Top 10 Fastest Animals in the World

Springbok is a species of antelope native to Southern Africa. This agile animal often coexists in herds with wildebeests or ostriches, and is mainly found in the southwestern regions of Africa. Known for its impressive speed, Springbok can reach a top speed of 88 km/h. In addition to its speed, it can leap as high as 4 meters. However, unlike the pronghorn, the Springbok cannot sustain long-distance running and is often pursued by predators like cheetahs and leopards.

Springbok is a mammal belonging to the Bovidae family and Artiodactyla order, first described by Zimmermann in 1780. This species is found in southwestern Africa. With a slender body and long neck, it measures between 150-195 cm in total length. Both males and females have horns. Adult males weigh between 33-48 kg, while females weigh 30-44 kg. Their shoulder height ranges from 70-90 cm, and their tail measures 15-30 cm.

Blue Wildebeest (also known as Wildebeest) is a species of antelope native to Africa, characterized by a physique similar to both cattle and antelopes, with short, sharp horns. These animals typically travel in large herds to complicate the efforts of predators. Both males and females of the Wildebeest species are capable of reaching speeds of about 80.5 km/h. They can live up to 20 years. The Blue Wildebeest has five subspecies. It features broad shoulders, a heavy front build, and a uniquely strong muzzle. Calves are born with a yellow-brown color, which gradually shifts as they reach two months of age. The coat color of the adults can vary from dark gray or blue-gray to light gray or even brownish-gray. Both males and females possess a pair of wide, curved horns.

Blue Wildebeest are herbivores, primarily grazing on short grass. They move in loosely-structured herds, always on the alert. Their mating season starts at the end of the rainy season, and they give birth to a single calf after about 8 and a half months of pregnancy. The calf remains with its mother for about 8 months before joining the herd. These animals live in grasslands near savannas covered with acacia bushes in southern and eastern Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too dry. Every year, some populations of Blue Wildebeest in East Africa undertake long migrations, usually timed with the rains and the growth of local grasses.

Blackbuck is an antelope species native to India, easily identified by its long, spiral horns that form a V-shape. This species is now extinct in Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, with only around 500 individuals left in the wild. Known for its exceptional speed, the Blackbuck can reach speeds of 80 km/h, belonging to the Bovidae family and Artiodactyla order. Classified as endangered by the IUCN since 2003, its habitat has drastically decreased during the 20th century. The name of its genus, 'Antalope,' originates from the Latin term for horned animals.

The Blackbuck is similar to gazelles and is also found in parts of the Arabian Peninsula. It has a slender build, with a body length of around 120 cm and shoulder height ranging from 73.7 to 83.8 cm. Males are larger than females, weighing between 34 to 45 kg, while females weigh 31 to 39 kg. Both sexes have a short, compact tail. Their underbelly, chest, around the eyes, chin, mouth, hindquarters, and the inner sides of their legs are white. Male Blackbucks turn nearly black as they age, with a reddish-brown patch remaining on their necks and a fading stripe along their sides. Outside the mating season, typically after the rainy season or mid-winter, the males shed their fur, changing from black to a golden-brown color. By early April, their coats turn black again with some brown hues as the weather warms.

Thomson's Gazelle is found in Africa, and it is the most common antelope species in East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Sudan. In addition to its impressive average speed of 80 km/h, this gazelle can make high jumps to escape predators. Thomson's Gazelle can outrun its main predator, the cheetah, and quickly change direction to avoid capture.

The Thomson's Gazelle stands between 55 and 82 cm tall, has a body length of 80 to 120 cm, and weighs around 15 to 25 kg for females and 20 to 35 kg for males. Its coat is light brown, with a white belly and two distinct black stripes running along each side. The horns are long and slightly curved at the tips. The white patch on the underside of its tail is a key distinguishing feature of the Thomson's Gazelle compared to the Grant’s Gazelle. While some Grant’s Gazelles also have black stripes along their sides, the white coloration on their tail extends all the way down to the base of the tail.

This species of hare is easily distinguished from other hares by its long ears with black spots and its longer hind legs, which allow it to reach high speeds when running. The Brown Hare is mainly found in the UK, western Europe, Canada, and parts of Central and South America. Agricultural practices have led to a steady decline in their numbers since the 1960s. When chased by predators, a Brown Hare can run at an average speed of 75 km/h, reaching a maximum speed of 77 km/h. It can also quickly change direction without losing speed and can jump as high as 5 to 7 meters.

The Brown Forest Hare, also known as the Brown Hare, Eastern Forest Hare, and Eastern Grassland Hare, is native to northern, central, and western Europe, as well as parts of Western Asia. It is a mammal that thrives in temperate climates and open spaces. While it shares physical similarities with other hares, it belongs to a different genus. Unlike other hares that burrow, it gives birth on the ground and relies on its speed to escape predators. Generally shy, these hares become more active in spring, when they can often be seen chasing each other across fields. During the spring rut, they engage in 'boxing,' using their hind legs to strike one another.

