THE 7 FASTEST ANIMALS ON EARTH 

Did you know that the fastest land animal is capable of going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds, but only for short distances?

What is the fastest animal in the world? The answer isn’t straightforward. The Earth isn’t just made up of landmass. All the different environments need consideration along with the many factors that affect movement in each of them, such as gravity, friction, wind, and animal size etc. and they must be considered.

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.

1️⃣ Fastest Land Animal

Capable 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.

2️⃣ Fastest Long Distance Runner

Whereas 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.

3️⃣ Fastest Fish

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.

4️⃣ Fastest Insect

Insect 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.

5️⃣ Fastest Bird

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.

6️⃣ Fastest Mammal

Found in North and South America, the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is the official flying mammal of Texas. They mainly live in caves and sometimes in buildings with outside ceiling access. However, some people dispute the claim. If the Mexican free-tailed bat loses its speed record, the animal still holds a bat superlative: it can fly higher than any other member of its order, Chiroptera. The winged mammals can cruise along at an altitude of 3,300 meters. Mexican free-tailed bats are usually about 3.5 inches long and weigh between .25 to .42 ounces.

7️⃣ Fastest Snake

If you were wondering what the fastest snake in the world might be, it’s the sidewinder snake, clocking in at a max speed of 18 mph. The reason they move faster than any other snake is because of their unique movement. They use their bodies to create ridges in sand, and then their bodies push against them. This motion results in their incredible speed. The ability also lies in the sidewinder’s scales, which have a rough, sturdy texture. This adaptation helps the snake to move through the hot sand of its desert habitat. 

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/list/the-fastest-animals-on-earth

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/the-5-fastest-animals-in-the-world/