A New Study Says High-Speed Hippos Can Become Airborne

Hippos have been discovered to take to the sky while travelling quickly over land, which is a revolutionary finding. For the first time, all four limbs of these enormous animals—which may weigh over 2,000 kg (2.2 tonnes) and spend the most of their lives in the water—have been seen being raised off the ground while moving. This information is derived from research done in the UK by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

Under the direction of Professor John Hutchinson, the research team examined films displaying 169 hippos’ cycles of movement. The fastest hippos, they found, were elevated from the ground for around 15% of each step. This new information fundamentally alters how we think about hipposomal movement.

Hutchinson told CNN that “hippos were a big missing part of the puzzle.” “Studying them is really difficult.” He emphasised the difficulties brought on by their aggressive disposition, aquatic way of life, and nighttime activities. Rare footage of hippos swimming swiftly was made available by the study; these animals are usually driven by rivalry or the need to escape from lions or rhinos, among other predators.

One remarkable discovery was that, regardless of pace, hippos nearly always trot. Hippos stick to their trotting gait, unlike other mammals like horses who change from a stroll to a trot to a gallop. According to Hutchinson, “hippos are among the very few four-legged animals that just trot.” “It was a really interesting discovery.”

These findings have important ramifications for managing and providing care for hippos kept in captivity. Recognising and tracking bodily problems can be made easier by being aware of their movement patterns. Hutchinson stated his interest in conducting more research has been piqued by a video depicting a baby pygmy hippos galloping. He intends to look into the possibility that young hippos, such as pygmy hippos, can gallop but eventually lose this capacity.

The research, which was published in the journal PeerJ, provides fresh insights into the biomechanics of hippos and may result in improved methods for their conservation and maintenance.