<p>Researchers have captured the first video evidence of a terrestrial leech species jumping, settling a long-standing debate in the scientific community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The footage, recorded by Mai Fahmy, a postdoctoral researcher at Fordham University, in Madagascar in 2017, shows leeches which are a type of Chtonobdella coiling their bodies back and then launching themselves into the air.</p>

<p>"What we have here is the first-ever recorded evidence to our knowledge of a terrestrial leech taking a jump," said Fahmy, the lead author of the study published in the journal Biotropica.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/use-it-and-eat-it-new-fascinating-robots-are-fully-operational-as-well-as-edible-734320">Use it and eat it! New 'fascinating' robots are fully operational as well as edible</a></p>

<p>The phenomenon of jumping leeches has been debated for centuries. In the 14th century, explorer Ibn Battuta wrote of "the flying leech," and in the 19th century, naturalist Ernst Haeckel claimed that leeches can even spring to reach their victim. However, some remained skeptical in the past, with an earlier study stating, "In spite of folk tales to the contrary, land leeches do not jump from vegetation onto their prey."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-acing-three-autonmous-landings-indias-pushpak-plane-awaits-ride-to-space-734290">After acing three autonomous landings, India's 'Pushpak' plane awaits ride to space</a></p>

<p>An assistant professor at CUNY's Medgar Evans College Michael Tessler&nbsp;is the co-author of the study.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In terms of evolution, anything that makes a terrestrial leech get blood faster or more stealthily is of great selective advantage," Tessler explained.</p>

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<p>"The evidence that the leeches in the study are jumping is 'solid enough,'" said Joachim Langeneck, a zoologist at Italy's National Interuniversity Consortium for Marine Sciences, who was not involved in the study.</p>

<p>"This answer [to the debate] opens up to further, more interesting questions, such as why leeches jump and how are they able to."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Study finds AI can detect Parkinson's seven years before onset</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Impact on conservation efforts</strong></h2>

<p>The discovery of jumping leeches not only settles a long-standing scientific debate but also has important implications for understanding leech behaviour and its impact on conservation efforts.</p>

<p>As Fahmy explained, "If we can identify how leeches find and attach to hosts, we can better understand the results of their gut content analyses. Leeches are often overlooked and understudied, and, as a natural part of the ecosystem, leeches themselves may be in need of conservation protection."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Researchers have captured the first video evidence of a terrestrial leech species jumping, settling a long-standing debate in the scientific community. The footage, recorded by Mai Fahmy, a postdoctoral researcher at Fordham University, in Madagascar in 2017, shows leeches which are a type of Chtonobdella coiling their bodies back and then launching themselves into the air.

Researchers have captured the first video evidence of a terrestrial leech species jumping, settling a long-standing debate in the scientific community. The footage, recorded by Mai Fahmy, a postdoctoral researcher at Fordham University, in Madagascar in 2017, shows leeches which are a type of Chtonobdella coiling their bodies back and then launching themselves into the air. "What we have here is the first-ever recorded evidence to our knowledge of a terrestrial leech taking a jump," said Fahmy, the lead author of the study published in the journal Biotropica. Also Read | Use it and eat it! New 'fascinating' robots are fully operational as well as edible The phenomenon of jumping leeches has been debated for centuries. In the 14th century, explorer Ibn Battuta wrote of "the flying leech," and in the 19th century, naturalist Ernst Haeckel claimed that leeches can even spring to reach their victim. However, some remained skeptical in the past, with an earlier study stating, "In spite of folk tales to the contrary, land leeches do not jump from vegetation onto their prey." Also Read | After acing three autonomous landings, India's 'Pushpak' plane awaits ride to space An assistant professor at CUNY's Medgar Evans College Michael Tessler is the co-author of the study. "In terms of evolution, anything that makes a terrestrial leech get blood faster or more stealthily is of great selective advantage," Tessler explained. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mai Fahmy, PhD (@_maifahmy) × "The evidence that the leeches in the study are jumping is 'solid enough,'" said Joachim Langeneck, a zoologist at Italy's National Interuniversity Consortium for Marine Sciences, who was not involved in the study. "This answer [to the debate] opens up to further, more interesting questions, such as why leeches jump and how are they able to." Watch | Study finds AI can detect Parkinson's seven years before onset × Impact on conservation efforts The discovery of jumping leeches not only settles a long-standing scientific debate but also has important implications for understanding leech behaviour and its impact on conservation efforts. As Fahmy explained, "If we can identify how leeches find and attach to hosts, we can better understand the results of their gut content analyses. Leeches are often overlooked and understudied, and, as a natural part of the ecosystem, leeches themselves may be in need of conservation protection." (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | First-ever evidence of jumping leeches found in Madagascar

