We humans like to be fast. We admire fast cars, fast trains, and all things around us which are fast. But do we know about the fastest animals in the world? There are several land animals, water animals and birds which will amaze us with their swiftness and exceptional skills. Let us have a look at some of them.
Fastest land animals
Land animals have learned the skill of running fast with one major purpose. They have to either catch a prey or outrun their predators. This means that they have become swift runners as a part of their survival skills. Here are the fastest land animals.
Cheetah
If lion is called the king of the jungle, cheetah should probably be called the king of speed. It is the fastest land animal, and has a recorded speed of 68 to 75 miles per hour. But the cheetah does not run for long distances. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 3 seconds, and catch hold of its prey in a swift motion.
Cheetahs most commonly live in arid climate. It is a sad fact that their number has considerably reduced as a result of illegal poaching.
Pronghorn antelope
Pronghorn antelope is often cited as the second fastest land animal, and so it definitely deserves a place among the fastest animals in the world. It can outrun most predators. The recorded speed of these antelopes has reached up to 60 miles per hour. Though the pronghorn antelope is not as fast as cheetahs, it can sustain the high speed longer than a cheetah.
Pronghorn antelopes have special pointed and cushioned toes which help them to absorb shock while running fast. They also have large lungs and windpipes to take in more air for running. These antelopes are the natives of North America.
Blue Wildebeest
This is another notable category among the fastest land animals. Blue wildebeests are fast runners and can reach up to speeds of 50 miles per hour. They are very cautious animals and run fast in order to escape their predators. When threatened, they run fast waving their tails and tossing their heads.
Wildebeests move around in groups. They graze in Savannah regions and are known to migrate to far-off territories. Blue wildebeests are commonly found in African countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and Zambia.
Lion
The king of the jungle is one of the fastest runners. Lion is one of the most dangerous predators on land. It can run up to a speed of 50 miles per hour. The lion sprints for short periods, in order to get close to the prey. But it hardly uses speed as a tactic for catching prey.
Lions hunt late in the evenings, taking advantage of the lack of visibility or by taking some cover. Lions are commonly found in grasslands, but they are totally absent in dense jungles.
Fastest water animals
There are many water animals that outperform land animals with respect to speed. Given below are four of the swiftest swimmers.
Black Marlin
Black marlin is considered as the fastest water animal. It can reach a speed of up to 80 miles per hour. Black marlin is one of the top predators of the oceans. It uses its bill to slash the prey before swallowing.
Black Marlin is commonly found in Indian and Pacific Oceans, and is a regular presence in Australian coastal waters. Black marlin is a popular and prized game fish.
Sailfish
Sailfish is another swift swimmer which is found in colder parts of oceans. It is a close competitor of black marlin in the matter of speed. So it is appropriate to include sailfish among the fastest animals in the world. It can reach up to the speed of 68 miles per hour. Sailfish uses this swift movement for predatory actions.
Sailfish has elongated bills similar to marlin. It keeps its sail folded when swimming. The sail is raised only while attacking its prey.
Swordfish
Like sailfish and marlin, swordfish is also a fast swimmer. It has a pointed bill like the sailfish. Swordfish is a predatory fish and is found in the tropical and temperate parts of Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Swordfish is reported to have a speed of up to 60 miles per hour. But the claims are not entirely reliable. It uses its speed and agility to catch its prey.
Shortfin mako shark
This species holds the record for being the fastest among all sharks. It is also called the Blue Pointer. These sharks are considered as one of the endangered species of sharks. While hunting down its prey, Mako shark can burst forward to a speed of 46 miles per hour.
It swims below the prey and lunges vertically upwards to catch it. Shortfin mako shark is known to jump up to a height of 30 feet. Are all sharks dangerous? No, they are not. Mako shark is known to attack humans only when provoked and not for preying.
Fastest animals in the air
As in water, there are many fast beings in the air too. These feathered flyers have the additional advantage of their wings. Let us have a look at the fastest birds.
Peregrine falcon
Peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world and holds the first position among the fastest animals in the world, when considering the entire animal kingdom. It is a bird of prey and is known for its exceptionally fast dive. While diving down to capture its prey, this bird can reach a speed of up to 200 miles per hour. This is far above the speed that can be attained by any other animal.
They are found almost everywhere excluding Polar Regions and high mountains. Peregrine falcon has a unique preying technique. It soars to a great height and then nose-dives at a great speed to hit its target prey. It has specialized eyes and nostrils to help resist damage during deep dives.
Golden eagle
Golden eagle is another proud member of the bird family that vies for a position in the list of fastest animals in the world. It is a bird of prey and displays its swiftness when catching its prey. While diving, it can reach a speed of 150 to 200 miles per hour.
Golden eagles are known for their gliding movements where they keep their wings spread out in one position. Although the golden eagle is less agile than peregrine falcon, both the birds are close contestants in their diving speed.
White-throated needle tail
These birds are also known as needle-tailed swifts. It is one of the fastest birds on earth. It is stated that white-throated needle tail can reach a speed of up to 105 miles per hour in horizontal flight. But this information is unverified and so, cannot be established with surety. This is a migratory bird and is commonly found in Siberia and Central Asia.
Eurasian hobby
Eurasian hobby is a type of falcon known for its fast flying skills. It is a migratory bird found in Africa, Europe, and Asia. It resembles a swift while flying, but can sometimes outperform the swift in flying. Eurasian hobby can reach a speed of up to 100 miles per hour in flight. They are mostly found in farmlands and prey on small insects and birds.
So you found out who among animals on land, water, and air are the fastest. For more such interesting reads, refer to our Fascinating Facts section.
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