Talking about the fastest and fastest animals in the world implies talking about curious animals, living beings that are completely in tune with their natural habitat and the risks involved in living in it. And it is that their impressive abilities make them super-powerful animals. Despite what many believe, the fastest animals are neither the cheetah nor the swordfish.
At first, it may seem curious, but in reality it makes sense, the fastest animals in the world are also the smallest… Do you want to know what is number one? Cool! In Supercurioso we have divided this special into sections, so that you take into account that not only land animals have merits in qualities such as speed. Join us! đ
What are the fastest animals in the world?
There are tons of top animals, you just have to turn to look at some of the articles we have done about them: animals with the strongest bite, the rarest animals in the world, and even animals that live in extreme conditions. Each and every one of them has qualities that make them exceptional because, if we are honest, in reality we human beings have little or nothing to compete with them in terms of physical abilities. Ready to surprise you?
fast land animals
1. Thomson’s Gazelle (80 Km/h)
We start our list of the fastest animals in the world with a very unique specimen⊠It is the Thompson gazelle native to the savannahs of Kenya, Tanzania and Sudan. It is said that this is the most common species of gazelle and its speed has been developed because it is also one of the prey most desired by the carnivores that inhabit the African savannah.
When in escape mode, its speed can reach 80 km/h; To give you an idea, it is almost twice the speed that Usain Bolt broke in the 2008 Olympic Games. And we are not talking about resistance, because this gazelle is not only one of the fastest land animals, but also also one of those that can maintain its speed for a prolonged period of time.
2. Quarter Horse (88.5 Km/h)
From the African savannahs we jump to the green and grazed fields of the United States, where this breed of horse was genetically developed. If you realize, the quarter horse is not the biggest horse in the world, but it is the fastest of all; and this is due to a genetic modification.
You see, it was from crosses that the quarter horse rose as one of the fastest animals in the world, since its objective was to be able to compete in horse races. Currently, there are more than three million specimens that are now found in almost all regions of the planet. His average running speed clocks in at around 55 mph (88.5 km/h), an ode to speed.
3. Cheetah (130 Km/h)
The cheetah is also known by the name of cheetah and, although it is repeatedly confused with the leopard, due to its similarity to this species, it alone is the fastest feline in the world, at least of those currently known.
Although it is very difficult to accurately measure the speed of any wild animal, it is estimated that the cheetah can run at a speed of approximately 130 km/h. Nevertheless, it can only travel quickly certain short distances (up to about 500 m) and it is even possible that in long distances the man can surpass itYes, under some circumstances. Would you dare to compete with a cheetah?
fast aquatic animals
4. Swordfish (97Km/h)
As we told you at the beginning, the fastest animals in the world are not only on land, there are actually many fast animals submerged in the curiosities of the ocean, some of which will surely surprise you…
The swordfish, which you have surely heard a lot about, especially because of its particular morphology. Nevertheless, It is also within the category of the fastest animals with a record of 97 km / h, a record that very few specimens can achieve. Where to find them? Although they are difficult to see, many of them are grouped in important ocean currents, which is why the coasts of countries like Mexico or the United States are ideal.
5. Sailfish (109 km/h)
Another of the mysteries of the ocean is the sailfish, a specimen of which little is known except what lives in the cold waters of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Its two great characteristics are, on the one hand, the impressive sail-shaped dorsal fin, and on the other, being one of the fastest animals in the world.
Many have speculated about its speed, despite the fact that it is a very, very large fish (3 meters in length), even so It is said that it is capable of traveling 50 meters in just 2 seconds.. Impressive, don’t you think?
6. Mako Shark (124 Km/h)
We have reached the fastest marine animal in the world and, how could it be otherwise, it is a shark. Did you know that this was one of the curious facts about sharks? That’s right, apart from being one of the fastest animals, capable of reaching 124 km/h speed, it is also a dangerous predator.
In fact, it is known that it only swims at such speeds when it is hunting and the most curious of all is that it adapts to almost any type of environment, which is why it is currently found in almost all the world’s oceans. Experts often say that its power and speed are due to its perfect hydrodynamics, its muscular mass and its crescent-shaped caudal fin..
aerial swift animals
7. Ana’s Hummingbird (98 Km/h)
The first of the fastest flying animals in the world is the hummingbird; Who would have thought of this beautiful and hypnotic animal? Well, it’s true; This small bird is native to the forests of the west coast of the United States, and is no more and no less than a size of less than 10 cm long. This data is essential to understand why it is one of the fastest animalsbecause it is its size that allows for a flight record of almost 100 km/h.
8. Gyrfalcon (128 Km/h)
About to close our list of the fastest animals in the world, we could not miss one of the most impressive: the gyrfalcon. A bird that inhabits the taiga and tundra of polar regions of Europe, Asia and America. You should know that it is the largest species of all falcons, as they can have a wingspan of almost 160 cm.
Its speed falls on the action of hunting. Well, like other types of birds, their prey tend to slip away easily, so it is always better to fly quickly than to let your dinner escape.
9. Peregrine Falcon (350 Km/h)
We close our list with the fastest bird in the world known so far. It hunts by launching itself on its prey almost vertically, in the form of a dive, thus reaching a speed of up to about 350 km/h, the same speed that a common light aircraft can develop. At the instant of greatest speed, the angle of the dive increases as the bird folds its wings to avoid the force of friction with the air. It has very sharp wings, perfectly designed for correct flight, as well as a small head and a short tail.
The peregrine falcon is a carnivorous predator that feeds on smaller birds, such as partridges and pigeons. It usually frequents mountainous and wooded areas, mainly in very wide and open regions, where its prey does not have enough perspective to take refuge among the trees or tall bushes.
You can already say that you know the fastest animals in the world, however, if you want to continue to impress yourself with their abilities, we recommend you discover some of the wild animals that inhabit the city. Or maybe you’re interested in getting off Earth for a bit and meeting the animals sent into space. Enjoy it!