Watch This Massive Elephant Turn Into a Sheep Dog and Herd 50 Hippos

Key Points

• Elephants are extremely fond of water and are skilled swimmers.
• Hippos, on the other hand, are incapable of swimming and contrary to popular belief are far from being harmless and adorable.
• Unlike sage and sedate elephants, hippos are less intelligent, aggressive, and prone to exhibiting violent behavior.

An adorable video from Twitter has us smiling so much, we just have to share it with our readers! It features one of the world’s most beloved animals – elephants! We see a young elephant splashing around in the water on a toasty day. 

Watch the Amazing Video Below!

Elephants are born swimmers, much like the majority of mammals. They are capable of swimming fully submerged while breathing through their trunks. Elephants can swim continuously for a long time with this built-in snorkel. If the elephants do become tired, their enormous bulk allows them to float and rest with ease, it is almost impossible for them to drown despite their massive size. 

They also love to play in the water and spray their bodies with their trunks in order to cool down in the desert. This young elephant can be seen as more than just playing in the water. All around the juvenile gentle giant is a huge herd of hippos! 

Now, humans are often led to believe that hippos are sweet, pudgy, animals that just love to eat. The reality is, these animals are known for being cruel, incredibly dangerous, and won’t easily make friends with other species. 

Hippos are semi-aquatic creatures that inhabit lakes and rivers. They are considerably smaller than elephants and have small, stubby legs as well as thick, squishy skin. To see a lone young elephant herding a group of elephants successfully is more than impressive! 

We’ve included the footage at the end of this post! It’s a must-see. First, let’s talk a bit more about the differences between these two creatures! 

Differences Between Hippos and Elephants

Elephants and hippos are first distinguished by their sizes. Hippos are substantially smaller than elephants, which may weigh up to 3,000 lbs, and are the biggest terrestrial mammals in the world. Male elephants are noticeably larger than female elephants. The Hippo lacks sexual dimorphism, making it difficult to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the water.

Elephants and hippos behave in quite diverse ways. Elephants are renowned for their composure, wisdom, and social behavior. They also develop strong ties with the members of their family and herd. They support one another frequently in times of need because they have a distinct feeling of family. 

Elephants are one of the few animal species other than humans that can be self-aware, making them significantly more intellectual than hippos. Conversely, hippopotamuses are notorious for their aggressive nature and frequently engage in conflict with one another. 

They are fiercely protective of their turf and will fight to keep other animals out. There have been numerous reports of hippos attacking people. Yet you can’t really blame the hippos because they coexist in a large portion of their environment with dangerous alligators, crocodiles, and snakes, which helps us understand why they get so aggressive. 

Hippos may congregate in close proximity, yet despite this, they lack any social ties and hardly tolerate one another despite having a similar need for water. Now, let’s watch one brave elephant turn a herd of hippos into sheep! 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Anolis01