This is a list of the fastest animals in the world, by types of animal.
The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird, and the fastest member of the animal kingdom, with a diving speed of over 300kph. The fastest land animal is the cheetah. Among the fastest animals in the sea is the black marlin, with uncertain and conflicting reports of recorded speeds.[1] [2]
When drawing comparisons between different classes of animals, an alternative unit is sometimes used for organisms: body length per second. On this basis the 'fastest' organism on earth, relative to its body length, is the Southern Californian mite, Paratarsotomus macropalpis, which has a speed of 322 body lengths per second.[3] The equivalent speed for a human, running as fast as this mite, would be 1300abbr=onNaNabbr=on,[4] or approximately Mach 1.7. The speed of the P. macropalpis is far in excess of the previous record holder, the Australian tiger beetle Rivacindela hudsoni, which is the fastest insect in the world relative to body size, with a recorded speed of 1.86m/s, or 171 body lengths per second.[5] The cheetah, the fastest land mammal, scores at only 16 body lengths per second.
| Animal | Maximum speed | Class | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peregrine falcon | 242mph 354ft/s [6] [7] | Flight-diving | The peregrine falcon is the fastest aerial animal, fastest animal in flight, fastest bird, and the overall fastest member of the animal kingdom. The peregrine achieves its highest velocity not in horizontal level flight, but during its characteristic hunting stoop (vertical flight). While stooping, the peregrine falcon soars to a great height, then dives steeply at speed of over 320km/h. Assuming the maximum size at, its relative speed clocks at 186 body lengths per second during its hunting swoop, the equivalent of a human running at 560ft/s. | |
| 2 | Golden eagle | NaNmph NaNft/s [8] | Flight-diving | Assuming the maximum size at, its relative speed clocks at 66–87 body lengths per second, the equivalent of a human running at NaNft/s. | |
| 3 | White-throated needletail swift | 105mph [9] [10] [11] | Flight | ||
| 4 | Eurasian hobby | 100mph [12] | Flight | Can sometimes outfly the swift. | |
| 5 | Mexican free-tailed bat | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on [13] | Flight | It has been claimed to have the fastest horizontal speed (as opposed to stoop diving speed) of any animal. | |
| 6 | Frigatebird | 153km/h | Flight | The frigatebird's high speed is helped by its having the largest wing-area-to-body-weight ratio of any bird. | |
| 7 | Rock dove (pigeon) | 92.5mph [14] | Flight | Pigeons have been clocked flying 92.5mph average speed on a 400miles race. | |
| 8 | Spur-winged goose | 142km/h [15] | Flight | ||
| 9 | Gyrfalcon | 128km/h | Flight | ||
| 10 | Grey-headed albatross | 127km/h [16] [17] [18] | Flight | ||
| 11 | Cheetah | 109.4km/h120.7km/h | Land | Fastest land animal, fastest feline, the cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 96.6km/h in under three seconds, though endurance is limited. | |
| 12 | Sailfish | 67.85mph | Flight-swimming | ||
| 13 | Anna's hummingbird | 61.06mph [19] | Flight | ||
| 14 | Swordfish | 60mph | Swimming | ||
| 15 | Ostrich | 90km/h [20] | Land | ||
| 16 | Pronghorn | 88.5km/h | Land | ||
| 17 | Springbok | 88km/h [21] [22] | Land | ||
| 18 | Quarter Horse | 88.5km/h | Land | The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less; some have been clocked at speeds up to 88.5km/h. | |
| 19 | Blue wildebeest | 80.5km/h | Land | ||
| 20 | Thomson's gazelle | 80.5km/h[23] | Land |
| Animal | Maximum recorded speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Horsefly | 145km/h [24] [''[[Wikipedia:Accuracy_dispute#Disputed_statement|dubious]] – discuss] | The pursuit maneuver used by male Hybomitra hinei wrighti, measured by interpolation of slow-motion cinematography. |