The Greyhound is a breed of dog primarily known for racing and hunting, though it has become increasingly popular as a family pet in recent years. With a gentle and intelligent nature, the Greyhound combines long, powerful legs, a broad chest, a flexible spine, and a sleek build, enabling it to reach racing speeds of over 18 meters per second, or 63 km/h. Greyhounds can hit a top speed of 74 km/h in just six strides and maintain that pace for up to 11 kilometers.

At maximum acceleration, a Greyhound can reach speeds of 80 km/h within just 30 meters. In the first 250 meters of a race, it can run at nearly 20 meters per second. The only other animal that can accelerate faster over short distances is the cheetah, which can achieve speeds of up to 109 km/h.

The horse is a mammal belonging to the Equidae family and the Perissodactyla order (odd-toed ungulates). First described by Linnaeus in 1758, horses represent one of the eight surviving subspecies within the Equidae family. Over the course of 45 to 55 million years, horses evolved from small creatures with multiple toes into the large, single-hoofed animals we see today. A mare's pregnancy lasts approximately 335 to 340 days, usually resulting in the birth of a single foal, which is able to stand and run short distances shortly after birth. Horses are considered fully mature at four years old, although their growth continues until around six years old. The time it takes for a horse to fully develop depends on its size, breed, gender, and care quality.

Horses are among the fastest animals on Earth, capable of outrunning dogs and deer. With over 350 breeds worldwide, all horses share the ability to run at remarkable speeds, like the top athletes of the animal kingdom. Depending on the breed, horses can run between 56 and 70 km/h, with top speeds reaching 88 km/h during a full sprint. Truly, this is an astonishing speed, don’t you think?

The cheetah, also known as the African spotted cat, the cheetah leopard, and the hunting leopard, is a sleek and fast predator. These animals live in open grasslands, sparse forests, and semi-deserts. An adult cheetah weighs between 65 and 70 kg, with some individuals reaching 72 kg. Their body length ranges from 1.1 to 1.5 meters, with the mature cheetah's total length extending from 1.5 to 2 meters, not including their long tail, which measures 60 to 84 cm. These dimensions clearly show that the cheetah belongs in the category of supermodels in the animal kingdom, with its slender body and long frame. Known for their astonishing speed, cheetahs can reach up to 120 km/h due to their streamlined build, with their speed maintained over short distances of less than 300 meters.

Thanks to their perfectly designed limb bones, the cheetah's skeletal structure is lightweight, with about 60% of its muscle mass concentrated along the spine. The elongated and narrow spine allows them to stretch their strides up to 0.7 meters, covering nearly 8 meters with each bound. The cheetah can reach its maximum speed in just 4 steps, provided there are no obstacles in their way. This incredible acceleration is key to their rapid sprinting. Scientists have found that when chasing prey and reaching peak physical condition, a cheetah can accelerate to over 120 km/h (equivalent to 33 meters per second) in just a few seconds. Besides hunting antelopes and deer, the cheetah is also capable of catching gazelles and even horses due to their high-speed sprinting ability, using their powerful jaws to grip the prey's throat.

The tailess bat is found in countries like Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, and the United States. Known for its incredible speed, this bat species has long, narrow wings with sharp tips that allow it to reach flight speeds of approximately 96.6 km/h while maintaining a steady pace. Some scientists suggest that during World War II, the U.S. Air Force used these bats to carry small bombs into Japanese territory.

According to Fox News, the Brazilian tailess bat can fly at speeds close to 160 km/h, far exceeding the 96.6 km/h speed of the Mexican tailess bat, which is already one of the fastest flying mammals. This speed is even more impressive when compared to the cheetah, widely regarded as the fastest land animal, capable of running at 112-120 km/h.

The Pronghorn is a species closely related to goats, though its appearance often resembles that of an antelope. Its strong legs enable it to run at a consistent speed. Pronghorns are considered one of the fastest animals in North America, with an average speed of 88.5 km/h, reaching a top sprinting speed of 98 km/h and maintaining a steady pace of 59-65 km/h. Adult males typically range from 1.3 to 1.5 meters in length, with a height of 81 to 104 cm and a weight between 36 to 70 kg. Females are of similar height but weigh between 41 and 50 kg. Their hooves have two prongs and no dewclaws.

Currently, the Pronghorn has no true predators. They are the fastest mammals in North America and can leap distances of 3 to 6 meters. As a result, adult Pronghorns rarely fall prey to predators. Wolves, North American coyotes, mountain lions, and golden eagles can kill young fawns shortly after birth, though this is uncommon since newborn fawns can stay motionless for hours in the vegetation, avoiding detection. A few weeks after birth, the fawns are faster than many predators and remain well-protected by their mothers.