Usain Boltโs 100-meter record of 9.58 seconds that he set in 2009 is still untouched, even after Italyโs Lamont Marcell Jacobs came close with a time of 9.80 seconds in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. That means that Usain Bolt still holds the prestigious honor of being the fastest man in the world (or at least he was in his prime).
Around two-thirds into the 100-meter dash, Usain Bolt hits his top speed, moving his body over 27 miles per hour, meaning that Usain Bolt could get a speeding ticket in a 25-mile-per-hour zone without a car. If you ask me, thatโs pretty unbelievable.ย
But, while Usain Bolt may be the fastest human being on Earth, heโs certainly not the fastest animal out there. In fact, thereโs an animal that can travel at speeds nearly four times faster than Usain Boltโs 27 miles per hour. Yes, there are animals out there that can move faster than your Porsche, outrun a tropical storm, or fly nearly twice as fast as an Aroldis Chapman fastball.
In this article, weโre going to run through some of the fastest animals on land, in the air, and in the ocean. And all of these animals make humans look slow. Sure, weโve created airplanes and cars that allow us to move faster than any other animal out there. But, on our own two feet, we donโt stand a chance against these speedy creatures. Here are five of the fastest animals in the world.
Peregrine Falcon
The fastest bird and, in fact, the fastest living animal on the planet is the peregrine falcon. Once known as the duck hawk in North America (which isnโt a very fitting name for such a badass bird), the peregrine falcon can be found almost anywhere in the world except for extreme polar regions and most tropical rainforests. Itโs not uncommon to see these magnificent birds perched high on a building and surveying the city for prey.
When the peregrine falcon is traveling from place to place and soaring horizontally, it typically stays around 50 or 60 miles per hour. However, when itโs hunting, the peregrine falcon will soar up to a great height and then go into freefall, at which point they can reach speeds over 200 miles per hour.
According to National Geographic, the highest recorded speed of a peregrine falcon was 242 miles per hour. Thatโs even faster than the top speed of a McLaren F1, one of the fastest cars in the world.ย
White-Throated Needletail
While the peregrine falcon is the fastest bird on Earth when in freefall, the fastest bird in powered flight (which is when birds fly horizontally and flap their wings) is the white-throated needletail. These pudgy-looking torpedoes kind of resemble a flying penguin, in my opinion.
As you might expect from the name, they have a tuft of white on the bottom of their throat. But, while they may look goofy and cute, the speeds at which theyโre able to fly are nothing short of awe-inspiring. Itโs been reported that the white-throated needletail can reach speeds of up to 105 miles per hour.ย
The white-throated needletail typically breeds in Siberia and Central Asia and then spends its winters in Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. However, they have been sighted as far as the United Kingdom on rare occasions. In fact, in 2013, a white-throated needletail was spotted in the United Kingdom for the first time in 22 years in Scotland. Nearly 80 birdwatchers flocked to see the bird in person, only to see it get obliterated by a wind turbine.
Cheetah
Enough about birds. Letโs talk about the worldโs fastest terrestrial animal: the cheetah. Thereโs a reason that this animalโs name has basically become synonymous with speed. Cheetahs are apparently capable of reaching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour when theyโre running their fastest.
However, calling a cheetah terrestrial might actually be a misnomer because theyโre actually more airborne while theyโre running at top speed. While running its fastest, a cheetah only ever has one foot on the ground at a single time, they take three strides per second, and there are many stages of their run when theyโre entirely airborne.ย
A cheetah is built for speed head to toe. Itโs got a slender body and small head that make its body shape extremely aerodynamic. Itโs got an oversized heart for pumping large amounts of blood and large lungs for air rapid intake.
Cheetahs also have an extremely flexible spine that curves with each stride they make, acting like a loaded spring for the back legs multiple times per second. Cheetahs can be found in Africa as well as central Iran where they rule the savannahs as the apex predator.ย
Sailfish
Alright, so weโve covered the fastest animals in the air and on land. Now, itโs time to move on to the fastest animal under the water: the sailfish. Often confused with a swordfish or a marlin, the sailfish is named for its large dorsal fin that resembles a sail and can often stretch across the fishโs entire back.
This sail, which makes the fish extremely hydrodynamic, is part of the secret to the sailfishโs speed and part of the reason that a sailfish can apparently swim up to 70 miles per hour, making it the fastest ocean creature alive. They also hunt smaller fish and have been known to work in teams when hunting. With that combination of speed and collaboration, their prey doesnโt stand a chance.ย
The sailfish is a pelagic fish, meaning it lives in the pelagic zone of the ocean, which is not near the bottom nor the shore. Pelagic fish are more muscular than most other types of fish, and the sailfish is one of the most muscular of the bunch, giving them the ability to swim at extremely high speeds.
While you might expect the fastest fish in the ocean to be a smaller fish, sailfish can grow to be 10 feet long and up to 200 pounds. They can also change their color to confuse their prey or display their emotions, making them sort of like the chameleons of the sea.ย
Pronghorn Antelope
The second fastest land animal in the world and the fastest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, the pronghorn antelope, is actually not an antelope at all. However, itโs commonly referred to as an antelope because of its close resemblance to the antelopes of the Old World (Africa, Europe, and Asia).
In fact, the pronghorn antelope is a species of artiodactyl mammal, which is characterized by hooves and even toes. However, while the pronghorn antelope only lives in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, its closest living relatives are the giraffe and okapi, which only live in Africa.ย
Pronghorn antelopes need to be fast to avoid the many predators that live in their habitats. Their major predators are grizzly bears, cougars, bobcats, wolves, and coyotes. Fawns are also sometimes killed by golden eagles, and itโs likely that jaguars also feed on pronghorn antelopes in habitats where both animals live.
Luckily, the pronghornโs extreme speed allows them to evade the grasps of these predators often. Pronghorn antelopes themselves are herbivores and feed mostly on herbaceous flowering plants, shrubs, and grasses.ย
Fun Fact: A Peregrine Falcon (240 mph) is faster than a Ferrari SF90 Stradale (211 mph) or a Lamborghini Veneno (221 mph)