Elephants may be the last animals you'd expect to find far from shore, but they are surprisingly accomplished swimmers.

They are naturally buoyant, and their powerful legs propel them through the water with a steady, efficient stroke. Their trunk serves as a built-in snorkel, allowing them to breathe while the rest of their body remains submerged.

Wild elephants have been observed swimming for up to six hours and covering 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 kilometers) in a single journey. They cross wide rivers in Africa and have even been documented swimming between islands in Asia in search of food, water, mates, or new territory.

For an animal that can weigh more than six tons, that's an extraordinary feat. With only the tip of its trunk breaking the surface, an elephant can travel through deep water looking more like a periscope than the largest land mammal on Earth.