Reading time: 3 minutes. Published 07/18/2019
Many of us know that the cheetah and gazelle can reach very fast speeds. But did you know that there are birds and other animals that reach absolutely incredible speeds? If you love animals as much as we do, then you've probably wondered what the fastest animals in the world are?
We present you the list TOP 5 Fastest animals on the planet.
The peregrine falcon can fly at a speed of 96 km/h, but when the falcon spots prey and decides to attack, this magnificent bird in a dive can reach a colossal speed of up to 322 km/h! Impressive speed, isn't it?
The Peregrine Falcon is undoubtedly the fastest animal on Earth and therefore he was included first on our list. These birds of prey have been spotted flying at speeds of over 389 km/h, which is a confirmed fact. And this is even faster than formula 1.
The fact that the Cheetah is considered one of the fastest animals on the planet is no secret. No representative of the cat family can compare with cheetahs in speed and agility. This incredible predator is famous for its lightning speed over short distances, which can reach between 112 and 120 km/h.
Cheetahs live preferentially in North and East Africa. In addition, in wide and flat expanses, a cheetah can easily develop its super speed in pursuit of prey. In bushes and thickets, a cheetah can always rest and hide from its enemies.
The next one who can boast of speed between animals is the hare. It can exceed 80 kilometers per hour, and has a very fast and sharp launch, which allows it to hide from many predators.
In addition to running fast, this animal has good agility. But the most important thing is cunning. A cunning and intelligent animal can easily confuse a predator due to its unpredictable jumping amplitude and running method.
During an attack by predators, moose can reach speeds of up to 73 km/h. And this is with a weight of 700 kg and a height of 2.5 m. Massive antlers weighing up to 40 kilograms have a span of up to 2 meters. Therefore, predators do not often decide to attack such large herbivores.
Moose not only run well, but they can also swim well. Every day this large animal travels, covering distances of up to 15 km in search of food.
Zebra
Zebra is also considered one of the fastest animals in the world. At the time of attack, the mammal is capable of reaching speeds of up to 64 km/h. It is speed that helps the animal escape from predators.
These are quite heavy representatives of mammals weighing up to 400 kg. Zebras can travel up to 800 kilometers per year in search of food and water.
Pronghorn. This elegant creature is the fastest land animal in North America, reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h. Over a short distance, a pronghorn would not be able to outrun a cheetah, but would easily pull away from it over any long course. Their endurance allows pronghorns to migrate hundreds of kilometers every year.
Brazilian folded lip. The fastest of bats, accelerating to almost 100 km/h in a dive. Folded lips live in large colonies in caves, under bridges and in old buildings. In the evenings, they simultaneously fly out to hunt, creating a stunning “cinematic” picture. 
Sailfish and swordfish. An interesting example of a tie - different sources call either the sailfish or the swordfish the fastest fish in the world, reaching speeds from 100 to 130 km/h. One study that gives the swordfish the upper hand found, using an MRI, that the fish's upper jaw contains an oil-producing tonsil. By spreading around the fish's head, the oil reduces friction with the water and increases speed. 
Kalypta Anna. This bird's top speed limit is 80 km/h, which doesn't seem very impressive until you consider its size. Biologist Christopher Clark from the University of California, Berkeley, calculated that at this speed, the hummingbird covers 385 body sizes per second, experiencing strong overloads of 10G. 
Cheetah. Far from being the fastest animal on Earth, inferior to birds, fish and even insects, it is still the fastest land animal and the fastest mammal. Reaches speeds of more than 100 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 in three seconds. 
Black marlin. According to the BBC, the maximum speed achieved by a black marlin is 130 km/h. It was measured by how quickly the line was reeled from the fishing rod when catching a fish, which is a somewhat controversial method. Was the boat moving at that moment, was the fish swimming in a straight line? Either way, it is no surprise that with such speeds, black marlin are very popular among sport fishermen. 
Horsefly. If you've ever been chased by one of these biting critters, you know how fast they are. Jerry Butler, an entomologist at the University of Florida, states that an adult male Hybomitra horsefly reaches speeds in excess of 144 km/h. True, it is difficult to accurately measure the speed of an insect due to its size, nonlinearity of flight and other factors. 
Needle-tailed swift. This bird reaches speeds of almost 170 km/h, making it the fastest flying animal. It lives in Asia and Australia, occasionally flying to Europe. 
Mite. If we take the fastest animal in the world in relation to the length of its own body, then no one will keep up with the tick of the species Paratarsotomus macropalpis. In a second, it covers a distance of 320 of its own dimensions - the same as people would accelerate to 2090 km/h. 
Peregrine Falcon. Although the peregrine falcon flies slower than the needle-tailed swift, in a dive after prey it accelerates to 390 km/h. The claw strike after acceleration is so strong that it can tear off the victim's head. 
