# So can elephants jump or not?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-can-elephants-jump-or-not/44546
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [December 7, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-can-elephants-jump-or-not/44546 "2000-12-07T21:40:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-can-elephants-jump-or-not/44546/1 "2000-12-07T21:40:46Z")

</div>

In the current Mailbag article [Are hippos the most dangerous animal?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhippo.html), Jill states that “but, like elephants, they (hippos) can’t jump.” I know the original [Mailbag article](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/melephan.html) on the subject of elephants jumping said that they could not jump, but the [follow up](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/melepha2.html) said that they could. Which is it? Or do I get a “whoooosh” for believing the follow up to the original Mailbag piece, which was actually tongue-in-cheek?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2000, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-can-elephants-jump-or-not/44546/2 "2000-12-07T21:50:51Z")

</div>

Yes, they can, but they don’t pass worth a damn. ba-dump-tshhh!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2000, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-can-elephants-jump-or-not/44546/3 "2000-12-08T00:46:33Z")

</div>

The follow-up was written by my wise-ass dad and yes, you get a major whooooooosh.  
Jill

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@ren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ren)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2000, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-can-elephants-jump-or-not/44546/4 "2000-12-08T01:51:34Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> There is a poorly documented instance where a Volkswagen beetle was seen to jump over a fence when a myopic pygmy mistook it for an elephant, but this has not been confirmed.

MMMMMM boy howdy, that’s quite a loud WHOOOOOOOOSH!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2000, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-can-elephants-jump-or-not/44546/5 "2000-12-08T14:57:34Z")

</div>

Come on, give me a little credit- do you believe that if I thought a VW jumped a fence I’d title this thread “So can **elephants** jump or not?”.