HideShark list
Speed means different things in different places. The outright record belongs to a bird in a dive; the fastest running animal is the cheetah; the best distance runner is the pronghorn. This list ranks the top speeds and notes which record each animal holds.
389 km/h — the fastest animal, in a dive
In its hunting stoop the peregrine folds its wings and drops on prey faster than a Formula 1 car. Baffles in its nostrils slow the incoming air so it can still breathe.
Full peregrine falcon guide →~240–320 km/h in a dive
The second-fastest animal in a stoop, the golden eagle drops on hares and marmots from a soaring height with wings half-closed.
Full golden eagle guide →93–114 km/h — the fastest land animal
A flexible spine, semi-retractable claws, and a long counterweight tail let the cheetah accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in about three seconds — but only for around 20 seconds before it overheats.
Full cheetah guide →~110 km/h — the fastest fish
A sleek billfish that folds its huge dorsal fin flat against its body to reduce drag when it accelerates after schools of sardines and anchovies.
88–98 km/h — and unmatched over distance
The fastest animal in the Americas and the best endurance runner on Earth, able to hold 60 km/h for more than 20 km. It evolved to outrun a cheetah that went extinct 12,000 years ago.
Full pronghorn guide →~80 km/h in a short burst
Lions rely on a cooperative ambush rather than a long chase, so their speed is spent in a few explosive seconds closing the final gap on prey.
Full lion guide →~70 km/h — the fastest animal on two legs
Too heavy to fly, the ostrich is instead the fastest runner of any bird, with a stride up to 5 m and the stamina to hold 50 km/h for half an hour.
Full ostrich guide →~56 km/h — the fastest marine mammal
The largest dolphin is also one of the quickest, using bursts of speed to run down seals, penguins, and other dolphins.
Full orca guide →~40 km/h in an attack burst
Partly warm-blooded muscles let the great white launch an ambush from below fast enough to breach clear of the water off South Africa.
Full great white shark guide →12–19 km/h — the fastest snake
Fast for a legless animal, holding its head and forebody off the ground — but slower than a running person. It uses the speed to reach cover, not to chase.
Full black mamba guide →The peregrine falcon. In its hunting dive it has been measured at 389 km/h (242 mph), far faster than any other animal. In level flight it is much slower, around 40–95 km/h.
The cheetah, at up to about 100–114 km/h over short distances. The pronghorn is a little slower at top speed but can sustain a fast pace for vastly longer.
The sailfish is usually cited as the fastest fish at around 110 km/h, though some measurements are disputed. The fastest marine mammal is the orca at about 56 km/h.