25 Fastest Animals in the World
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If you jumped off your couch right now and went for a run, odds are you'd be lucky to hit 10 mph. If you're a sprinter, you might make it up to 15 mph. If you're Usain Bolt (the greatest sprinter of all time), you might even be able to run fast enough to break the speed limit in a school zone.
Sadly for humans, we're not even close to beating the speed record of the world's fastest animals. In a foot race, the world's fastest human can't match up to most animals — not even a domestic cat! The fastest animals in the world can rival the speed of sprinters, cyclists and even cars on the freeway. On land, in the air and under the sea, these are 25 of the speediest creatures on Earth.
25. Coyote
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Scientific name: Canis latrans
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 30 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 40 miles per hour
Coyotes are one of the most familiar animals on this list. They’re common in the U.S., and they’re also one of the fastest animals in the country. Unlike dogs, they run with their tails down and have hardly any natural predators.
They eat whatever they can find, but they’re not complete savages, either. At night, they communicate with pack members using a series of distinctive calls, and they mate for life.
24. Kangaroo
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Scientific name: Macropodidae
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 25 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 44 miles per hour
Kangaroos are cute, but they’re not to be trifled with. Their hind legs are so powerful that they can leap 25 feet in a single bound and jump over a grown man in one hop. Female kangaroos tend to be faster than males, but both can quickly cover long distances to find food and water.
Funnily, these fast land animals have such big feet that it’s hard for them to walk normally. Instead, they use an awkward-looking movement dubbed “crawl-walking” to move around at a slower pace.
23. Shortfin Mako Shark
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Scientific name: Isurus oxyrinchus
Class: Fish
Average speed: 4.2 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 45 miles per hour
Sharks are terrifying enough when they’re not coming at you at the speed of an oncoming truck. The shortfin mako is the fastest shark in the world and one of the fastest species of fish.
This is, in part, due to the mako’s unique scales. Their scales are known as dermal denticles, and they’re very similar in composition to teeth. Dermal denticles serve to reduce drag and help sharks swim more efficiently. Fortunately, these fast fish rarely attack humans.
22. Greyhound
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Scientific name: Canis lupus familiaris
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 25-30 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 45 miles per hour
Greyhounds are one of the world’s fastest dog breeds. Originally bred to track down prey, the timid-looking greyhound is a master of the “double suspension gallop.” This is a type of running in which the back and front legs leave the ground at the same time, much like a spring.
Greyhounds also have long, slender limbs and extra-fast twitch muscles to help them accelerate rapidly. The greyhound’s large heart is responsible for turning this canine into a cardio king. (And a cuddle king, too!)
21. Jackrabbit
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Scientific name: Lepus
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 35 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 45 miles per hour
The jackrabbit is a natural-born sprinter. Their muscular hind legs help them to spring into action at a moments notice, with the added benefit of helping them to change direction at the drop of a dime.
They can’t run fast for long. That’s why, at their average pace, they leap up high every few hops to assess their surroundings for danger. While they’re running, this fast land animal flattens its ears and tucks in its tail for a boost of speed.
20. African Wild Dog
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Scientific name: Lycaon pictus
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 37 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 45 miles per hour
One of the fastest mammals in the world, the African wild dog is designed to handle extreme speed and extreme heat. Their unusual, rounded ears help keep them cool and reduce drag while they’re running.
Fun fact: Wild dogs are very social, living in groups of up to 27. Members of the group care for each other, bringing food to injured companions just like humans would.
19. Yellowfin Tuna
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Scientific name: Thunnus albacares
Class: Amphibian, bird, fish, invertebrate, mammal or reptile
Average speed: 10 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 50 miles per hour
When you usually see tuna fish in a can, it’s hard to envision it as a fast animal. But the yellowfin tuna is actually one of the fastest sea animals. It cruises along fairly slowly, but tuna fish are more than capable of kicking into high gear when chased by a predator.
The key to their speed is that they’re warm-blooded, which is an uncommon trait in fish. Tunas also fold their fins into slots and engage two rows of small, stabilizing finlets to transform their bodies into living, breathing, predator-evading missiles.
18. Blackbuck
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Scientific name: Antilope cervicapra
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 25-30 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 50 miles per hour
The blackbuck antelope is the fastest land animal in India. That’s why it’s also known as the Indian antelope. Blackbucks live across southern Asia in grassy plains and forests. Their tremendous speed and 12-foot strides help them avoid predators.
