It’s hard to believe four years have passed since the last summer Olympics but athletes have again gathered from all over the world to outrun, outjump, and outswim their competitors.
While all eyes are on Paris, let’s remember the animal athletes that perform amazing fetes every day, several of which were highlighted in a recent Answers Magazine article. For example, while 1,105 pounds is the world record deadlift, gorillas can move over two tons!
But the medals for weight lifted compared to body size all go to insects. Leafcutter ants can carry 50 times their own weight and rhinoceros beetles can lift over 100 times theirs! That would be like you bench-pressing a train car. But the weightlifting champion is the lowly dung beetle toting over 1,140 times its own bulk which would be comparable to me lifting a bulldozer. I need a little more time at the gym before I’m ready for that.
The fastest humans sprint at 27 miles per hour. And while that leaves me in the dust, many animals far surpass us including horses at 30mph and cheetahs at up to 75. This doesn’t even consider birds which are speed demons beyond compare.
Swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports with Michael Phelps garnering 28 medals during his career. But even the quickest aquatic humans are left in the wakes of sailfish at 68mph and black marlins at a blistering 82. Researchers are still probing marine creatures to improve not only techniques, but also swimwear for maximum performance.
When it comes to diving, Olympic performers are judged on twists, turns, and splash. What happens underwater is ignored although some humans have delved to over 700 feet without oxygen. That, however, is nothing compared to Cuvier’s Beaked whales, one of which spent nearly four hours diving to nearly 10,000 feet while pausing its digestion, kidney function and liver operation to conserve oxygen.
Bob Beamon’s long jump record of 29 feet, 2.5 inches set in 1968 is dwarfed by a snow leopard’s ability to cover the length of a 50 foot school bus. Tree frogs, however, can jump 43 times their own length and fleas can cover over 200 times theirs.
Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor owns the world record high jump at just over 8 feet. While that is far above anything I could ever attempt, we’ve all watched whitetails clear fences even higher. From a running start, deer can soar to over 12 feet. Dolphins, however, leap 20 feet above the waves but the tiny flea again takes the gold when compared to body height with 150 times. That would be like you or me clearing a 60 story building. Even a pogo stick wouldn’t take me that high!
As we marvel at the athletic prowess of the best competitors in the world, let’s remember that the fastest and strongest are at the Paris zoo and aquarium, not the Olympic pools or stadiums. As we do, let’s praise their Creator who made them and us both.
George Bowers – Executive Board Member
