The elephant is the only mammal that cannot jump. It is one of the largest land mammals, and its feet are not equipped to elevate off the ground or absorb the impact of landing. The fronts of an elephant’s feet are the only part that contain bones, while the back of its feet are made completely of fat. Other large mammals, such as the hippopotamus and the rhinoceros, are often considered unable to jump, but these mammals can reach a state in which all four feet are off the ground when they run. Elephants, however, are never able to be completely airborne while running.
More about animals jumping:
- The Southern cricket frog is able to propel itself to 60 times its own body height, or the equivalent of the average human jumping 38 stories into the air.
- About 13% of all spider species — about 5,000 of them — have the ability to jump in order to attack their prey.
- The puma can jump higher than any other mammal, reaching heights of about 20 feet (6.1 m) without a running start.
