Winged reptile Pterosaur used pole vault trick for take-off

Scientists claim that a winged reptile called Pterosaur used a pole vaulting action to jump high in air.

In a recent study, scientists said that they found evidence of an ancient reptile using the modern pole vaulting technique to leap high in air. According to them, Pterosaurs made use of all four limbs to jump in air. Using first their hind limbs, the propelled themselves ahead and then pushed upon their front limbs to go up in air. Their action can be compared to how modern bats use their limbs. The research journal Plos One contains all the details of the study.

Pterosaurs, which lived at the same time as dinosaurs, existed on earth some 220 million years ago till 65 million years ago, which is the Triassic period till the Cretaceous era. Dr. Mark Witton and Dr. Michael Habib, from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Pennsylvania respectively studied the fossils of this creature extensively to arrive at their conclusions. Before their study, scientists believed that Pterosaurs could not fly. They thought that Pterosaurs were so heavy that they could not have hoped to fly.

The researchers, in their latest study have contended that these massive creatures, with their 50kg muscle limb were able to launch their bodies in air. Not like modern birds of course, but they could leap in air for a considerable time. Modern birds use only their legs to go up in air but Pterosaurs used their arms to propel themselves in air which is nothing less than a miracle. Dr. Habib said that making use of their flight muscles, these mammoth creatures could take off. When they were high up in air, they started to flap their big wings which enabled them to stay in the air for a long period.