When Hippos Fly: Hippopotamuses Can Move So Fast They Become Airborne
Analysis shows hippos get all four feet off the ground simultaneously for up to 15% of the time when running at full speed.
For a brief moment lasting 0.3 seconds per stride, some hippos 'fly' by simultaneously lifting all four feet off the ground. (Credit: Johan Vermeulen / Royal Veterinary College)
Apparently, hippos CAN fly. This is the conclusion reached by the authors of a study out of the University of London’s Royal Veterinary College, which discovered that when hippos move at full speed on land, all four of their feet are regularly in the air for brief moments.
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