Jumping Leeches Caught on Camera: A First?

A video posted to Instagram reveals what may be the first evidence of land-dwelling leeches jumping, observed in Madagascar. Mai Fahmy, a postdoctoral researcher, shared the finding, stating:

"What we have here is the first-ever recorded evidence... of a terrestrial leech taking a jump."

The peer-reviewed study, co-authored by Fahmy and published in Biotropica, details the discovery. In the video, a leech is seen jumping from one leaf to another, coiling its body "much like a cobra" to maximize potential energy, according to the report obtained by ABC.

Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century explorer, and biologist Ernst Haeckel in the 1880s both documented similar observations, with Haeckel noting leeches' ability to spring and "reach their victim."

Fahmy encourages people to observe their surroundings, providing a lesson in the power of careful scientific observation.