That's speed: 12 fastest animals in the world

How many amazing animals live on our planet. And each is unique in its own way. But there are also individuals that are superior to others in strength, endurance, size, number of offspring, duration of sleep or wakefulness, speed... It’s the latter that we will focus on today. Do you know which animal is the fastest in the world?

Photo: Pixabay.com

According to the portal treehugger.com, a ranking of the fastest animals in the world was compiled. And you will be surprised to see a number of positions on the list: some are very exotic, others we come across every day and don’t think about it, some of the representatives weigh only 15 grams... But who develops the highest speed in the world and where exactly - in water, air or on the ground, and this is no less than 389 km/h - you can hardly guess. Everything is in order.

Evolution has rewarded the participants in our rating with a number of advantages: ideal ergonomics of the body, wings, fins, paws. All these genetic characteristics, of course, were required for obtaining food, as well as survival in harsh competitive conditions.

What is the horse's speed?

88 km/hMaximum, sprint

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The fastest land animals

Brown hare

Brown hares successfully run away from predators for a reason

Remember the fable about the hare and the tortoise? In fact, it appeared for a reason, because the brown hare is one of the fastest animals on our list. These little animals are truly capable of outrunning most other animals. The brown hare can run extremely fast, reaching speeds of up to 75 km per hour, which certainly allows it to escape from a hungry predator. Russians live mainly in Europe, Asia Minor and Asia Minor, as well as in North Africa. In Russia, the brown hare can be seen throughout the European territory of the country. Frankly, when writing this material, I was very surprised to learn that our dear ordinary bunny ranks so high among the fastest runners on planet Earth.

What animal on Earth do you think is the most unusual? Share your answer in the comments to this article, as well as with participants in our Telegram chat

Antelope Pronghorn

Pronghorns are very colorful animals

The pronghorn antelope takes an honorable second place among land animals in terms of speed of movement. It may seem surprising, but pronghorn can easily outrun most predators at speeds of about 96 km per hour. At the same time, most other antelopes develop a completely different speed - from 80 km per hour (wildebeest) to 40 km per hour (dik-diks). It is also noteworthy that pronghorns are the most ancient artiodactyls in North America. These unusual animals got their name because of the characteristic hooked horns that grow on the heads of males and females, although in the latter they are noticeably thinner and shorter. The body weight of the pronghorn antelope varies from 35 to 60 kg, which, you see, is quite a lot. Since these artiodactyls run almost as fast as cheetahs, they owe this ability to a thick trachea, voluminous lungs and a large heart that pumps oxygenated blood very quickly.

Cheetah

Cheetah running at full speed in South Africa (Acinonyx jubatus)

The cheetah is the fastest animal on land. In fact, the cheetah can run at speeds only slightly faster than the pronghorn antelope (96 km per hour) and can reach speeds of up to 98 km per hour . And yet the cheetah is faster than the pronghorn. However, due to the fact that cheetahs live in most countries of Africa and the Middle East, there is no opportunity to compete with pronghorn antelopes (pronghorns are native to North America). But the fastest cheetah, reaching speeds of up to 98 km per hour, was a cheetah named Sarah, who set this record in 2012. It should be noted that scientists cannot monitor all the cheetahs in the world, and there may be individuals that run faster than Sarah.

Unlike most of the other animals on our list, the cheetah is a predator that poses a serious threat to animals that live in the same geographic areas, not only in grasslands, but also in forests. It is also important to understand that the cheetah is a sprinter, not a long-distance runner. This graceful animal skillfully combines agility with speed during deadly attacks. Moreover, cheetahs are capable of very fast acceleration and can accelerate four times faster than you and I. They also stop very effectively and quickly. At the same time, the speed and agility of the cheetah are not combined with its strength - cheetahs are rather fragile animals and lose in most fights with other predators. As a result, their spoils often go to competitors. An injured cheetah is unable to run quickly, which could put its life in danger.

The fastest fish

Since we have found out who is the fastest on land, let's find out which inhabitants of the sea and ocean depths swim faster than others. To tell the truth, before writing this article, I remembered almost all the fish that at least somewhat resemble those that can swim very quickly, but as a result, I did not guess any of those who occupy the leading positions on our list. I don’t know why, but it seemed to me that the tuna was swimming very, very fast, while in fact its maximum speed is only 74 km per hour (although this is also an excellent result). By the way, did you know that the benefits of eating fish can be overrated? Read more in our material, but for now let's find out which fish swim the fastest in the world.