Unfortunately, one of their predators can outsmart them: humans. Blackbucks are a popular target of trophy hunters because of their beautiful horns.
16. Lion (Tie)
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Scientific name: Panthera leo
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 35 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 50 miles per hour
If you’ve ever seen a lion stalking its prey in the grass, you might wonder why it even bothers when it can run at 50 mph. Why not just chase your dinner, lion? Unfortunately for them, lions are fairly heavy-bodied cats.
They’re built for power and short bursts of speed, not long chases. Since they can’t run fast for long, they need to get as close to their prey as possible before closing in for the kill. They’re one of the fastest animals in Africa and the largest predator on the continent.
16. Hare (Tie)
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Scientific name: Lepus
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 35 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 50 miles per hour
There are several kinds of hares, and the European hares are often considered the fastest land mammal in Europe. They look a lot like rabbits, but they’re much more athletic.
Unlike rabbits, hares live out in the open rather than in burrows. Without the option to duck into a hole for safety, being fast is the first line of defense for this prey animal.
15. Blue Wildebeest
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Scientific name: Connochaetes taurinus
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 38 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 50 miles per hour
Much like antelopes and gazelles, the wildebeest is considered a tasty meal by some of the fastest, hungriest predators, particularly lions. Because of this, speed is essential to the wildebeest’s survival.
They’re known for having poor vision, but they can easily keep pace with lions once they realize they’re being stalked. They’re also more adept at running long distances than lions, and they practice their marathon skills on their annual migration.
14. Thomson's Gazelle
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Scientific name: Eudorcas thomsonii
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 40 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 50 miles per hour
Gazelles are smaller than most people realize, but these diminutive creatures can reach their top speed of about 50 mph in less than 20 seconds.
While the gazelle is much slower than a cheetah, it’s still one of the fastest land animals, and it has a major advantage long distance. If it can evade a hungry cheetah for long enough, the big cat will tire out and give up. Since evasion is important to its survival, the Thompson’s gazelle is an expert at maneuvering.
12. Springbok (Tie)
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Scientific name: Antidorcas marsupialis
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 35 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 55 miles per hour
Of all the antelopes on the planet, the springbok might be the most beautiful. Its slim body and long, gently curving horns are particularly eye-catching. The herbivore’s top speed has been measured at about 55 mph, similar to other antelopes, but the springbok is a better jumper than many similar creatures; they can jump up to 9 feet in the air.
Fun fact: The springbok has a special flap on its rear end that retracts to reveal a white crest when it senses danger.
12. Pronghorn (Tie)
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Scientific name: Antilocapra americana
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 35 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 55 miles per hour
The pronghorn is a type of antelope that lives in North America. It has a large, powerful heart and giant eyes that can have a 320-degree field of vision. Cheetahs may be the fastest land animal, but pronghorns can have an advantage over long distances.
Each pronghorn has a different top speed, but most can give a cheetah a run for its money.
11. Quarter Horse
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Scientific name: Equus caballus
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 40-45 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 55 miles per hour
The quarter horse is a speedy sprinter, and it’s generally accepted as the fastest horse breed. The quarter horse actually got its name from its tendency to beat other horses in races of less than a quarter of a mile.
They don’t have the same advantage over long distances, but they do have remarkable acceleration abilities.
10. Swordfish
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Scientific name: Xiphias gladius
Class: Fish
Average speed: 40 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 60 miles per hour
Swordfish, an ultra-fast sea animal, can grow up to around 9-feet long and reach speeds that rival a car on the highway. The secret to their speed? Oil. Swordfish have an unusual gland that takes up a large portion of their upper jaw that helps reduce drag and more easily catch their favorite prey.
They also have organs near their eyes that keep their brain temperature normal when they’re swimming through icy waters.
9. Ostrich
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Scientific name: Struthio camelus
Class: Bird
Average speed: 45 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 60 miles per hour
Ostriches are the laughing stock of the bird world. They’ve been known to stick their heads in the sand when they’re scared, and their giant, poofy bodies and long necks look undeniably silly. Ostriches can’t fly, but they’re surprisingly superb sprinters.
