One of the more popular factoids making the rounds during the last few decades* is the idea that "Elephants are the only mammal that can't jump".
I have seen pictures of elephants galloping, and they seem to have all four feet off the ground. That sounds like jumping to me. I also find it hard to believe that a three-toed sloth (or any sloth) can jump. Can walruses jump? Rhinos? Bats? (Not much leg strength there). Koalas, Hippos, and Duck-billed platypuses?
I'm sure some of you will say that all these 'little known facts' are made up by people with too much time on their hands, and it's no surprise that they are just plain wrong. But in actuality there are quite a lot of true True Facts out there. With a decent amount of 'true facts' to circulate, it seems strange that some of the wiser useless fact finders fall for such an obvious 'false fact'.
Any comments?
* The oldest reference I have found to this 'fact' is in 'Boyd's Book of Odd Facts' by L.M.Boyd, pub. 1980.
"Only mammal that can't jump is said to be the elephant."