Despite their great weight and size, scientists have discovered that hippos can stay off the ground for longer than expected.
Is there anything scarier than a creature of 3.600 kilos flying towards you through the air? Maybe not, and it is a reality. Well more or less. Scientists have discovered that hippos They can stay in the air for considerable periods of timemuch longer than other animals of similar size.
New research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has found that these mammals They can stay in the air for up to 0.3 seconds at a time when they move at high speed.
They are the second heaviest animal on the planet – after elephants – but, unlike them, hippos trot exclusively when they move, meaning they are better able to gain momentum.
But why did the scientists carry out the study? The researchers’ goal was to improve scientific understanding of How the size of large animals influences their movement on land.
There was also a broader interest in the importance of supporting the reconstruction of evolutionary biomechanics of the lineages of hippos and help veterinarians diagnose or monitor hippos that may have trouble moving or be lame.
The research comes at a crucial time for hippos around the world.
Currently, of the two remaining species, the pygmy hippopotamusor -which lives in the forests and wetlands of West Africa- is in danger of extinctionMeanwhile he common hippopotamus -found mainly in sub-Saharan grasslands- is classified as vulnerable.
How did scientists discover that hippos can airlift?
As part of the RVC investigation, experts They monitored video images taken of two hippos who moved through their meadow at the Flamingo Land Resort in Yorkshire, northern England.
“We are delighted to offer the first study focused exclusively on revealing how hippos walk and run“said Professor John Hutchinson, lead author of the study. ‘We were pleasantly surprised to see how hippos rise into the air when moving quickly – it’s really impressive.’
Interestingly, until now very little was known about how hippos move, in part because they tend to stick to water – and because of the significant danger they pose to humans.
The new research has opened a window into parts of hippo life, and experts hope it is a step in the right direction.
“Kieran Holliday, Science and Conservation Manager at Flamingo Land Resort, says: ‘I am delighted that we have been able to facilitate and contribute to the collection of these valuable data in this exceptional publication. The fact that this work has revealed possible new discoveries about hippopotamus locomotion could have positive repercussions for the zoological community in general when it comes to husbandry and enclosure design.
Hippos weigh up to 3,600 kgmaking them the heaviest land animal after the elephant.
They currently live between 115,000 and 300,000 hippos in the wild around the worldmainly in rivers and lakes of sub-Saharan Africa.