| Members of Loliginidae and Ommastrephidae | 36km/h | Many of these species "fly" out of the water to escape danger. The Japanese flying squid can glide for 3 seconds over 30 metres. |
| Tiger beetle | 4.2mph | The Australian tiger beetle, Rivacindela hudsoni, is one of the fastest running insects in the world relative to body size, which has been recorded at 4.2mph or 171 body lengths per second. It can fly at 27mph. |
| Paratarsotomus macropalpis | 22cm/s 0.8km/h | 0.7 mm long mite endemic to Southern California, tracked running up to 322 body lengths per second, equivalent to a human running at around 2092km/h. Because of this feat, it is ranked the fastest animal on the planet relative to its body size. It can also achieve this speed across a concrete surface at a temperature of, which is lethal to many animals.[25] |
Due to physical constraints, fish may be incapable of exceeding swim speeds of .[1] [2] The larger reported figures below are therefore highly questionable:
| Animal | Maximum recorded speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 82abbr=on0abbr=on | A hooked black marlin has been recorded stripping line off a fishing reel at 120ft/s. | |
| 67.85mph | In a series of tests carried out in a fishing cam at Long Key, Florida, United States, sailfish swam and leapt 91meter in 3 seconds, equivalent to a speed of 109km/h, although this speed includes leaps out of the water, which do not strictly qualify as swimming speed. | |
| 60mph | The 60mph figure listed for the swordfish is based on a corrupted version of calculations made by Sir James Gray to estimate the impact speed necessary for a hypothetical 600lb swordfish to embed its sword 3 feet in the timbers of ships, as has been known to occur; the figure seems to have entered the literature without question as though someone had actually timed a swordfish at that speed. | |
| 47mph [26] | Many tuna species are capable of swimming at fast speeds colloquially cited at around 50mph. The tails of tuna move fast enough to cause cavitation, which slows them down as vapour accumulates. Tuna have bony fins without nerve endings, which prevents the fish from feeling the pain of cavitation but does not fully protect them from the implosive damage. | |
| 45mph | Underwater and unimpeded by a fishing line, the Shortfin mako has been reliably clocked at, and there is a claim that one individual of this species achieved a burst speed of . But it is extremely difficult to get a fish in the wild to swim in a straight line over a measured course. Laboratory measurements of numerous kinds of fishes — representing a wide range of body sizes — swimming against an artificial current have revealed a surprisingly uniform maximum burst speed of about 10 times the body length per second. Thus, for an average-sized, shortfin, its theoretical maximum speed might be something on the order of . Yet some estimates of the top-speed of a shortfin mako are considerably higher. | |
| Animal | Maximum recorded speed | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perentie | 25mph | Generally considered the fastest recorded reptile. | |
| 22mph [29] | Green Iguanas are large arboreal lizards capable of running at high speed on the ground. | ||
| 21.92mph [30] | These turtles have the most hydrodynamic body design of any sea turtle, with a large, teardrop-shaped body. | ||
| Costa Rican spiny-tailed iguana | [31] | Often cited as the world's fastest lizard in older sources. | |
| Six-lined racerunner | 18mph | A small lizard found throughout the Southern United States and Mexico. | |
| Black mamba | 14mph [32] | ||
| 13mph [33] | Komodo dragons can run briefly up to but prefer to hunt by stealth. |
See also: List of birds by flight speed.
