Can You Identify These Land Animals While They're Swimming?

As if being slithery, venomous and rattly is not enough to be frightening, rattlesnakes are also excellent swimmers. If they are being pursued and want to get away, it's one of their favorite methods of escape.

Sloths are well-known for their slow speeds on land, but it's a different story in the water! Able to swim three times faster, it's not the only aquatic trick it has up its sleeve. Sloths also have the ability to lower their heart rate by two thirds. They can then stay underwater for up to 40 minutes!

Tigers are usually found in areas like mangroves and island regions, and it makes swimming necessary to the hunt. Unlike other large felines, tigers have no fear of the water. They do prefer to leave their heads out of the water, though.

Hippos might be the second biggest animal that likes to swim, but they move much slower in the water than elephants. On land, hippos can reach speeds of up to 30 MPH. In the water, they only reach a maximum of 5 MPH.

Labrador retrievers love to be in the water! Originally bred as a fishing dog, It is a relative of the St. John's water dog. Both breeds were helpful to fishermen by swimming to retrieve stray fish or equipment.

You might not think that an elephant's size would make it a good swimmer, but you would be wrong. Elephants are great swimmers! In fact, their body size and shape offer a lot of buoyancy that allows them to float for long distances.

Pigs are usually associated with mud, but they like the water more! Normal farm pigs are not exposed to water as often as the swimming pigs of the Bahamas, but both are adept in the pool.

Camels are sometimes called the "ship of the desert," but their swimming abilities have little to do with it. They can swim up to 2 miles at a time, and they don't mind going underwater, but they are most valued for carrying people and cargo through the deserts.

While sheep prefer to keep their wool dry, they are fairly good swimmers. If they must get wet, they will seek out a shallow place to cross a stream. They are also known to use their swimming skills to survive floods.

If you were trying to escape a charging moose, going into the water will not help you. Using their nostrils as valves to keep water out, they can swim up to 6 miles per hour and stay under water for a full minute.

Goats can go nearly anywhere they want to go! From climbing sharp rock faces to swimming, they know how to get around. While some breeds do not care for the activity, others have been known to swim long distances to reach inhabitable islands.

The hedgehogs of the African plains do not get the chance to swim as much as those that live near wetlands, but most of them like to go for a quick dip. Rapid exhaustion keeps them close to shore, but some have even been known to enjoy floating on their backs!

Cute, feisty and extremely smart, raccoons often break into pools because they love to swim! In fact, raccoons hold the record for the land animal that can hold its breath the longest. They can also paddle at speeds of up to 3 miles an hour.

Franklin was (ahem) shot down by a committee led by George Washington, but it's easy to see why he found it to be such a remarkable bird. Turkeys can climb, fly and swim! They kick with their feet and tuck their feathers in close like a duck.

The only thing coyotes don't like might be humans because they don't have a problem going for a swim. Though they prefer to stick to land, they have been recorded swimming up to half a mile at a time when fleeing or hunting.

If bison were unable to swim, they would not be able to graze as freely as they do. When they need to cross a river or stream to find food, they will swim lengths of up to half a mile. Their huge size helps them stay afloat.

Swimming might not be the thing that comes to mind when you think of a rabbit, and most of them do not care for getting wet. The swamp rabbit, however, has adapted to its environment by developing webbing on its feet.

It's not their specialty, but moles will swim if they must. At a maximum speed of 5 miles per hour on land, moles are great at getting away. When it comes to water, they can only last about 10 seconds.

Their northern cousins, the polar bear, can swim for up to 220 miles! Black bears, like the one seen here, might not be able to go that far, but they do spend a lot of their time swimming to catch fish in local rivers, lakes, and streams, though.

Opossums are the only marsupial native to North America, and they are impressive swimmers. Not known as one of the fastest animals on the planets, opossums tend to take their time on land. They also enjoy a leisurely float down the river when the weather is hot.

Alpacas are full of spirit and covered in highly prized wool-like fur. Like most land animals, they love to play in the water, but they really shouldn't! Long-term exposure to water can ruin their coats by rotting the fibers. They don't care, though. They love nothing more than a wading pool.

There are three types of zebras found in Africa, and all of them are capable of swimming. Whether escaping flooding plains or migrating with their dazzle, they move their 800-pound bodies through streams the same way that dogs swim with their heads above water.

Beavers love water so much that they always live near it. Weighing in at up to 71 pounds, these sharp-toothed animals have a broad tail that acts like the rudder of a ship. Their back legs are webbed, too.

Eastern box turtles have an average lifespan of between 25 and 35 years. Though they can swim and float quite well, they prefer to stay in shallow water. They are the clumsiest swimmers of all the turtles.

When they are not busy forming a line to swap shells, hermit crabs love to take a dip. To survive, they require both saltwater and freshwater to submerge themselves in. They save the moisture in the back of their shells to make breathing easier.

Woodchucks are a little like camels. They do not need a lot of water to survive. Rather than drinking it, they prefer to hydrate with dew and plant moisture. They are quite graceful swimmers, though.

Unlike ducks, chickens do not have webbed feet or water-resistant feathers. It doesn't stop them from swimming, though. They aren't the greatest swimmers, but they were born with the ability to paddle.

Koala bears sleep up to 22 hours per day. It's hard work to digest a diet of leafy greens! When they are not snoozing or eating, they have no problem going for a swim. They can occasionally be found taking a dip in local waterways.

They can hop at speeds of up to 44 miles per hour, but they also enjoy swimming. Kangaroos are the largest marsupial. When they swim, they stop hopping and use their back legs to doggie paddle.

Hamsters prefer dry environments, but they are not without the ability to swim. In a pinch, they can paddle as well as any other creature. However, they are highly susceptible to pneumonia. Getting wet or getting water in their lungs could be fatal.

Red foxes prefer to stick to the woodlands, but they can cross streams and ponds in search of food. Despite their cat-like distaste for water, they are quite adept at swimming.

Like beavers, squirrels use their tails to navigate their way through the water. Swimming might not be their first choice of things to do, but squirrels can doggie paddle as well as any other animal.

Garter snakes are one of the best things you can have in your garden to keep away pests. Unlike other snakes, they are not great climbers, and they prefer to lay low. When it comes to water, they are not one bit afraid to dive in.

If you've ever been to the zoo, you probably already know that pandas can swim. Just like polar bears, they use their huge paws to paddle. They might not frequent the water, but it's because they are busy eating up to 15% of their own body weight every single day.

Scorpions are tough little animals that can live in many different types of terrain. Swimming is not their favorite activity, but their lobster-like body allows them to move through water without any problem.

When a Komodo dragon hunts, it can prop itself up on its tail and stand on its hind legs. When one Indonesian island is running short on food, Komodo dragons can swim great distances to reach an island with a better food source.

Badgers rarely live alone. They like to live together in little groups called cetes, not to be confused with badger homes, which are called setts. If they have to swim, they will. But badgers are more inclined to gather their group and build a bridge with sticks and stones to cross.

Wolverines grow to about the size of a cocker spaniel, but they are one of the most ferocious carnivores found in Canada and Alaska! When they need meat, they will climb, run or swim to find it. Swimming isn't their preferred method of travel, but they will do most anything for a steak.