<h5>Hippos flying?! Sounds unreal!</h5><p>You must have seen hippopotamuses (also called hippos) in zoos or nature documentaries. These massive beasts are huge in size and strength and are often seen wallowing in the water. Their massive size makes it look like they can’t move easily.</p><p>Surprise, surprise! The massive animals are swift and can run at incredible speeds, reaching speeds of 30 km/hour. But flying? Do they unwrap some hidden wings that they can use to fly? Not really.</p><p>New research by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in the United Kingdom found that when these mammals run at full speed on land, all four of their feet can be up in the air for brief periods, making them airborne.</p><p>So, we can say that hippos can fly, but not like birds or aeroplanes. Some other animals can also become airborne with speed. However, it's unusual for an animal that is as huge as a hippo to do so.</p><figure class="image"><img alt="iStock-1302136754.jpg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/newsahoot.appspot.com/i_Stock_1302136754_4cfe28d7bf.jpg"><figcaption>An ‘airborne’ hippo. Photo by Barbara Yuste Zambrano on iStock.</figcaption></figure><h5>How can hippos run so fast?</h5><p>One reason hippos can run so fast even after being so massive in size is their powerful leg muscles. Their legs help carry their massive bodies, and their sturdy hooves allow them to grip onto various surfaces, ensuring easy movement through mud, grass, etc.</p><p>Their running style also helps them to distribute their body weight equally among all four legs, which helps maintain their balance.</p><p>However, they can’t run at their top speeds for long distances and can tire out after some time.</p><p>Still, researchers know very little about the way a hippo moves on land. They spend a lot of time in the water and are known for their aggressive behaviour. They also remain more active at night, making it difficult for humans to study their movements properly.</p><p>So, further research is needed to learn more about their movement pattern.</p><h5>How can this study help?</h5><p>This study can help researchers, scientists, zoos, and forest officials better understand hippos’ bodies and movement styles. It also talks about how hippos move their legs while running.</p><p>This can help them take better care of these animals in zoos and forests to ensure their health.</p><p>If a hippo gets injured or loses a leg, researchers can use this study’s findings to create artificial legs to help with movement.</p>

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