Swordfish

The swordfish fully lives up to its name

Swordfish are quite unusual creatures - they reach a length of 4.5 meters. This species was first described in 1758 by the Swedish physician Carl Linnaeus. Externally, the swordfish looks quite colorful - it has a very elongated upper jaw - as if justifying the name swordfish - which it uses to stun prey, as well as a high fin on its back. At the same time, the lower part of the body of swordfish is light, and the rest of the body is brownish-black. Since swordfish are predators, they must swim very quickly in order to catch prey. According to tentative calculations, swordfish are capable of accelerating from 100 to 130 km per hour, but the exact speed of this inhabitant of the deep sea could not be calculated. Swordfish live in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.

Man's best friend and hunter

We're talking about dogs. The greyhound dog breed should be given its due. This is not just a hunting breed. Many people, once they see this grace, slender paws, intelligent eyes, simply cannot help but fall in love. Of course, keeping a greyhound in an apartment and giving it 20-30 minutes of walking time means ruining the animal’s potential. Compare the speed of greyhounds with other dog breeds:

1. the average speed of other breeds reaches 30 - 50 km/h
2. the average sprint speed of a greyhound is 63 km/h
3. speed over a short distance can reach 89 kilometers per hour.

Scientists divide greyhounds into as many as 20 varieties. It is the purebred Russian greyhound that is the fastest and strongest, due to its ideally developed muscles. Of course, this dog is valued for its speed, energy and athleticism. But in ordinary life, she really becomes a person’s best friend. This is an affectionate, gentle member of the family who simply loves the warm stroking of hands from its owner. A dog needs constant communication and can become the best friend and helper for a small child. But the main thing you need to understand when choosing this breed for a home is that you must give the animal freedom of action. The ideal option is to live in a rural area in a private house. It is here that the animal can calmly develop its characteristics and grow healthy and active.

The fastest dog is the Russian Greyhound

The golden mean of our rating was the wildebeest. Wildebeest live in Africa and feed exclusively on plants. Unfortunately, they are the best prey for many predators. Antelopes are not agile or cunning animals due to their considerable size. Maximum weight - 250 kg, height - 1.5 meters. The only chance to escape from lions, leopards and other predators is speed. The average speed reaches 40 kilometers per hour, and the maximum speed is 90 km/h. The wildebeest feeds on plants. Therefore, this animal is very dependent on weather conditions. The alternation of rain and drought forces the antelope to migrate twice a year along with the rains.

Wildebeest

Black Marlin

Black marlin is a large predatory fish that can reach speeds of over 85 km/h. It lives in the tropical and subtropical zones of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The black marlin has almost no enemies, so it needs speed to hunt other marine life. Favorite foods are anchovies, horse mackerel, flying fish and squid.

The body length of an adult black marlin can reach 465 cm and weight up to 750 kg. The body is elongated, covered with dense scales, the upper part of the body is dark blue, and the belly and sides are white with a silvery sheen. In front there is a long, powerful “spear”. The jaws and palate are equipped with small teeth, like a file. Two high fins rise on the back, and the caudal fin is shaped like a crescent.

The fastest insects

And now let’s move on to the most unpleasant part, insects. We all know how difficult it is to catch a fly or mosquito - they are sneaky, fast and annoying. Probably everyone has tried to catch butterflies or dragonflies with a net and knows firsthand how fast they are. But which insect is the fastest?

Jumping beetle

The jumping beetle is not only the fastest land insect, but also very beautiful

An honorable third place among the fastest insects on our planet is occupied by the jumping beetle, which not only flies, but also moves very quickly on the ground. In fact, biologists call jumping beetles the fastest land insects, since jumping beetles can reach speeds of up to 2 meters per second when hunting for prey. Agree, it's very fast. But these – I’m not afraid of this word – beneficial insects fly over short distances. They are called beneficial because an adult jumping beetle destroys more than 400 different pests. Another interesting thing is that the horses take off into the air as soon as they sense danger, which allows them to move very quickly to a safe place. These insects feed on the ground, and their diet is dominated by small insects and larvae, and the bright color of jumping beetles makes them a desirable specimen in the collections of insect lovers.

Cockroach

I’ll be honest – it’s disgusting to look at cockroaches

I don’t know if anyone even likes cockroaches, but these tenacious insects - to our great regret - move very quickly. Their very name, in fact, speaks about this, because the word cockroach comes from the Chuvash word “runaway”. When these insects run away from danger, they are able to reach speeds of up to 5.4 km per hour, and given their size, this is some kind of absolute record. In fact, cockroaches are one of the most ancient species on Earth. Many scientists believe that cockroaches have inhabited our planet for millions of years, during which they have adapted to constantly changing environmental conditions, so once they get into someone's home, it is very difficult to get rid of them. By the way, in our country there are almost 55 species of cockroaches. Needless to say, these not-so-pleasant comrades live everywhere – on all continents except Antarctica. But the longest-living animals on our planet are naked mole rats. Read about what kind of animals these are and why they are so special in a fascinating article by my colleague Ramis Ganiev.

