They may not look much like ballerinas, but elephants are more nimble-footed than their bulky frame suggests. A team of scientists from Germany filmed 15 African and Asian elephants with infrared-reflecting tape stuck to 10 key joints on their bodies. Computer software then tracked the motion of the reflective markers to build 3D models of how the elephants’ skeletons moved underneath their thick skin. The model shows that although elephants tend to walk on the flat of their feet, they also roll from their heels to their toes while running, just like humans with ankles on the back legs acting like a spring to propel them forward.  

Here’s what the computer animation reveal about the way elephants move their feet when they walk and run.

And here’s a video of an elephant snagging leaves from a tall tree using the tremendous power of its hind legs.

The Blue Whale

Blue whales are the largest animal on Earth. Measuring as long as a hundred feet and weighing up to 200 tons, a blue whale’s tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant and its heart as much as an automobile. Despite their enormous size, blue whales can perform acrobatic 360-degree rolls either as a courtship dance or while feeding on krill to maximize the amount of food they consume. This acrobatic maneuver is driven by several powerful fluke strokes, followed by a graceful tilting of its pectoral flippers.  

Watch: Giant Acrobatics of the Sea