Fun Facts Friday: Why Elephants Can’t Jump Most mammals jump by first lowering their bodies and bending their joints, which stretches key tendons in the lower leg and foot like a loaded spring. As those tendons snap back, they add to the muscles’ effort, helping push the body upward. Elephants, however, have limited elastic recoil. Their tendons don’t provide that same rebound, so even though their muscles can generate force, they don’t get the extra boost needed to lift all four feet at once. J