Examples of animals that can’t swim include batfish, giraffes, hippopotamus, camels, and birds.
Animals that can’t swim are rare species. The majority of animals have the ability to swim, but there are some who just don’t have what it takes. Before we get into this list of animals that can’t swim, let’s take a moment to explore why they might not be able to do so well in water.
In almost all cases, these animals live on land and come from environments where there is no need for them to learn how to swim. This also means they usually don’t have access to any bodies of water either.
Examples of Animals that can’t Swim
1. Basset Hounds
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Basset Hounds are one of the breeds of dogs that can’t swim. This is because they have very heavy bones and a low center of gravity, which makes it difficult for them to keep their balance in the water.
2. Batfish
| Scientific Name | Ogcocephalus darwini |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | the deep waters of the Galapagos Islands |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Batfish are unusual fish that can’t swim. Instead, they just walk on the ocean floor. They have a flat body with eyes on top of their head, antennae, and small pectoral fins near their mouth so they look somewhat like bats (thus the name). Batfish live in the Pacific Ocean at extreme depths – between 600 and 2000 meters down.
3. Black Rhinoceros
| Scientific Name | Diceros bicornis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
| Diet | Herbivore |
The Black Rhinoceros is a subspecies of the white rhino. It can’t swim, but it has other defenses to keep itself safe from predators like lions and hyenas. Its thick leathery skin helps prevent bites, its size prevents smaller predators like jackals or cheetahs from taking them down, and its large horn is used as a weapon against larger predators like lions.
Read Also: Are Black Rhinoceros Without Fur?
4. Blobfish
| Scientific Name | Psychrolutes marcidus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | the deep waters off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The Blobfish is a sad-looking, gelatinous blob of flesh that lives in the deep waters of Australia. It’s almost completely without any muscle or bones at all.
This makes it very difficult for the Blobfish to swim. When it’s in danger or needs to move from one spot to another, the Blobfish simply oozes along the ocean floor.
5. Boxers
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
These dogs tend to stay out of the water, despite their name. The origin of this breed is a mystery: some think they originated in Germany, while others claim that these are descendants from Thailand. Either way, there aren’t many boxers who enjoy swimming.
6. Camels
| Scientific Name | Camelus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North Africa and the Middle East |
| Diet | Herbivore |
Camels are famous for being able to survive in the desert. They can go weeks without water, and their ability to withstand high temperatures is legendary. But camels aren’t well-equipped to handle a dip in the pool or ocean.
Their bodies sink like rocks when they fall into deep water, making it impossible for them to get back up on land.
Related Article: Are Camels Faster than Horses?
7. Chimpanzees
| Scientific Name | Pan troglodytes |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | The central African Republic |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Chimpanzees are some of the animals that can’t swim. They live in Africa, and their habitat is dense forest. Chimpanzees spend a lot of time in trees, but they also come to the ground to forage for food.
When chimpanzees travel from one part of their territory to another, they often cross rivers by wading through them. They are not good swimmers, and if they fall into deep water, they will drown.
Related Article: Do Chimpanzees Walk on Two Legs?
8. Chinchillas
| Scientific Name | Chinchilla |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Bolivia, Peru, and Chile |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Chinchillas are small, fluffy animals that can’t swim. They live in the Andes Mountains of South America, and their natural habitat is a very dry area. If they fell into the water, they would quickly drown. Chinchilla owners need to be very careful not to let their pets near any bodies of water.
9. Dachshunds
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Germany |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Dachshunds were bred as hunting dogs. They would go after large prey, such as boars and badgers. These animals tend to live in burrows underground, so they can’t be too good of swimmers. This is a problem for the dachshund because it isn’t built like other hunting hounds that have a long body and powerful legs.
10. Earthworms
| Scientific Name | Lumbricina |
| Type of Animal | Invertebrate |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Earthworms are not good swimmers. In fact, they can barely move their little bodies through the water. If an earthworm falls into a body of water, it will quickly drown. This is because they lack the ability to float and breathe underwater.
11. English Bulldogs
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | England |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Bulldogs are unable to swim because of their build. They have a very broad chest and shoulders, which makes it difficult for them to keep their head above water. Their short legs also don’t help matters, as they are not able to move quickly through the water.
12. Giraffes
| Scientific Name | Giraffa |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
| Diet | Herbivore |
The giraffes are the tallest animals in the world, but they still can’t swim. If one of these guys falls into the water it’ll thrash around trying to get out before dying from lack of oxygen or drowning. Giraffes don’t like water, and they try to avoid it at all costs.
13. Gorillas
| Scientific Name | Gorilla |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | equatorial Africa |
| Diet | Herbivore |
Gorillas are huge animals, and when they fall into the water their size makes them sink like a stone. They also have no natural instincts to swim; it’s not something that is necessary for survival.
When gorillas do get in swimming situations, such as crossing rivers (which happens more frequently than you’d think), females with young babies cling tightly to the infants, and their huge size usually keeps them from sinking.