They can sustain speeds of more than 30 miles an hour for miles upon miles, making them one of the fastest land animals on Earth. Pin an ostrich against Usain Bolt in a marathon, and the ostrich would win with ease. Funny fact: Ostriches are the only bird that secrete urine and feces separately.
8. Sailfish
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Scientific name: Istiophorus
Class: Fish
Average speed: Unknown
Maximum speed: 68 miles per hour
The sailfish looks like a giant fish had a baby with a spear. It’s notoriously tough to compare the fastest water animals, and some believe the sailfish is, in fact, the fastest.
At the very least, it’s in the top three. They can reach 10 feet in length and weigh over 100 pounds. Named for their large, sail-like dorsal fin, the sailfish is especially adept at swimming quickly over short distances.
7. Cheetah
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Scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 50 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 75 miles per hour
Cheetahs are popularly said to be the fastest animal in the world. That’s not really the case, but they are one of the fastest land animals. Take one look at the cheetah, and you can see why it’s so good at running. It’s built like an Olympic sprinter: light, lean and with long, thin legs.
Everything about the cheetah contributes to its speed. The signature black stripes running down its face help reduce glare from the sun, and the cheetah’s claws serve to help the powerful cat grip the ground as it runs.
6. Gyrfalcon
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Scientific name: Falco rusticolus
Class: Bird
Average speed: 50-68 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 80 miles per hour
With a wingspan of up to 48 inches, the gyrfalcon is the biggest falcon ever discovered. Because of their massive size, gyrfalcons are top predators. Not many animals would dare try to take one down, aside from its competitor in the heavens, the golden eagle.
In a dive, these birds can reach incredible speeds, but they generally prefer to avoid diving, opting to catch their prey during sustained flight instead. Fun fact: To cool off and stay clean, gyrfalcons like to take baths in melting ice water.
5. Black Marlin
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Scientific name: Istiompax indica
Class: Fish
Average speed: 22 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 82 miles per hour
Few fish are as terrifying to run into as the black marlin. To start, the black marlin is massive. It’s about the size of a shark, reaching around 15 feet in length and over 1,500 pounds. If that’s not scary enough, they’re also the fastest sea animal in the world when they want to be.
Their streamlined body shape is wider in the middle and thin at the ends, so they slice through the water like a knife at speeds of up to 82 mph. They migrate for thousands of miles, but they’re most commonly found near islands and coral reefs in shallow waters.
4. Rock Dove
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Scientific name: Columba livia
Class: Bird
Average speed: 20-30 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 92.5 miles per hour
For looking so ordinary, the humble pigeon is surprisingly speedy and smart. They were initially raised for their meat, but when people realized their potential, they began domesticating them.
Pigeons were actually the first birds to be domesticated around 4,500 B.C. They have been trained to carry messages for centuries, and some of them have clocked speeds of nearly 100 mph. They might steal food off your plate, but being one of the fastest birds in the world is the reason they get away with it.
3. Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
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Scientific name: Tadarida brasiliensis
Class: Mammal
Average speed: 25 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 105 miles per hour
The Mexican free-tailed bat isn’t a bird, but it still is one of the fastest flying animals in the world. It can dive at around 100 mph or flap through the night sky up to 60 mph with a boost from a helpful tailwind.
These spooky little creatures are also built for endurance. When they’re searching for food, they can easily fly 100 miles straight to find it. Most of them live in Texas, and some colonies are comprised of more than 20 million bats.
2. Golden Eagle
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Scientific name: Aquila chrysaetos
Class: Bird
Average speed: 30 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 200 miles per hour
Golden eagles are one of the fastest flying animals on the planet. This majestic bird can dive at speeds over 150 mph, occasionally reaching 200 mph at top speed.
Golden eagles also have the strongest grip of any bird of prey. They raise their young in giant nests that average 6-feet wide, but the largest one on record spanned over 8 feet!
1. Peregrine Falcon
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Scientific name: Falco peregrinus
Class: Bird
Average speed: 50 miles per hour
Maximum speed: 242 miles per hour
No other creature on Earth has been found to propel itself through space as fast as a Peregrine falcon. It can soar on wing power alone at around 50 mph, but when it dives, it can quadruple that speed.
It first climbs to a great height. When it spots its prey, it fearlessly plummets towards the ground. It’s also one of the most adaptable birds, thriving even in busy cities.