It’s also quite common to see these gentle giants swim in groups as form of a social activity and to stay cool from the hot sun. Amongst scientists, Elephants are believed to be swimming from one island to another in order to find a mate or to simply explore their habitat. It is interesting to note that elephants are the only mammal that can float without any floating devices.

Kissing proboscis elephants and playing in river, Sri Lanka. Cartoon kid animal summer vacation activity at beach. Elephant show swimming and blow the bubbles out of the trunk... Because elephants are so big, they generate a lot of heat. To help prevent overheating, their big ears contain a network of blood vessels. An elephant’s blood cools as it travels through its thin-skinned ears.

The pachyderm’s massive body, very surprisingly, gives them enough buoyancy to float easily. They swim completely submerged, with their head above the water and their mouths below, and use all four legs to paddle. The biggest advantage that elephants have above all other mammals is their trunk. A very versatile proboscis, they use their trunk like a snorkel.

However, African and Asian elephants are some of the few mammals that have learned how to swim. When male elephants leave the herd between the ages of 12-15, female elephants form their own groups led by a matriarch. In these herds, they form a hierarchy based on age and generational knowledge of safe and verdant spaces for food and water. These herds form tight social bonds that elicit strong emotions like grief and distress within members when their family members are injured or threatened. Elephants have even been observed mourning unfamiliar dead by stroking carcasses they pass in the wild. Elephants can swim for long distances.

Jonathan’s excellence in photography is rivaled by his love for teaching. Jonathan has also produced an instructional DVD on Photoshop and an online training series on Lightroom. When not working, Jonathan likes to spend his time rock climbing, surfing and snowboarding. Jonathan has been diving since 2000 and considers documenting the underwater world one of the greatest privileges in his life. A newborn elephant calf trunk has no muscle tone. This means that it will have to suckle through its mouth.

Here’s a video we took in Chobe National Park of a snorkeling elephant and elephants eating soil. Elephant in mustClose-up of fluid behind elephant’s eye– In some parks and reserves, drivers are encouraged not to drive over elephant dung. Because it provides a habitat for insects and beetles. Elephants eating soil– We learned that elephants will “mock charge.” When you hear an elephant trumpet, it’s often a challenge. Our guide in Chobe told us that if an elephant trumpets at you, you should stand your ground.

Although the calf will eventually gain full control of its trunk, it won’t happen until it is several months old. It takes calves time to learn to use them, and at first they often tread on their own trunks. Elephants are the strongest animals alive, and can lift up to 770 pounds with their trunks.

Baby elephant swimming and playing in the water is Incredible elephant swims in deep water a sight that has to cheer you up. In conclusion, elephants are great swimmers and their abilities should not be underestimated. Elephants typically swim for short distances though, but they are capable of swimming for long periods of time or longer distances if necessary. As mentioned, however, keep its strong trunk raised above the water and use it as a sort of snorkel to allow it to breathe even while the rest of its body remains in the water. Hailey Pruett is a freelance content writer, editor, and lifelong animal lover living in Tennessee with their spoiled cat, grumpy leopard gecko, and loving partner. Their favorite animals are lizards, turtles, snakes, and frogs.

Granted, elephants aren’t very deep divers, though they can hold their breath for a few minutes or so in dire circumstances. They strongly prefer to keep their trunks above water as much as possible, and they don’t have much of a reason to swim deep underwater anyway. So, although they can technically swim with their bodies completely underwater, elephants tend to stay at depths of only a foot or two underwater. Swimming is a surprising pastime for many elephants, especially among babies and juveniles!