Some Penguins Can Jump More Than 9 Feet in the Air

Though penguins lack the ability to fly, they make up for it with NBA-caliber hops. Some species of these cold-weather waddlers are capable of launching themselves more than 9 feet into the air. But perhaps even more impressively, they don’t reach such heights by leaping off land; they do so by rocketing out from underwater.

Take Adélie penguins, for instance: As they swim toward the surface, their feathers create a trail of air bubbles, which coat and lubricate their bodies to reduce drag. This allows penguins to reach speeds of just under 12 miles per hour, propelling them high into the air upon breaching the surface. Penguins rely on this ability to escape hungry predators such as orcas and seals.