There are many incredibly fast creatures in our world, each adapted for speed in unique ways. These fastest animals come in all shapes and sizes, using their speed to escape predators or hunt down prey with precision. Whether on land, in the sea, or soaring through the sky, these high-speed animals thrive in various environments, from scorching deserts to icy tundras.
So, which animals hold the title of the fastest animals on Earth? Which creatures are so quick that you’d need a car or a motorbike just to keep up with them?
In this post, we’ve rounded up some of the fastest animals in the world. While you may already know a few of these speed champions, others might surprise you with their incredible velocity.
21. Bearded Dragon
Speed: 9 mph (14.5 km/h)
The bearded dragon is not a dragon. It is a lizard that came from Australia, and first came to the United States during the 1990s. Do you know why they are called “bearded dragons“? It is because their scales and spikes look like a beard.
Fun fact: Bearded dragons are fast; they can run 9 miles per hour.
20. Brown Hare
Speed: 35 mph (56 km/h)
Brown hares are not rabbits. Hares are bigger, have stronger legs and have longer ears. Their main home is in Britain. Hares are also herbivorous and eat herbs, grasses and field crops when it’s summer.
Fun fact: Hares can run incredibly fast. They can run up to 35 miles per hour especially when they run away from predators.
19. Ostrich
Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
The ostrich is a big bird. It’s the heaviest and tallest of all birds. It can’t fly, but they can run very fast. Do you know that they can run 40 miles per hour?
Fun fact: An ostrich egg is the largest among living birds. Have you seen an ostrich egg? Its size is equivalent to 24 chicken eggs!
18. Hyena
Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
Hyenas are dog-like animals with sloping bodies. Their front legs are longer than their hind legs. Hyenas have short and sandy coats that have dark brown spots and stripes on their bodies. Hyenas make different sounds, such as howling screams, wailing calls and their “laughs”. These animals look short but they are very fast. They can run up to 40 miles per hour.
Fun fact: The spotted hyena is a skillful hunter but also a scavenger that selects the easiest and most attractive food.
17. Jackrabbit
Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
Jackrabbits are not rabbits; they are actually hares. They are speedy animals that can reach 40 miles per hour, and are found in Central and North America. Jackrabbits are awake at night, and they feed mainly from sunset to sunrise. During the day, they hide in shallow holes covered with plants.
Fun fact: Jackrabbits are not threatened or endangered. They are herbivores, feeding on grasses, leaves, clover, twigs, seeds, beans, twigs and cacti.
16. Tiger
Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
Tigers are the world’s biggest cats. They can live both in hot jungles and cold forests. Their speed can stretch to about 40 miles per hour. There are five kinds of tigers right now: South China, Siberian, Bengal, Indochinese and Sumatran. A tiger’s roar can be heard even over a mile away. They can eat a hundred pounds of meat a night; it’s like eating 400 hamburgers in one sitting.
Fun fact: Tigers mainly eat deer, wild pigs, water buffalo and antelope. They also hunt sloth bears, dogs, leopards and even crocodiles.
15. Onager
Speed: 43 mph (70 km/h)
The Onager is a member of the horse family. They are found in Central, Western and Southern Asia. They are one of Asia’s bigger breeds, and they are also the fastest; they can reach speeds of 43 miles per hour. Onagers usually live on semi-desert areas and eat herbs, grass and bark.
Fun fact: They get most of the water they need from the food that they eat but most of the time they are always within thirty kilometers from water.
14. Coyote
Speed: 43 mph (70 km/h)
Coyotes, like dogs, are members of the canine family. They have reddish-brown to grayish-brown fur, and are found in North and Central America. Coyotes have a very strong sense of smell; they can smell other animals buried under snow.
Fun fact: To make little noise, coyotes walk on their toes. A coyote’s top speed can reach 43 miles per hour.
13. African Wild Dog
Speed: 44 mph (71 km/h)
African wild dogs can be found in Africa, and they prefer living in grasslands, savannas and open woodlands. African wild dogs are the same size as household domestic dogs. Their difference is the number of toes on each foot; other dogs have five toes, but African wild dogs only have four.
Fun fact: African wild dogs can run for up to 44 miles per hour.
12. Kangaroo
Speed: 44 mph (71 km/h)
Kangaroos are animals found in New Guinea and in Australia. There are four types of kangaroo: eastern gray, western gray, antilopine and red kangaroo. Marsupials are animals that have pouches. Kangaroos are marsupials, and they are the largest marsupials on Earth.
Fun fact: Kangaroos are high jumpers, and their hopping speed can reach 44 miles per hour.