A person needs running to maintain good physical shape or to achieve certain results in sports. Animals simply need to be able to run fast in order to feed themselves and protect themselves from predators. Despite the fact that humans are the most intelligent creatures on Earth, they cannot boast of the speed and agility of many animals on the planet.
All living organisms adapt to certain living conditions. Some blend into the environment, skillfully hiding from enemies, others develop amazing abilities to avoid death from the teeth of a predator or catch prey. There are many speed record holders. So who runs the fastest in the world?
Cheetah
The fastest animal in the world is the cheetah. It can easily reach speeds of up to 115 km/h. These indicators are vital for the animal to hunt. To protect the remains of its prey from other representatives of the animal world, the cheetah cleverly hides them in a tree.
This beast is capable of developing such stunning speed due to its anatomical features. He has a small head and powerful muscles. The weight of the animal is 45–67 kg with a body length of 1–1.5 m. Ease of movement is ensured by a graceful appearance.
When hunting, a cheetah, without hiding much, approaches the prey at a distance of about ten meters. Then, in a short run, it tries to catch prey. In 2 seconds the animal reaches a speed of 75 km/h. The fastest animal in the world moves in leaps up to 8 meters long.
Pronghorn
Next in the ranking of the fastest animals on the planet is a pronghorn, easily accelerating to 95 km/h. This antelope is not only the fastest, but also the oldest living in North America. The unique abilities of ungulates are associated with the presence of certain characteristics:
Due to its large size, the respiratory organs absorb a significant amount of air, and soft pads on the fingers prevent shock.
Pronghorns are graceful and beautiful animals with a shoulder height of -0.8–1 m. The body length of an adult is 1–1.3 m, weight ranges from 35–60 kg.
Antelopes got their name due to the presence of branched thick horns in the males in the form of a fork. Every year, the pronghorn sheds its horny sheaths, which gradually grow back.
Elk
The opinion that the fastest animals on earth are predators is incorrect. Record-breaking runners include elk is the largest of the entire family deer Its body height is 2.5 m, and its weight reaches 700 kg. The animal has huge horns on its head with a span of up to 200 centimeters. Their weight exceeds 30 kg.
These giants live in Russia, America and Europe. They feed on grass, moss, tree bark and berries. Despite their rather impressive size, moose are excellent swimmers and excellent runners. Their speed can reach 70 km/m.
a lion
One of the leading positions in the rankings of the fastest animals on Earth is the lion. 
During the hunt it can accelerate to 80 km/h, so I consider it a dangerous and deadly predator. An interesting fact is that females are more active, so they are entrusted with the main task of driving the prey. However, animals are capable of fast movement only over short distances.
American horse
Currently, English thoroughbred racing horses are the fastest. Great sprinters, they constantly participate in races. The horse's maximum speed is 77 km/h. At a short distance, representatives of this breed show excellent results.
American Quarterhors - this is the name given to this agile and strong animal. The height of this handsome horse is 144–162 cm. The color of the horses varies. Horses have a special body structure that allows them to achieve stunning results on the hippodrome:
- muscular croup;
- wide short head;
- compact body with a wide chest.
Prairie wolves - coyotes
Coyotes are members of the canine family. These animals live in America, living in deserts and plains. More active at night. Eating meadow wolves small rodents. They are significantly smaller in size than ordinary wolves. But with a height of about 90 cm, coyotes can run at speeds of up to 65 km/h.
These animals prefer to hunt alone and unite in packs only in rare cases when searching for large prey. They have unique abilities and have well-developed senses. Coyotes can see up to 200 meters at any time of day. Thanks to their excellent vision, they easily track down prey; the voice of a mammal cannot be confused with anyone else.
Small but fast
Nature has made sure that small furry animals can ensure their safety.
- Brown hare. Can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h when running short distances. And such results are achieved with an average body weight of 4–6 kg and a length of 58–68 cm. Cunning, agile animals can lull the vigilance of any predator. Fleeing, the brown hare moves from side to side, waiting until the pursuer has exhausted all his reserves of strength.
- The fastest cats. Among domestic cats, the fastest is the shorthaired Egyptian Mau. She has a dense physique and fairly developed muscles and bones, providing endurance and agility. The pet has superbly developed vision, hearing and smell. The cat can reach speeds of up to 58 km/h. Representatives of this breed are impressive with their behavior. They avoid conflicts and are not the first to get into a fight. Males can live with one female for years and help care for the kittens.
Fastest animals in water
High speed of movement is not limited to land animals. Representatives of the aquatic world can also lay claim to the title of the fastest animal on the planet. Despite the fact that they live in a dense and viscous environment, they still manage to show amazing results in developing the speed of movement. Which waterfowl is the fastest on earth?
