Thursday, March 26, 2009

No Swimming for Hippos!

The hippo spends most of its day in water. With eyes, ears and nostrils on the top of its head, it can hear, see and breathe while being almost completely underwater. They can also hold their breath for five minutes or longer when submerged. However, even though the hippo adapted to life under the sea, it cannot swim. It can’t even float because its body is extremely dense. So, it stays in shallow, slow-moving waters, and either walks along the shore or pushes itself off the bottom of the river or lake it resides in.

Bonus Fact: A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4-foot child inside!

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