11. Greyhound
Speed: 45 mph (73 km/h)
Greyhounds started in Ancient Egypt; they were first bred to hunt large animals such as deer, wolves and antelopes. Greyhounds are the fastest type of dogs; they can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. They are tall, slender dogs with lean, muscular bodies.
Fun fact: They are suitable as pets because they are sweet, affectionate, loyal and intelligent.
10. Wildebeest
Speed: 49 mph (79 km/h)
The wildebeest is a large gray antelope with horns and a long tail. There are two kinds of wildebeest: the Blue wildebeest and the Black wildebeest. The wildebeest is also a fast animal; they can reach speeds of 49 miles per hour.
Fun fact: Wildebeests are also herbivorous; this means they only eat plants.
09. Free-tailed Bat
Speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
The free-tailed bat is a medium sized bat that’s red to dark brown in color. They are very fast flyers; they can travel about 50 miles per hour when flying. They can be found both in North and South America. They eat moths and other insects. They choose to live near water and eat insects that are attracted there.
Fun fact: These bats may have a life span of up to 18 years. Mexican Free-Tailed bats are the fastest of this group.
08. Blackbuck Antelope
Speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Blackbuck antelopes live in India, Nepal and Pakistan. They are herbivores; they eat leaves, grasses, shoots and buds. Considered one of the fastest animals in the world with a super keen eye sight for spotting predators. Blackbuck antelopes are very fast animals. When needed, they can run up to 50 miles per hour.
Fun fact: Usually 10 to 12 and up to 15 years. The oldest blackbuck on record was 18 years of age.
07. Horse
Speed: 55 mph (89 km/h)
Horses can steady gallop up to around 27 miles per hour, and during a fast gallop they can reach 55 miles per hour. Horses eat hay, plants, fruits and vegetables and their age can be determined through their teeth. A male horse is called a stallion and a female horse is called a mare. A young male horse is called a colt and a young female horse is called a filly.
Fun fact: Domestic horses have a lifespan of around 25 years.
06. Springbok
Speed: 56 mph (90 km/h)
The springbok is a small antelope that has a reddish brown color with pale undersides. They are found in southern Africa’s semi-arid regions and grasslands. The name “springbok” in Dutch and Afrikaans means: “spring” means jump, and “bok” means deer, antelope or goat.
Fun fact: Springboks can reach running speeds of up to 56 miles per hour.
05. Dolphin
Speed: 60 mph (97 km/h)
Dolphins may look like fish, but they are not fish; they are mammals. This means the mother nurses their babies with their own milk. There are 5 river dolphin species and 36 ocean dolphin species. Dolphins are very intelligent and often display a playful attitude.
Fun fact: They can swim up to 60 miles under the ocean surface, and use their blowholes on the top of their heads to breathe.
04. Thomson’s Gazelle
Speed: 60 mph (97 km/h)
The Thomson’s Gazelle is a small creature with white underbellies, large horns, short tail and reddish body. It is named after Joseph Thomson. Gazelles are beautiful animals with stripes and markings that make them stand out. They can be seen on plains and eat shoots, grasses and leaves.
Fun fact: The Thomson’s Gazelle relies on its speed to run away from predators; it can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
03. Pronghorn
Speed: 60 mph (97 km/h)
Pronghorns are found mainly in central and northern Nevada. They are reddish brown and have white stomachs. Their throats have wide, white stripes. A Pronghorn can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, and they are among the fastest animals in North America.
Fun fact: These animals have an amazing field of vision that is nearly 360 degrees. They can detect predators and escape from them by running at high speed for extended periods.
02. Cheetah
Speed: 70 mph (113 km/h)
The cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal; it can reach top speeds of about 70 miles per hour, and it can reach that speed in just a few seconds. Cheetahs live in the central, eastern and southwestern grasslands of Africa, and some in the portions of Iran. These beautiful cats eat mainly gazelles, wildebeest calves, impalas and smaller hoofed animals.
Fun fact: Cheetahs are the only cats that don’t roar; they can only purr, and only purr loudly when with other cheetahs.
01. Peregrine Falcon
Speed: 200 mph (322 km/h)
The peregrine falcon (also known as the “Duck Hawk”) is the fastest animal in the world. A peregrine falcon is so fast that it can dive up to 200 miles an hour. Peregrine falcons eat other birds such as songbirds and ducks, as well as bats. These cool animals catch their prey in mid-air.
Fun fact: The name “peregrine” means “wanderer” and it matches the bird because Peregrine falcons are found all over the world.