Dragonfly

Dragonflies have no equal among other insects both in speed of movement and in hunting.

I don’t know if it will surprise you that the speed at which bees fly is at least admirable (65 km per hour), the speed of dragonflies is, nevertheless, much higher - up to 97 km per hour. Moreover, most of the time dragonflies move at a speed not exceeding 30 km per hour. Dragonflies accelerate to a speed of 95-97 km per hour while hunting - they instantly calculate the flight path of the prey - the dragonfly's diet includes flies, beetles, mosquitoes and other small insects - and intercept the prey right on the fly. Amazing ability and no need to chase. All the dragonfly needs to do is wait for the food to fall into its hands. In fact, dragonflies are one of the most ancient insects living on our planet. There are more than 6,650 species around the world. Needless to say, dragonflies can be found on all continents of the globe, including Antarctica.

Read even more interesting articles about our amazing Universe and the world in which we live on our channel in Yandex.Zen

As you can see, the diversity of species on our planet is amazing: there are amazing living creatures in the sea, in the air and on land that demonstrate the many different ways in which we can adapt to survive in our environment. Although our tools and inventions may place man at the top of the food chain, we are easily surpassed when it comes to speed. Many of the animals on our list move as fast as the cars and trains we've created.

Brazilian folded lip

Speaking of vampire animals, another character with fast movement would be a good fit. The Brazilian folded-lipped bat can reach speeds of up to 160 km/h. The size is about 9 cm, weight is about 15 g. It is generally accepted that a bat is a prototype of a vampire, but this specimen can be called the most peaceful and friendly.

Scientists are studying their ultrasonic communication to study and use echolocation skills. They live in caves in the western and southern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands. When migrating, they are able to cover distances of up to 1600 km. This is the fastest animal among mammals.

Unique body structure

Anatomical features help the cheetah achieve such excellent results in short-distance running (no more than 900 m). A small, round head and a streamlined, lean body without fat deposits are the reason that within two seconds after the start the speed of the beast reaches 75 km/h.

While running, the predator constantly maneuvers, changes direction and makes jumps up to 8 m long, spending 0.5 seconds on each of them.

The sprinting talent is also facilitated by long, thin legs and a strong, muscular tail, which serves as additional balance for the mammal. Compared to other cats, the cheetah's lungs have a larger volume, and the structural features of the trachea help the animal hold the trophy in its mouth for a long time and still breathe normally.

Thanks to binocular vision, the fauna sprinter can accurately determine the distance to the prey.

Interestingly, cheetahs are not born hunters, but become hunters through the process of maternal training. Animals born in captivity do not know how to pursue prey.

The fastest birds

I don't know if you're aware, but birds are warm-blooded, egg-laying vertebrates (notice how many characteristics) that biologists traditionally consider as a separate class. Their characteristic feature is the cover of feathers covering their bodies, which they inherited from dinosaurs. Feathers protect the bird's body from adverse temperature changes and play an important role during flight. By the way, not all birds on Earth can fly: penguins and kiwi birds are clear proof of this. These guys aren't really in a hurry to get anywhere, which is why they didn't make it onto our list.

Golden eagle

The golden eagle is a dangerous bird of prey that even deer are afraid of

A member of the hawk family, golden eagles are a threat not only to small rodents, but even to deer. These birds of prey are found in North America, South Africa and Europe, mainly in mountainous areas. There are golden eagles, and in our country you have most likely heard about them as predatory and aggressive birds. What adds horror to a sudden meeting with this bird is the speed with which golden eagles cut through the expanses of the sky - for example, during a free fall, golden eagles can accelerate to 320 km per hour, and the speed gain is mainly due to the body weight of the birds. Thus, males on average reach from 2.8 to 6.7 kg, and females are usually larger than males. However, the difference between golden eagles and peregrine falcons (the fastest birds in the world) lies in their wingspan, which is 180-120 cm. Golden eagles are also famous for their ability to build nests from tree branches, and hatch their offspring for about 45 days.

Frigate

Frigates are red-bellied beauties. do you agree?

Since we now know who moves the fastest on land and sea, it's time for air. And in this regard, one cannot help but recall the frigates. These incredibly beautiful birds with a lush bright red breast are capable of reaching speeds of up to 152 km per hour . Agree, it's very fast. In fact, frigate birds are relatives of pelicans and cormorants, but unlike them, the wingspan of frigate birds in relation to body weight is very large. This allows the birds to remain in the air for so long that sometimes they do not land for more than a week , and frigates soar primarily over the tropics and subtropics.

This is interesting: The strongest animals on Earth: who are they?

