British animal experts say they have discovered that hippos can trot so fast that they actually “glide through the air,” however briefly, when at full speed. A report by the Royal Veterinary College says the massive mammals, weighing up to 2 tons, can propel themselves with all four feet off the ground for up to 0.3 seconds at a time. The researchers also found that hippos are more athletic than elephants but less than rhinos. Hippos are dangerous animals and are usually active at night, which makes them difficult to study.

adapted with permission from Earthweek.com