Watch a Massive Hippo Swim Frighteningly Fast to Chase Tourists (2024)

FAQs

How do hippos swim so fast in water? ›

So why exactly do hippos move so quickly when they enter the water? The answer lies in their physiology. For starters, their bodies are adapted for swimming; they have webbed feet and powerful muscles that allow them to propel themselves through the water with ease.

Hippos move through water at an average speed of about 5 mph (8 km/hr), but believe it or not, they can't really swim. Their bodies aren't adapted to paddling.

Hippos can't swim, despite spending a lot of time in rivers and lakes. Hippos cannot breathe underwater or float either, according to National Geographic. Due to hippos' dense bone structure and heavy bodies, hippos sink in water, according to BBC Earth. This makes it hard for the animals to swim.

First of all, let's talk about hippos. These magnificent creatures can weigh up to 4,000 pounds and are capable of swimming at a speed of up to 19 miles per hour. That's faster than the average human swimmer, but is it faster than Caleb Dressel? The answer is a resounding no.

They are extremely capable in the water, have dense leg bones which help them stay underwater, move very fast along the bottom and are able to hold their breath for up to 5 minutes. On land Hippos have been clocked running up to 30 km/h over short distances. Safe to say that you can never outrun or outswim a hippo.

While hippos may appear to be fat and slow, they can run at 30 km/h on land (19 mph). So despite being the third-largest land mammal on earth, hippos can probably run faster than you. They are very territorial animals and charge at anyone who stands between them and the water.

A human cannot outrun a hippo.

Hippos can run faster than 30 miles per hour, whereas the fastest human, Usain Bolt, has only clocked in at 23.4 miles per hour. Although usually slow on land, hippos are extremely aggressive, particularly if you get between them and the water.

The average swimming speed of a casual swimmer is about 2-3 miles per hour (3-5 kilometers per hour). However, competitive swimmers may swim considerably faster, with top competitors achieving speeds of up to 8-13 kph (5-8 mph) or more.

Why are hippos aggressive? Hippos are extremely territorial and have few defense tactics. Hippopotamuses are extremely territorial. Since water is so important to them and they don't have the bodies to handle long migrations, they will lash out at anything they perceive to be a threat.

While lions are faster than hippos, they would likely choose to avoid confrontation or bring along pride for assistance.

Can hippos run faster than Usain Bolt? ›

3) They can eat over 60kg of grass each night. 4) On land they are surprisingly fast reaching speeds of up to 40km per hour which is faster than Usain Bolt.

The third-largest land mammal on land the Hippo has nothing to be afraid of any other animal except for elephants and of course themselves. They are not even afraid of adult white rhinos. They are big bullies which are not afraid of anything. They sometimes even charge at bull elephants.

The man can be friendly but the Hippo sure won't. Hippos are extremely dangerous animals, they can easily bite a man in half and are extremely territorial. Don't go near a wild hippo, don't get into a wild hippos water, and don't get imbetween a wild hippo and the water.

Hippos can even sleep underwater, using a reflex that allows them to bob up, take a breath, and sink back down without waking up. Yet despite all these adaptations for life in the water, hippos can't swim—they can't even float!

Hippos have extraordinarily dense bones

This means that their bones act as a kind of ballast to help them achieve neutral buoyancy underwater. Since they do not have to actively hold themselves down, and the watery environment buoys them up, they can walk, prance, and even “fly” underwater.

According to the San Diego Zoo, an adult hippo can hold its breath underwater for about five minutes. They have a special type of nostril which they can close to keep the water out. Hippos also have a special membrane that covers their eyes so that they can keep their eyes open so that they can see underwater.