Fastest animals in the air
Undoubtedly, the most agile, nimble and fastest birds on our planet are birds. They are significantly ahead of both aquatic and land representatives of the animal world.
Based on the flight characteristics of birds, it is difficult to determine which of the birds is the fastest. After all, some of them develop maximum speed when they “dive”, others - when they soar horizontally.
- Peregrine Falcon. This falcon is the king of pickets. It rises high into the sky above the flying victim and, folding its wings, rushes at it from above, striking it with its paws pressed to its body. When falling at an angle of 25 degrees, this beautiful bird flies at speeds of up to 75 m/s. Falling at a right angle, a peregrine falcon can reach significantly higher speeds of up to 100 m/s (about 360 km/h).
- Grey-headed albatross, unlike the peregrine falcon, cannot dive during high-speed flight. But the huge span of its wings allows it to maintain a flight speed of 130 km/h for 8 hours. These birds spend most of their time in the ocean, hunting fish and crayfish. They don't even disdain carrion.
- Black swifts are in the sky 24 hours a day. They eat, sleep and mate in the sky while flying. These small beautiful birds have a body length of 25 centimeters. At the same time, they can reach a flight speed of up to 180 km/h, thanks to which they quickly and skillfully escape from predators. However, black swifts are not as nimble as swallows, with which ornithologists often confuse them, and they have to make a greater turn to turn.
Here are twenty-five of the fastest land animals living on our planet:
25. Giraffe
Giraffes are the tallest mammals living on our planet and the largest ruminants. They are easily recognized by their long necks, the patterns that decorate their skin, and their incredibly long legs. But don't let their size and apparent clumsiness fool you; these gentle giants can reach speeds of up to 51 kilometers per hour.
24. Grizzly Bear
Bears are usually portrayed as gentle and sweet animals, but grizzlies have nothing to do with this image. In life they can be incredibly ferocious and will defend their young or food to the death. Despite their size, they are capable of reaching speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour.
23. Jackal
These canine predators are found in parts of Africa and south-central Eurasia. Jackals are closely related to wolves, dogs and coyotes, and their running speed can sometimes reach 56 kilometers per hour.
22. Black-tailed deer
These mammals live in western North America, but in recent years they have successfully taken root in Argentina. Deer usually serve as prey for pumas and lynxes, so running speed plays a vital role for them. Black-tailed deer can run up to 56 kilometers per hour, which allows them to sometimes successfully avoid early death.
21. Hounds
Hounds, or as they are also called, English Whippets, are descendants of the fastest-footed dogs on Earth. And although this is a rather small dog, it is capable of covering a distance of 53 kilometers in an hour.
20. Mongolian kulan
This endangered species of kulan lives in East Asia, in Mongolia and Northern China. It is capable of accelerating to 64 kilometers per hour.
19. Zebra
The black and white stripes on a zebra's skin inspire not only fashionistas and art critics. Even the Mbombela stadium in South Africa is painted in these colors. Zebras are also capable of reaching speeds of up to 64 kilometers per hour.
18. Hyena
Hyenas have always been known for their ability to produce sounds similar to laughter and giggles. But this does not mean that they are funny and cute animals. These natural-born predators with powerful jaws are capable of developing breathtaking running speeds, reaching 64 kilometers per hour.
17. Thomson's Gazelle
Named after Joseph Thomson, a Scottish geologist and explorer, this gazelle is one of the most widespread subspecies, with a population of over 500,000 individuals. Thomson's gazelles live mainly in the Serengeti. These gazelles are capable of reaching speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour, overtaking the most persistent predators.
16. Gray fox
The gray fox, which was considered the most primitive species of the canine family, is now considered a rare species due to the ruthless hunting for its fur. The gray fox can reach speeds of up to 67.5 kilometers per hour and can also climb trees to avoid larger predators.
15. Greyhound
The greyhound is the second domesticated animal on our list. Previously, this breed of dog was bred mainly for racing, but recently it has gained popularity as a pet. The greyhound can run at a speed of 69 kilometers per hour for 30 minutes and can accelerate to 32 kilometers per hour after running just 250 meters. This animal is the second on the planet (after the cheetah, of course) in terms of acceleration over short distances.
14. Onager
Another representative of equines is the onager. This desert dweller can accelerate to 69 kilometers per hour.
13. Coyote
Also known as the American jackal, the coyote can reach speeds of up to 69 kilometers per hour and is capable of feeding on absolutely anything it finds, from insects to your pets.
12. Ostrich
This is the fastest and largest bird on the planet; the ostrich can accelerate to 70 kilometers per hour.