| Animal | Maximum recorded speed | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 242mph | The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird, and the fastest member of the animal kingdom. While not the fastest bird at level (horizontal) flight, its great speed is achieved in its hunting dive (vertical flight), the stoop, wherein it soars to a great height, then dives steeply at speeds of over 200mph. | ||
| NaNmph | In full stoop, a golden eagle can reach spectacular speeds of up to when diving after prey. Although less agile and maneuverable, the golden eagle is apparently quite the equal and possibly even the superior of the peregrine falcon's stooping and gliding speed. | ||
| 105mph | The fastest flying bird in flapping flight. | ||
| 100mph | It can sometimes even outfly birds such as the swift when hunting. | ||
| Frigatebird | 153km/h | The frigatebird's high speed is helped by its having the largest wing-area-to-body-weight ratio of any bird. | |
| Rock dove (pigeon) | 92.5mph | Pigeons have been clocked flying 92.5mph average speed on a 400miles race. | |
| Spur-winged goose | 142km/h | ||
| Red-breasted merganser | 129km/h [34] | ||
| 127km/h | |||
| Grey-headed albatross | 127km/h | ||
| 61.06mph | The stated speed equals 276 body lengths per second, the highest known length-specific velocity attained by any vertebrate. | ||
| Ostrich | NaNkm/h [35] | The ostrich is the fastest bird on land, as well as the fastest running animal on two legs.[36] [37] The highest reliably measured running speed for ostriches is, obtained by speedometer reading when a car was chasing an ostrich in a straight line chase to force it to move as fast as could it.[38] Although there are reports of speeds of for ostriches, none are confirmed.[39] | |
| Emu | NaNkm/h [40] | ||
| Cassowary | NaNkm/h [41] | ||
| Roadrunner | NaNkm/h [42] |
| Animal | Maximum speed | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexican free-tailed bat | 160km/h | They are the fastest mammal in the world and one of the fastest flying animals on level flight. | |
| Cheetah | 109.4km/h120.7km/h | The cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 96.6km/h in under three seconds,[43] though endurance is limited: most cheetahs run for only 60 seconds at a time. When sprinting, cheetahs spend more time in the air than on the ground.[44] See Sarah, the fastest cheetah.A widely quoted top speed figure of has been discredited due to lax and questionable methodology.[45] The highest speed reliably and rigorously measured in cheetahs in a straight line is 29 m/s (104 km/h), as an average of 3 runs over a 201.2-meter (220 yards) course (starting from start line already running).[46] [47] Top speed data is result of dividing distance by time spent. | |
| Pronghorn | 80km/h96km/h | The pronghorn (American antelope) is the fastest animal over long distances; it can run at for, for, and for .[48] Its top speed is estimated at up to 96km/h98km/h an "alleged top speed of 60 mph (96.6 km/h)" (emphasis added),[49] and 98km/hPronghorns can reach a top speed of in good conditions, and a top speed of normally. They can reach speeds of in a 2-3 km course.[50] Estimated by observing the odometer when the animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle. | |
| Springbok | 88km/h | The springbok, an antelope of the gazelle tribe in southern Africa, can make long jumps and sharp turns while running. | |
| Tsessebe | NaNkm/h [51] [52] | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Domestic Horse | NaNkm/h [53] | The fastest horse speed was achieved by a thoroughbred. | |
| Thomson's gazelle | 81km/h | Thomson's gazelles, being long-distance runners, can escape cheetahs by sheer endurance. Their speed is partially due to their "stotting", or bounding leaps.Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Wildebeest | 80.5km/h [54] | The wildebeest, an antelope, exists as two species: the blue wildebeest and the black wildebeest. Both are extremely fast runners, which allows them to flee from predators. They are better at maintaining endurance for long distances than at sprinting.Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Blackbuck | 80km/h [55] | The blackbuck antelope can sustain speeds of 80km/h for over 1.5km (00.9miles) at a time. Each of its strides (i.e., the distance between its hoofprints) is 19-. | |
| Grant's gazelle | NaNkm/h | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Hartebeest | NaNkm/h | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Impala | NaNkm/h | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Lion | 80km/h [56] | While hunting, a lioness can generate top speed up to 80 km/h in short bursts. | |
