Fastest Animals on the Earth
Here is a list of the top 10 fastest animals in the world:
1. Peregrine Falcon
- The peregrine falcon or commonly referred to as the peregrine or duck hawk in the North-American region is the fastest bird on the earth and also the fastest in the entire animal kingdom.
- This large crow-sized bird of prey belongs to the family of falcons and can fly at a speed of 200 miles per hour.
- Peregrine falcon is found in almost all continents except Antarctica, but mainly it’s found in Australia.
- Some researchers also show that a full-sized peregrine falcon can even accelerate up to 242 miles per hour.
2. Golden Eagle
- The golden eagle belongs to the family of Accipitridae, just like other species of eagle, but this eagle from the other hemisphere is the fastest among them all and also the second fastest bird in the world.
- It’s one of the best birds of prey, that can fly at a maximum speed of 199 miles per hour.
- Even though the habitat of this bird is widespread it is mainly found in the North American and the North-African region.
3. Frigate Bird
- Frigate birds are one of the fastest among the family of seabirds, mainly found in tropical and subtropical regions.
- Due to their extraordinary body shape, they are very easily noticeable the female frigate birds have underbellies while the male one has a red gular pouch.
- The wings of this bird are very large and can span up to 2.3 meters, providing it with more lift and helping it attain a speed of 95 miles per hour.
4. Spur-Winged Goose
- Spur-winged goose is one of the largest birds in the family of Anatidae, it’s pretty similar to geese, and shelducks but has many identical characteristics as well.
- The Spur-winged goose is mainly found in the wetlands of Sub-Saharan Africa. An adult Spur-winged goose can weigh around 4-7 kg and 75-110 cm long, with a wingspan of 150-200 cm.
- Under normal atmospheric conditions, it can accelerate up to a speed of 88 miles per hour.
5. Cheetah
- This wild cat native to Africa is the faster land animal on earth, that can easily reach up to a speed of 50-80 miles per hour.
- The highest speed ever recorded by a cheetah is 58-61 miles per hour. The unique body shape of the cheetah, including its thin land long legs, flexible spine, lightweight, and long tail, helps it attain such speeds.
- Cheetah is recognized as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and some surveys suggest that there are less than 8000 cheetahs alive to date.
6. Sailfish
- The selfish is one of the two species of salt-water fishes, belonging to the family of the Istiophoridade, blue or grey in colour.
- It is one of the fastest aquatic creatures on the earth, that can go up to a top speed of 68 miles per hour.
- An adult sailfish can be 1.2-1.5 meters long and can easily weigh around 100 pounds.
- Tropical regions such as the Indian Ocean and the temperate waters of the Pacific are the main habitat for this fish.
7. Pronghorn Antelope
- A pronghorn looks very similar to a deer and as the name suggests, it has two large horns.
- The Pronghorn antelope is a native North-American species, and also the second fastest land animal on this planet.
- An adult Pronghorn can be 1.3-1.5 meters long, weigh around 40-65 kg, and can reach a top speed of 60 miles per hour in seconds.
- The large windpipe and big lungs of Pronghorn, help it control its breathing even at such high speeds.
8. Marlin
- Marlins are considered to be the second-fastest marine swimmers that can swim at a speed of 50 miles per hour.
- The unique elongated body shape and long spear-like bill differentiate it from other fishes of the Istiophoridae family.
- An adult marlin can be as long as 5 meters and around 800 kg in weight.
- The marlin fish is mainly found in the Atlantic, Indian, and pacific oceans.
9. Blue Wildebeest
- This blue wildebeest is a wide-shouldered antelope belonging to the family of Bovidae.
- It is the second fastest antelope on the earth and can run at a maximum speed of 50 miles per hour.
- An adult male blue wildebeest can be 170-240 cm in head-to-body length and can weigh around 165- 290 kg.
- The majority of blue wildebeest is found in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
10. Brown Hare
- The brown hare or also known as the European hare due to its presence in most parts of Europe and Asia is one of the fastest herbivorous animals on the earth.
- Despite its small size, it can easily hit a speed of 48 miles per hour.
- An adult brown hare can be a maximum of 75 cm long and weighs around 2.4-3 kg.
- The majority of this species is found in Europe, Central Asia, and some parts of Siberia.
