Hippopotamus

River Horse

The massive hippo, weighting 3000kg, glides efforlessly in water - a river, a stream or a lake - where it feels at home. It even dives efficiently. Surprisingly, it can also sink to the bottom of a stream and walk along the bed. The hippo can remain submerged for five minutes at a stretch without surfacing to breathe. In Greek hippopotamus means 'river horse'. It is as gile in water as a horse is on land.