| NaNkm/h | Hares can reach maximum speeds of 35mph[57] in short distances of approximately 90 meters, and a top speed of 50mph for about 20 meters.[58] | ||
| Jackrabbit | NaNkm/h | The jackrabbit's strong hind legs allow it to leap 3m (10feet) in one bound; some can even reach 6m (20feet).[59] Jackrabbits use a combination of leaps and zig-zags to outrun predators. | |
| African wild dog | NaNkm/h | When hunting, African wild dogs can sprint at 41mph in bursts, and they can maintain speeds of 35- for up to 3miles.[60] [61] Their targeted prey rarely escapes. | |
| Kangaroo | NaNkm/h | The comfortable hopping speed for a kangaroo is about 13-, but speeds of up to 44mph can be attained over short distances, while it can sustain a speed of 25mph for nearly 2km (01miles).[62] The faster a kangaroo hops, the less energy it consumes (up to its cruising speed). | |
| Greyhound (Domestic dog) | NaNkm/h | Greyhounds are the fastest dogs, and have primarily been bred for coursing game and racing. | |
| Onager | NaNkm/h | The onager consists of several subspecies, which most likely share the same ability to run at high speeds. | |
| Zebra | NaNkm/h | Zebras have a home range anywhere between 11and and they can travel 10miles a day while grazing.Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Eland | NaNkm/h | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Coyote | NaNkm/h | Coyotes can easily reach 48km/h, and can sprint at 65km/h when hunting. Even without a front foot, a coyote can still run at around 32km/h. | |
| Big brown bat | NaNkm/h | Big brown bats are reported to be one of the fastest bats reaching speeds of up to 40 mph.[63] | |
| Common dolphin | NaNkm/h | Common dolphins are the fastest marine mammals. When reaching their top speed, they take very short breaths. As an example, fin whales, which are much larger, can empty and refill their lungs in 2 seconds | |
| Tiger | NaNkm/h | Tigers live in jungles, and have been recorded going anywhere from 30mph to 40mph; much like the cheetah and lion, however, they only maintain this for a short burst. | |
| Hyena | NaNkm/h | The hyena can run up to 60km/h; some attribute this performance specifically to the spotted hyena. They use their speed to chase their prey, sometimes traveling 15miles in a single chase. | |
| Giraffe | NaNkm/h | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| African buffalo | NaNkm/h | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Brown bear (Grizzly bear)American black bear | NaNkm/h [64] [65] | Although it has been said anecdotally that grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) can run at 56 km/h, the maximum speed reliably recorded at Yellowstone is 48 km/h. It has been speculated that American black bears (Ursus americanus) can run at the same speed. | |
| Warthog | NaNkm/h | Estimated by observing the odometer when an animal ran at its maximum speed, alongside a vehicle on a road. | |
| Human | Instantaneous: 29.55sortable=onNaNsortable=on Sprinting (100 m): 23.35sortable=onNaNsortable=on Long distance (marathon): 13.04sortable=onNaNsortable=on | Usain Bolt holds the etre world record at 9.58 seconds. His absolute fastest speed during that sprint was 13.21m/s at one stride between 50 and 70 meters. The average speed of this race, including the brief reaction time immediately after the commencement of the race, was 10.44m/s.[66] At distances greater than 400 metres, the human body requires oxygen to sustain such paces, and speed significantly tapers at this point. The mile run world record is held by Hicham El Guerrouj with a time of 3:43.13, corresponding to 26.25km/h. The marathon world record is held by Kelvin Kiptum with a time of 2:00:35, corresponding to 20.99km/h. The world record for longest distance run continuously is held by Dean Karnazes, who ran 563km (350miles) in 80 hours 44 minutes without stopping. In the absence of significant external factors, non-athletic humans tend to walk at about 1.4m/s and run at about 5.1m/s.[67] [68] [69] Although humans are capable of walking at speeds from nearly 0 m/s to upwards of 2.5m/s and running one mile (1.6 kilometers) in anywhere between 4–15 minutes, humans typically choose to use only a small range within these speeds.[70] Compared to other land animals, humans are exceptionally capable of endurance—over very long distances, able to outrun every other species on land except certain dogs. | |
| Wombat | 40km/h [71] | Wombats can maintain that speed for 150m (490feet). |