Sudd

Okay kiddo, so imagine you're walking along a path and suddenly you step in a muddy puddle. That's what a sudd is, but in a really big river!

Sometimes in hot countries, like in Africa, rivers can have big patches of plants growing in them. These plants are called water hyacinths and they have big roots that go all the way down to the bottom of the river.

When there are lots and lots of these water hyacinths all together, they can create something called a sudd. This means the plants are so thick together that they cover the whole river and make it really hard for boats to move through.

It's like when you and your friends are all standing really close together and you can't move around very easily.

Sudds can be a problem for people who need to use the river for things like fishing or getting to places. But sometimes, animals like hippos and crocodiles can use sudds as a safe place to hide from bigger animals like lions or people.

So that's what a sudd is - a big bunch of plants in a river that make it hard for boats to move through but can also be a safe spot for animals.