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Hippos can launch themselves airborne for split seconds at a time, surprising scientists

https://www.businessinsider.com/hippos-airborne-when-trot-run-video-footage-proof-2024-7

Researchers realized hippos become airborne when they trot. They made the discovery watching footage that showed hippos fully lifting off the ground.

Hippos can launch themselves airborne for split seconds at a time, surprising scientists

6 comments

jaybone

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Is this also called jumping?

Many mammals and other animals are capable of this.

Edit: in fact I’m having a difficult time thinking of animals that can’t do this. Maybe turtles and worms? Shellfish, cephalopods?

pixeltree

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Elephants, probably rhinos, tortoises

jaybone

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I kind of thought elephants might be able to do little jumps. Maybe not though.

pixeltree

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Nope! They never needed to so they didn't evolve the ability. Also, they have so much mass that accelerating that mass quick enough to jump would probably injure them, the landing as well. Newton's a bitch

FatLegTed

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Just another reason to make them even more scary.

Sidyctism2

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they fly now!