Hippos can 'fly' as per a study. Yes, you read it right!

The hippopotamus, commonly referred to as hippo, is a large semiaquatic mammal. They are further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus or river hippopotamus.

Hippopotamuses can often weigh more than 2,000 kilograms, and flying should never be an option for them as they are mostly seen gliding through the water or having fun on a bank.

But the latest study suggests that the common hippopotamus spends around 15 per cent of the time 'suspended' in the air when running despite their size.

Hippos may appear big and bloated, but they can take up to 30 km/h (19 mph) on land. Experts previously have said that an average male human being can run 5.9 mph, while a woman can do a 5.0 mph run.

The latest study found that their feet leave the ground for up to 0.3 seconds at a time when they are running fast.

The researchers from the Royal Veterinary College in England came up with the findings while studying the footfall patterns and stride parameters of hippos.

The researchers revealed that the findings offer new information on the hippo movement, which could be useful for understanding the evolution, body size, habitat usage and ecology of hippos.

As quoted by UK-based media reports, John Hutchinson, a professor of evolutionary biomechanics who led the research, said, "I've struggled to get any work done on hippos before because they're so hard to access. They're incredibly dangerous, they tend to be most active at night, and they spend a lot of their time in the water."

Hutchinson sent a student to Flamingo Land resort in North Yorkshire, where resident hippos have huge areas to run after he didn't find any satisfying answer in the scientific literature.

The student, identified as Emily Pringle in reports, videoed the animals as they moved between their stable and watering hole.

The researchers were trying to find whether hippos had ever been able to lift all four feet off the ground simultaneously. They also referred to some additional footage from YouTube and examined the videos frame by frame.

In conclusion, published in a PeerJ, the researchers said that in contrast to other large animals, hippos usually maintain a trotting gait regardless of their pace, but they are also capable of taking off quickly.

(With inputs from agencies)