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world

Agree, when it comes to the fastest animal on our planet, one cannot ignore the habitat. Since cheetahs run the fastest on land, and sailboats ply the seas at a speed of 110 km per hour, among insects there is no equal to dragonflies, then in the air there is another bird that flies faster than all other birds - the peregrine falcon (I hope you remember that high-speed trains in our country are often named after birds, so the peregrine falcon running from Moscow to St. Petersburg is no exception). The peregrine falcon can fly especially fast - their speed can reach up to 321 km per hour! Something unthinkable, right? The only thing that needs to be taken into account is that the peregrine falcon develops such speed during a dive, which makes these birds an incredibly formidable and fast hunter. When prey is caught, peregrine falcons fly less quickly, but this is unlikely to be important for their prey. Thus, the fastest animal on planet Earth is the peregrine falcon. You can see these beautiful and unusual birds on all continents except Antarctica.

Horsefly

It would seem, what kind of speed does an insect have? However, with its relatively small size (length up to 4 cm, weight up to 12 mg), the horsefly can develop simply astronomical mobility - 145 km/h. If we take it in relation to body size, this speed is comparable to a human running 6525 km/h. Impressive, isn't it?

It turns out that the horsefly is the most agile of all? True, its standard speed is still more modest - 45-60 km/h. The insect got its name “horsefly” because of its myopia.

It sees only moving objects - cars, animals. They often bite people painfully. But only females exhibit the vampire essence; males are vegetarians and feed on flower nectar.

Cat or dog?

With its silhouette, the graceful predator resembles an elegant greyhound dog. Many scientists tend to classify it as a separate subfamily or independent genus of felines. The main difference from a tiger or leopard is that the cheetah does not retract its claws, and, accordingly, climbs trees poorly.

The sounds made by a cheetah are similar to a jerky bark - a cat with the body of a dog is also incapable of roaring like a lion, and it cannot hunt from an ambush. Taste preferences also differ - a fast runner will never touch carrion.

And finally, interesting facts about fleet-footed hunters:

• Cheetahs have a peaceful disposition and quickly get used to humans. They can replace even a devoted dog.
• In the East and Ancient Rus', rich residents had fun by hunting with tame predators.
• To quench the thirst of an animal, one consumption of water for three days is enough; it can live without food for five days.

In the 20th century, the number of cheetahs decreased everywhere. If previously these graceful sprinters were widespread in Asia and Africa, today the situation is depressing. In Saudi Arabia, mammals disappeared completely, and in India, the last animal was destroyed in 1950.

Now the cheetah is listed in the Red Book, like the fastest bird, the peregrine falcon, which we have already talked about.

Cape Hunting Dog.

Unfortunately, I don’t know how the name of these dogs sounds correctly in Russian. They hunt in packs. They attack mainly small animals, although sometimes they can kill a zebra or wildebeest. Maximum speed 70 km/h. The usual pattern of capture looks like this: one dog sinks its teeth into the victim's tail, the other into the upper lip. All. The rest help finish the job.

Majestic king of beasts

In tenth place in our ranking of the fastest animals is the king of all animals - the lion. Once these animals could be seen over large areas, but now they are visible only in a limited area. The lion reaches a speed of 80 kilometers per hour. What features do these amazing animals contain?

• lionesses are faster than males
• the speed of lionesses over short distances can reach 80 km/h, and that of lions - up to 57 km/h.
• lions, in turn, are distinguished by their speed of reaction to what is happening
• Now there are fewer lions in the world, the reason for this is persecution by humanity.

What else should you know about these animals? Of course, you know that they belong to the cat family. But how do they attack? Usually lions act in small groups in order to attack, for example, an antelope. By the way, the antelope also has good speed. But often lions win because they have good acceleration. Incredible facts about lions:

1. owners of the smallest heart among predators
2. claws can reach as much as 7 cm in length
3. Little lion cubs do not learn to roar until they are two years old.

Lions: male, female and cubs

How does a cheetah run?

The cheetah runs the fastest of all wild animals in open space. But his talent as a runner only manifests itself over short distances. If during the hunt he does not overtake the prey within 20 seconds, the pursuit stops.

A cheetah can reach speeds of 60 - 70 km/h. At the moment of attacking prey, this slender wild cat “flies” with even greater speed. In the last meters before the decisive throw, the cheetah’s “speedometer” shows 110 - 115 km/h. Every part of a cheetah's body is designed to run fast. Like all felines, it has a hollow spinal bone structure. Its dorsal spine is very mobile and allows the animal to compress and stretch its body like a spring. In addition, he has long legs with amazingly well-developed muscles.

When running, a cheetah at each moment relies not on three legs, as when walking, but on two. The two forelimbs move at the same time, followed by both hind limbs. When running very fast, they only touch the ground, and after straightening the body, all four legs are in the air - the animal literally flies above the ground. The cheetah's claws do not retract and during running perform the same role as the spikes of sprinters.