How do dainty rhino feet support such weight?

[Keel M.]

How do rhinos' dainty little pigeon-toed feet support their portly bodies?A group of veterinary scientists in the United Kingdom are on the case. By coaxing three white rhinos to walk back and forth across a "pressure pad," a floor mat embedded with thousands of pressure sensors, the researchers are collecting data on how much force the beasts exert on different parts of their feet as they walk.

A rhinoceros can weigh as much as 8,000 pounds (3,600 kilograms), yet somehow, their feet manage to take all those tons in stride. Initial results show that, with each step, their toes feel peak pressures of 75 pounds per square inch (psi), and the pads of their feet, 15 psi. That's not so much.

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[rashore]

Awww, those darn scientists... It's because rhinos are magic, like hippos and bunblebees

Pretty cool article though