from birth. The only mammals that I can not Naturally to swim are humans and most other primates who have to learn through trial and error, as well as a few unusual species like giraffes and camels that just haven’t learned to swim because they aren’t exposed to much water anyway.
Despite its enormous size, the body of an elephant has more than enough buoyancy to stay afloat, even if it is not actively swimming. Like humans and many other mammalian species, they can simply stop swimming and let their body float above the surface if they get tired.
Elephants swim by simply “paddling the dog” with their massive legs to propel themselves through the water. Their legs are so powerful that they can swim continuously for up to six hours at a time! They often cross large bodies of water in groups to gain access to food sources and shelter, or use lakes and rivers as fast routes to get from place to place.
In normal swimming, the elephant holds its head and body directly above the surface of the water as it paddles its massive limbs back and forth. However, he will keep his powerful trunk raised above the water and use it as a kind of tube so that he can breathe even when the rest of his body remains in the water for several hours. This means that elephants almost never drown!
Do elephants like to swim?
Swimming is an amazing pastime for many elephants, especially among infants and teens! Aside from swimming just to get where they need to or to keep their bodies cool as they traverse their scorching hot habitats, these gentle giants actually enjoy swimming for sheer pleasure.
Elephants are very sociable and curious and even “play” in groups in their herds. They often swim together and splash each other with their limbs and torso when they encounter bodies of water.
Research has shown that both captive and wild elephants engage in social play with each other from time to time, and play is usually an indicator of long-term survival and success in the wild. Even the older members of the herd sometimes join in the fun by letting babies climb on top of them and playfully water them!
Can elephants swim underwater?
Yes, elephants can swim quite long distances underwater too! Using their trunks as modified tubes, elephants can dive underwater and swim surprisingly long distances while completely underwater. They keep their trunks directly above the water, while their bodies remain just below the surface.
Of course, elephants don’t dive very deeply, although in dire circumstances they can hold their breath for a few minutes or so. They strongly prefer to keep their trunks above water for as long as possible, and in any case, they have no particular reason to swim deep underwater. So while they can technically swim completely underwater, elephants tend to stay only one or two feet underwater.
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