The Big Leap Forward

When Hammie is in fright, he jump. Not quite a jump, more likely a leap wits a back flip somersault. I saw it with my own eyes when Hammie was frightened by a noise. My heart goes all out to him when I saw that. Luckily, he recovered to his active self almost instantly upon landing. However I still do not understand their intention of jumping and falling.
Stick insects naturally flip and fall to evade chases from predators. Due to their living environment, they will naturally land on some sticks or branches. Then, they could continue with their escape or blend into environment.
How does jumping helps Hammie to escape? Is jumping a natural behaviour for hamster? How high can they jump? I couldn't find answers for those question.

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