Which Animal can Jump the Farthest?

The winner of a jumping contest between animals would be the snow leopard. Read on to learn more about the snow leopard and other fascinating animals that are very skilled jumpers.

A snow leopard can jump up to 15 metres. Snow leopards are interesting creatures who live alone in the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. They are carnivores and hunt their prey, but will also eat meat that they find. They are powerful hunters and can kill a prey that is three times their size. They also eat some vegetation, like grass and twigs. 

A mother snow leopard gives birth in a cave-like den, using fur to line it with shed from her underside. Litters can be from one to five cubs, but are usually one to three cubs.  Their eyes open when they are about a week old and they are weaned at about ten weeks. After 18 to 20 weeks at home, the cubs take off on their own, many times traveling long distances to find suitable hunting grounds. They normally live between 15 and 18 years. We can only estimate their population in the wild at between 4000 and 6600 and they are on the endangered species list. There are over 600 snow leopards in zoos all over the world.

Second Best Jumper

Now that you know the answer to the question “Which animal can jump the farthest?” perhaps you are wondering about the second best jumping animal. Coming in second in the jumping contest would be the red kangaroo. A normal jump for a kangaroo is eight metres, but some can jump as far as 12 metres. 

The red Kangaroo, or Macropus rufus, is the biggest of the kangaroos and marsupials in general, and the largest mammal that is native to Australia. They can be found in the mainland of Australia. They weigh around 90 kg, are herbivores, and can live in the wild up to 23 years. A group of kangaroos is called a mob and the babies are called joeys.

Kangaroos eat mostly grass, tree bark, and leaves, and can go without water for a long time. They can lean back on their strong tail and box with their very powerful hind legs.  To warn others of a danger, they will thump on the ground with their feet.

Joeys are born blind and furless and live in their mother’s pouch for four months. By the time they are one year old, they are weaned and independent.   

More Fun Facts about Jumping Animals

Here are some fun, interesting facts about animals and jumping:

• The puma can jump higher than any other animal.  It can jump 15 feet or 4.6 metres high. They are also called mountain lions and have been observed dropping down to the ground from 60 feet or 18 metres up. 
• The only animals that can’t jump are elephants.
• Penguins can jump six feet.