<p>Navroz, the Persian New Year is considered to be the first day of spring in the Kashmir Valley, and on the same day, hundreds of people in the valley gather at the leech therapy centres hoping to get rid of their age-old ailments. These people believe that leech therapy works best on the day of Navroz.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Leech therapy is an ancient&nbsp;Egyptian method where medicinal leeches are used to treat patients. Medicinal leeches have three jaws with tiny rows of teeth. They pierce a person’s skin with their teeth and insert anticoagulants through their saliva. The leeches are then allowed to extract blood, for 20 to 45 minutes at a time, from the person undergoing treatment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the therapists, leeches are used to treat pain and cure nervous system abnormalities. They are also used to treat dental problems, skin diseases, infections, arthritis, chronic headaches and sinusitis.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Indian soldiers celebrate Holi across Jammu and Kashmir</strong></p>

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<p>''We have been doing leech therapy for around 30-40 years. It's an ancient method which was used by our forefathers, we have been treating patients in the Dooru area with the help of leeches. If there are people suffering from allergies, high blood pressure, frostbite and also lumps, they come to us, especially on the day of Navroz, and get themselves treated with the help of these medicinal leeches. We get patients from Ramban, Kishtwar, North Kashmir and South Kashmir. We specialise&nbsp;in leech therapy and have a huge rush around Navroz,'' said Showkat Ahmad Rather, a therapist.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>People from various parts of the Union Territory come specially to these leech centres to get themselves treated. And some of them claim that what allopathic medicine could not do for them, leech therapy has.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''I have been coming here for many years to get the treatment. I was relieved after visiting the Leech Centre. I used to take a lot of medicines, but I was not benefited by it at all, and through social media I got to know that this therapy is being done here and I came here. It has really worked well for me. And specially on Navroz, they say it works the best, '' said Sameer Ahmad, Anantnag, South Kashmir.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwi19PjF75GFAxXui2MGHQRUD_EQxfQBKAB6BAgMEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-jammu-and-kashmir-to-have-over-34-lakh-first-time-voters-700052" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-jammu-and-kashmir-to-have-over-34-lakh-first-time-voters-700052&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi19PjF75GFAxXui2MGHQRUD_EQxfQBKAB6BAgMEAE">Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Jammu and Kashmir to have over 3.4 lakh first-time voters</a></strong></p>

<p>In recent times, it has been observed that more and more people are shifting to Homeopathy treatment&nbsp;in the valley.&nbsp;</p>


Navroz, the Persian New Year is considered to be the first day of spring in the Kashmir Valley, and on the same day, hundreds of people in the valley gather at the leech therapy centres hoping to get rid of their age-old ailments.

Navroz, the Persian New Year is considered to be the first day of spring in the Kashmir Valley, and on the same day, hundreds of people in the valley gather at the leech therapy centres hoping to get rid of their age-old ailments. These people believe that leech therapy works best on the day of Navroz. Leech therapy is an ancient Egyptian method where medicinal leeches are used to treat patients. Medicinal leeches have three jaws with tiny rows of teeth. They pierce a person’s skin with their teeth and insert anticoagulants through their saliva. The leeches are then allowed to extract blood, for 20 to 45 minutes at a time, from the person undergoing treatment. According to the therapists, leeches are used to treat pain and cure nervous system abnormalities. They are also used to treat dental problems, skin diseases, infections, arthritis, chronic headaches and sinusitis. Watch: Indian soldiers celebrate Holi across Jammu and Kashmir × ''We have been doing leech therapy for around 30-40 years. It's an ancient method which was used by our forefathers, we have been treating patients in the Dooru area with the help of leeches. If there are people suffering from allergies, high blood pressure, frostbite and also lumps, they come to us, especially on the day of Navroz, and get themselves treated with the help of these medicinal leeches. We get patients from Ramban, Kishtwar, North Kashmir and South Kashmir. We specialise in leech therapy and have a huge rush around Navroz,'' said Showkat Ahmad Rather, a therapist. People from various parts of the Union Territory come specially to these leech centres to get themselves treated. And some of them claim that what allopathic medicine could not do for them, leech therapy has. ''I have been coming here for many years to get the treatment. I was relieved after visiting the Leech Centre. I used to take a lot of medicines, but I was not benefited by it at all, and through social media I got to know that this therapy is being done here and I came here. It has really worked well for me. And specially on Navroz, they say it works the best, '' said Sameer Ahmad, Anantnag, South Kashmir. Also read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Jammu and Kashmir to have over 3.4 lakh first-time voters In recent times, it has been observed that more and more people are shifting to Homeopathy treatment in the valley.

Ancient Egyptian leech therapy still popular in Kashmir Valley, demand soars during Navroz

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