Is the camel the only animal that can't swim?

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
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Well, my first ever post to the Straight Dope Message Board!

I just read the story about camels being able to swim, despite claims to the contrary, and I’d like to comment on it. Someone “seriously doubted” that sloths could swim. In fact, they swim quite often. They’re not especially fast or agile, and I don’t know that they can dive, but they can definitely cross a raging river without batting an eye. I’ve seen lots of pictures of them swimming, sometimes with a baby sloth riding the momma sloth’s back.

The environment where they live is prone to flooding, you see, and sometimes swimming’s the only way they can get around. It’s something they have actually evolved to manage quite well.

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Congrats, Calli, on your first post… welcome, and may you be blessed (or bless us) with many more.

A few thoughts for you, though:

First, it is helpful to others if you can provide the link to the Staff Report being discussed: Is the camel the only animal that can’t swim?

Second, you might want to do a quick look, since this topic was actually discussed a while back, in some length: Can camels swim?

Welcome!

Edited to < blush! > fix the link. – CKDext

[Edited by CKDextHavn on 11-09-2000 at 03:15 PM]

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Thanks for helping me with the etiquette! I’m a clueless newbie still, and I anticipate coming quickly up to speed and joining all you wonderful folks in lively speculation and debate! It’s been a while since I’ve participated in a message board, and I figure this is the best one to try out next.

Thanks also for the warm welcome!