Hippos are graceful in water, good swimmers, and can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes. However, they are often large enough to simply walk or stand on the lake floor, or lie in the shallows.

Is it true that hippos can't swim?

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!

Can a hippo drown?

41. Do hippos drown? Among the more interesting hippo facts is that hippos don't drown because they close their ears and nostrils while underwater. ... Hippos have a natural built-in reflex that causes them to reach for the surface to breathe.