In the animal kingdom, speed can mean the difference between life and death. Predators use their speed to overtake and overpower their prey, while animals with few other defenses rely on speed to avoid becoming dinner. Here are some of the fastest animals in the world.
Fastest Land Animal
cheetahCheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) running in Kenya.© Photos.com/Getty ImagesCapable of going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds, the cheetah is considered the fastest land animal, though it is able to maintain such speeds only for short distances. Lions are also quite fast when hunting prey, with a top speed of about 50 miles per hour. However, the common prey of African big cats can be pretty speedy as well. The springbok, for example, can reach 55 miles per hour when pursued, and the blue wildebeest has been clocked at 50 miles per hour.
Fastest Land Animal (Long Distances)
pronghornPronghorn (Antilocapra americana).Alan And Elaine WilsonWhereas the cheetah is the fastest sprinter, the pronghorn, also known as the American antelope, is the fastest long-distance runner of the animal kingdom. It is capable of maintaining a speed of nearly 35 miles per hour over several miles and is even faster over shorter distances. During sprints to elude predators, pronghorns can hit top speeds of about 55 miles per hour thanks to special cushions on their hooves and the ability to take in large quantities of oxygen as they run.
Fastest Fish
Painted especially for Encyclopaedia Britannica by Tom Dolan, under the supervision of Loren P. Woods, T, Chicago Natural History Museum A variety of fish can achieve impressive speeds when necessary, but gathering accurate, verifiable calculations has been challenging. According to some sources, the black marlin is fastest, with an estimated top speed of up to 80 miles per hour. The sailfish is also a top contender, with an estimated top speed of at least 67 miles per hour.
Fastest Insect
horse flyHorse fly (Tabanus trimaculatus).Fran Hall—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo ResearchersInsect speeds can be difficult to measure accurately. However, it is known that the common horsefly can achieve speeds estimated at 90 miles per hour under certain circumstances, a speed gauged during a scientific experiment.
Fastest Bird
Kenneth W. Fink/Root Resources When it comes to jaw-dropping speed, birds are nature’s Olympians. The peregrine falcon is considered the fastest bird and the fastest member of the animal kingdom, with a flight-diving speed of more than 185 miles per hour when hunting. Another superfast bird is the golden eagle, which dives at 150+ miles per hour. The white-throated needletail swift can achieve speeds of 105 miles per hour in horizontal flight, and the Eurasian hobby can get up to 100 miles per hour.
