Yes, hippos can swim and the do this pretty well. Hippos do not like deep places and choose small, up to 1.2 meters, ponds with abundant vegetation along the sloping coasts. Thus, they can not dive under the water completely, but freely move along the bottom, sticking out part of the head.
But this does not mean that hippos swim badly: they dive well and can stay under water for about 4-5 minutes, and they are great swimmers. Hippopotamus have to go out on land for a few hours to get food. On the shore they seem awkward, slow. Despite this, the hippo is able to make long transitions.
Of the three largest land animals on our planet in Africa, it seems that the hippos feel best. Rhinoceroses were plundered because of their precious horns, elephants because of tusks, and hippopotamuses are considered to be only a pile of meat for hunters. In addition, they lead a rather secretive way of life.
The day is spent, plunged into the water in the water, and on the shore to graze only at night. You can walk along the river backwater and do not notice that there are a dozen or two huge beasts hiding in the water.