14. Hippopotamus
| Scientific Name | Hippopotamus amphibius |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Hippopotamuses occupy the rivers, lakes, and ponds of Africa. They are one of the most dangerous animals in their natural habitat – with only a single predator that can actually kill them (humans). That is why they have evolved to be so large: their size makes it difficult for predators to get close enough.
Since hippos spend a great deal of time in the water, they are not very good swimmers. If they fall into a deep body of water, their sheer weight makes it difficult for them to get back out.
15. Orangutans
| Scientific Name | Pongo |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Borneo |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The orangutan is one of the animals that can’t swim. This large, reddish-brown ape is found in the rain forests of Borneo and Sumatra. They are excellent climbers, but because they live in such dense forested areas, they have never needed to learn how to swim.
16. Owls
| Scientific Name | Strigiformes |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Owls are one of the animals that can’t swim. They have feathers that are not waterproof, so they would quickly become waterlogged if they attempted to fly over a body of water. Furthermore, owls rely on their acute sense of hearing to hunt prey, and being in water would impair this ability.
17. Parrots
| Scientific Name | Psittaciformes |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
You might think that parrots are able to swim. The truth is, they can’t – even though their instinct tells them that it’s possible for them to do so.
Parrot pets and wild birds alike will flail about in the water, only managing the occasional glide or quick movement across the surface of a pool or lake when threatened by predators.
18. Peacocks
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | India and Sri Lanka |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Peacocks have beautiful feathers that they use to attract a mate. Unfortunately, the colors are so vivid and symmetrical that it makes them easy prey for predators like birds of prey or other carnivorous mammals.
They don’t swim well because their bodies are too heavy with muscle mass and plumage, which is why we hear about peacock drownings so often.
Related Article: 22 Birds that Look Like Peacocks
19. Porcupine
| Scientific Name | Erethizon dorsatum |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Canada |
| Diet | Herbivore |
Porcupines are a type of rodent that lives in trees. If they fall out, even into shallow water, their quills get wet and heavy. It is hard for them to use these as weapons against predators because the size and weight of the porcupine make it sink like a rock when taken out of its tree home by an animal trying to eat it.
Related Article: What Eats Porcupines?
20. Portuguese Man O’ War
| Scientific Name | Physalia physalis |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Wait, jellyfish can’t swim?
Most jellyfish can swim, but the Portuguese Man O’ War is an example of a marine organism that can’t swim. It floats around without any control of its direction, relying on its sail-like structure to stay upright in the water. The creature has tentacles with stinging cells attached which it uses to capture small fish and crustaceans for food.
21. Prairie Dogs
| Scientific Name | Cynomys |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Texas, Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Prairie dogs live in burrows that can be up to ten feet deep. They have poor eyesight and no ability to swim. If they are ever forced out of their safe underground home, they will drown quickly if unable to get back inside the entrance hole.
22. Pugs
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Pugs don’t have any special adaptations that allow them to swim. However, they are also not known for being particularly athletic or coordinated animals. They may be small enough to fit in a child’s swimming pool without drowning, but this is pretty much the extent of their water activities.
23. Red-Tailed Hawks
| Scientific Name | Buteo jamaicensis |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Central America, and in the West Indies |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Red-tailed Hawks can’t swim. They are large birds of prey, and their ability to fly helps them avoid predators in the air as well as on land. But if they fell into a body of water like a lake or river, they would immediately begin flapping their wings while struggling to stay afloat.
24. Shih Tzus
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Tibet |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Shih Tzus are a dog breed that cant swim. They have that classic little white dog face, with those adorable round eyes and a black nose to match their eyebrows.
25. Slugs
| Scientific Name | Gastropoda |
| Type of Animal | Gastropod |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, and detritivorous |
Slugs are essentially snails without a shell or any body parts at all. They look like a blob of slime with eyes and antennae, but otherwise, they have no discernible form.
26. Starfish
| Scientific Name | Asteroidea |
| Type of Animal | Echinoderms |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Starfish is one of the animals that can’t swim. They don’t have any muscles, so they rely on their tube feet to attach themselves to rocks or coral and move around.
27. Toads
| Scientific Name | Anura |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Toads are one of the most unique and interesting animals that can’t swim. They have smooth, slippery skin so they don’t sink out of sight as other amphibians might.
The problem is their bodies lack any sort of flotation mechanism to keep them afloat in water or allow them to pull themselves up onto land when necessary.
28. Tortoises
| Scientific Name | Testudinidae |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | on all continents except Australia and Antarctica |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Turtles swim and live in the water while tortoises live on land. They have a hard shell that helps protect them from predators, but it makes it difficult for them to move around in the water. If they fall into a body of water, they will struggle to get out and may eventually drown.
29. White Rhinoceros
| Scientific Name | Ceratotherium simum |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
| Diet | Herbivore |
Despite having a thick hide, large size, and powerful head butt ability, white rhinos can’t swim. They are very susceptible to drowning, especially juveniles.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.