Quick questions
Short answers to common questions readers ask on this topic.
- What is the fastest animal in the world?
- The peregrine falcon. In a hunting dive it can exceed 300 km/h (about 186 mph), making it the fastest animal on Earth.
- What is the fastest land animal?
- The cheetah, which reaches roughly 100–110 km/h in short sprints. The pronghorn is slightly slower but can keep high speeds for much longer.
- What is the fastest animal in the water?
- The sailfish and black marlin are usually named, but their often-quoted speeds are debated. Shortfin mako sharks are among the fastest measured sharks.
- What is the fastest bird in level flight?
- This is still debated. Brazilian free-tailed bats (not birds) have been tracked at about 160 km/h, and swifts such as the white-throated needletail are leading bird candidates.
Animals mentioned
Jump from this article into the species pages behind the examples, systems notes, and field-guide references.
Peregrine FalconCheetahPronghornSailfishGolden EagleOstrichSpringbok
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