11. Red Kangaroo
These guys can jump at speeds of up to 71 kilometers per hour and maintain this pace for up to 2 kilometers. The further he jumps, the less energy he uses.
10. Wild Dog
She, of course, looks like a hyena, but no, she is not a hyena. The wild dog has many names, but this does not change the essence - these animals are capable of speeds of up to 72 kilometers per hour.
9. Wapiti
Don't let its size fool you, this second largest deer in the world is capable of reaching speeds of 72 kilometers per hour.
8. Black-tailed hare
Remember the fairy tale about the hare and the tortoise? Although this is just a fairy tale, there is some truth in it. These small animals are capable of reaching speeds of 72 kilometers per hour and jumping up to 3 meters in height.
7. Leo
These regal cats are considered the second largest of their kind and can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.
6. Garna
These Indian antelopes are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Accelerating up to 80 kilometers per hour, these antelopes thus escape from wild cats and wolves hunting them.
5. Wildebeest
Although wildebeest look large and clumsy, they can accelerate up to 80 kilometers per hour.
4. Racehorse
Well-trained racehorses can reach speeds of up to 88 kilometers per hour.
3. Springbok
These small antelopes can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour.
2. Pronghorn antelope
Unfortunately, we do not have sufficiently accurate measurements of the maximum speed of this antelope, but it has been recorded that it is capable of running at a speed of 98 kilometers per hour. But we believe that she is capable of more.
1. Cheetah
The cheetah is the fastest land animal on our planet. It is capable of reaching speeds of up to 121 kilometers per hour. At this speed, it can run up to 500 meters and accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 5 seconds (an indicator that surpasses most sports cars).
A well-trained athlete can reach a speed of 45 km/h, but most of us run no faster than 30 km/h. When it comes to running, man is by no means the king of nature. Many animals are able to move much faster.
Today we offer Top 10 fastest animals in the world. It includes only land dwellers, although it is worth noting that there are champions on the water and in the air. Thus, a sailfish can swim at a speed of 110 km/h, and a peregrine falcon dives at its prey, demonstrating 90 km/h.
10. Hyena (speed - 60 km/h)
This predator is common in Africa, India and the Middle East. Their impressive speed allows hyenas to hunt even such fast and large animals as zebra and wildebeest. In one sitting, a predator can eat up to 15 kg of meat.
9. Gray fox (speed – 65 km/h)
This species from the wolf family lives in northern Canada, the USA and Central America. The gray fox not only runs fast, but also deftly climbs trees. Its prey includes rabbits, birds and small rodents.
8. Coyote (speed - 65 km/h)
The American wolf is practically omnivorous and extremely unpretentious. The diet is based on animal food: hares, prairie dogs, gophers, small rodents, raccoons, ferrets and beavers, as well as birds and insects. Coyote swims well and catches fish and frogs. In autumn it eats fruits and berries. Occasionally attacks small livestock and rummages through garbage.
7. Moose (speed 72 km/h)
A large and strong elk does not often become the prey of predators, and it is not easy to catch up with it at such speed. Sokhaty is the largest representative of the deer family. The moose not only runs well, but also swims well. These animals travel 10-15 km a day in search of food.
6. Thompson's Gazelle (speed - 80 km/h)
The gazelle got its name in honor of explorer Joseph Thompson. The main enemy of the gazelle is the swift cheetah. Therefore, to have any chance of salvation, she needs to be able to run fast. Unlike its pursuer, Thompson's gazelle can run quickly for quite a long time.
5. Lion (speed - 80 km/h)
The lionesses take on most of the food-gathering responsibilities in a pride. But if necessary, then lions have no problem chasing down the victim they like. By the way, the lion is the heaviest among all the participants in our speedy Top 10.
4. Kulan (speed – 70 km/h)
As a rule, these equids are leisurely and may even seem lazy. But in a moment of danger, the animal develops speed that allows it to escape from more predators.
3. Wildebeest (speed – 80 km/h)
These antelopes are a favorite delicacy of lions. That is why nature endowed them with such outstanding running abilities. By the way, unlike the heavy lion, the wildebeest can easily carry its light body over much longer distances.
2. Pronghorn (pronghorn antelope) (speed - 100 km/h)
And this antelope is most often attacked by cheetahs. Naturally, it is not easy to compete with such a lightning-fast hunter. The advantage of the pronghorn is its hardy heart, which allows it to run even when the predator is already exhausted.
1. Cheetah (speed – 120 km/h)
The fastest animal in the world from among those living on land. True, the cheetah is not able to run for a long time at such a speed, but more often than not, a few seconds are enough to drive down the prey. The cheetah accelerates to a record speed of 120 km/h in just 3 seconds. But before 100 km/h in just 2.6-2.8 seconds.
Loading...
