The 10 Highest Jumping Animals in the World

Who are the Harold Miners of the animal kingdom? What are the highest jumping animals in the world? According to researchers, copepods — a microscopic set of crustaceans — are probably the best jumpers on Earth. However, we didn’t include them on this list because the average human can’t see copepods without a microscope. Instead, we’re focusing on animals that can reach impressive vertical heights — which are viewable without a magnifying device.

#10 Cougars

Cougars are most often associated with strength and quickness. But a lot of people don’t realize that the big cats can jump. Surprisingly, the 200-pound carnivores can reach verticals of 2.8 to 5 feet. From a sitting position, they can leap forward 18 feet!

Roaring, however, is another matter. Unlike lions and tigers, cougars don’t have a large enough larynx. Instead, they hiss, growl, and chirp.

Click here to learn more about cougars, which are the largest cats in North America.

#9 Impalas

Graceful and swift, impalas are African antelopes that can jump 33 feet forward and nearly 10 feet high — which is impressive for a hoofed animal that weighs up to 168 pounds! Lions, leopards, and cheetahs prey on impalas, but the balletic herbivores are difficult to catch because of their sprinting and leaping abilities. In most cases, felines usually give up and look for less agile animals.

Click here to learn more about impalas, which travel in herds of hundreds during the rainy season.

#8 Red Kangaroos

As the largest kangaroo species, red kangaroos enjoy a unique musculoskeletal system that lets the marsupials jump far and high. They can clear about 30 feet in a single bound and reach nearly 11 feet in the air. Moreover, kangaroos are one of the few animals that jump as their main mode of transportation.

Click here to learn more about kangaroos, which live in groups called “mobs.”

#7 Bharals

Himalayan residents, bharals are expert mountaineers that can jump deftly from cliff to cliff. Not only is their jump height impressive, but their sure-footed balance is a thing to behold. Bharals don’t venture into forests because their fur coat is specifically tinted to camouflage with rocky terrain.

In the past, scientists categorized bharals as sheep. However, recent DNA evidence suggests the animals are more goat-like.

#6 Klipspringer

In relation to body size, klipspringers — which look suspiciously like animatronic Disney deers — are the highest jumping animals. The adorable antelopes stand about 24 inches to the shoulder and jump 10 times their height!

Like penguins and flamingos, klipspringers tend to form life bonds with partners and remain monogamous for most of their lives.

#5 Tree Frogs

Colorful tree frogs — with their bulging red eyes, orange feet, green bodies, and electric blue legs — are excellent jumpers. Their elastic muscles give frogs the power to jump up to seven feet high! These amphibians have been around for millions of years, and they’re masters of disguise.

Click here to learn more about tree frogs, which don’t inhabit North America, Australia, or Antarctica.

#4 Dolphins

Marine mammals are Olympic jumpers — especially dolphins. The intelligent ocean-dwellers are typically 3.8 to 5.3 feet long and weigh between 132 and 154 pounds. But their size doesn’t stop them from jettisoning 15 to 30 feet high. That’s like a person jumping from their lawn to the top of a two-story house!

Click here to learn more about dolphins, which can zoom along at 25 miles per hour.

#3 Grasshopper

We call them grasshoppers for a reason! The verdant insects have six legs and can jump twenty times their body length — or 16 to 23 feet. Grasshoppers live on every continent except Antarctica, and scientists have identified 11,000 species so far.

Click here to read more about grasshoppers, which have antennas longer than their bodies.

#2 Jumping Spiders

Jumping spiders have four eyes, eight legs, and they can jump 50 to 100 times their body length, depending on species! Jumping spiders use their natural pole-vaulting skills to pounce on prey and avoid threats. Highly adaptable, they can be found in South America’s tropical forests and Mount Everest’s caves alike.

Jumping spiders are the largest family of spiders and represent 13 percent of the crawling order.

#1 Fleas

Fleas are champion jumpers. The minuscule insects — which plague our pets — can leap 200 times their body length, which is about 10 inches. Just counting the distance fleas can jump, they leap about 13 inches laterally. For the height of their jump, they can hop 7 inches straight up.

Hey, that’s impressive for a 0.2-inch-long animal! How can they achieve such heights? Flea legs are naturally outfitted with springs. Another interesting flea fact- these bugs are very difficult to crush, since they’re able to withstand immense pressure.

Top 10 Highest Jumping Animals Summary

What is the Largest Animal That Cannot Jump?

Jumping and fast reflexes have obvious benefits in the animal kingdom to help avoid confrontation and also to stalk prey, so it does seem a little contradictory to find out that some animals just are not able to jump. Leaving the ground just is not an option for them!

The largest of the animals that are not able to jump is, of course, the elephant. Somewhere through its evolution, the big animal adapted to put more emphasis on stability and connection to the ground. In fact, as the elephant runs, it always keeps at least one foot on the earth. While they can reach up to 25 miles per hour, one foot will be touching the ground at all times.

This may sound a little odd, but the great weight and size of the elephant do not lend them to super agility and probably requires an additional amount of support. On top of that, we have all hear “the bigger they are, the harder they fall”, right? Some elephants can weight over 14,000 pounds! Elephants probably want to protect themselves from toppling over. Plus, they definitely are not the fastest animals to spring up from the ground. Don’t forget, they have the largest brain of any animal, so they probably know a thing or too!