Exploring The Fastest Land Animals Alive Today & The Speeds They Can Achieve!
The fastest human alive, to this day is the Jamaican Olympic champion Usain Bolt. He managed to run a distance of 100 meters in 9.58 seconds, peaking at around 28mph which is a phenomenal achievement. For a human that is. But there are some land animals out there that would smash that record. If you think, for example that Usain Bolt could outrun a cheetah over 100 meters, think again!
In this post, we take a look at some of the fastest land animals, with their achievable speeds. This is for flightless land animals only however, not including birds, some of which – particularly birds of prey – can reach speeds unequalled by any land animal, when in a dive.
Do you think a horse could outrun a bear? or could a hyena outrun a coyote? let’s explore!
10 Of The Fastest Land Animals Around The World
Cheetah
The fastest land animal on planet Earth, under it’s own power, is the Cheetah. These big cats are phenomenally fast, able to accelerate from 0-62 mph in around 5 seconds which is better than your average car. They can also achieve a maximum speed of around 75 mph (120 km/h) which is more than double the fastest human has been able to achieve for a few seconds.
They can’t maintain this kind of acceleration and speed for long however, only for around 0.28-0.31 miles (450-500 meters). That is time enough to outrun any prey or threat, and unmatched by any other animal on land.
- Achievable Speed: 75 mph (120 km/h)
Pronghorn
The Pronghorn is the second fastest animal in the world, with the ability to reach speeds up to 60 mph. While the cheetah may be fastest overall, the Pronghorn can maintain its top speed for longer. It also has the stamina to run at a high (but not top) speed over much longer distances.
The pronghorn can maintain a speed of around 35 mph (56 km/h) for around 6 km, or if a little slower at around 30 mph (48 km/h) they can maintain their speed for up to 20 miles (32 km)!
- Achievable Speed: 60 mph (96 km/h)
Springbok
Springboks, in general, are similar in size and shape to many other antelope, but tend to be the fastest of the species outside of America. They can sprint very fast, with some clocked up to 55-60 mph (88-96 km/h). They can’t maintain that kind of speed for very long though. Over longer distances they can maintain a slower speed of around 40 mph.
If they spot any threat coming, they are usually fast enough to evade the danger, with exception of the cheetah. If a lion gets close enough though, they are a threat, if the Springbok doesn’t have time to react and accelerate. Over long distances they can also be outrun by more persistent and enduring threats like wild dogs that can keep up until the bok runs out of steam then pounce.
Speed is not their defence however, the springbok is also able to ‘turn in a sixpence’ so to speak, in that they can chance direction sharply and quickly. They can also jump or ‘bound’ up to 3 meters in the air. These skills all add to their evasive capabilities.
- Achievable Speed: 55-60 mph (88-96 km/h)
Quarter Horse
While some horses, like thoroughbreds may have the stamina to maintain a fast pace for longer, over a short sprint or a quarter mile, the Quarter Horse is the fastest equine out there.
The 55 mph record was set in 2005 by a horse named ‘A Long Goodbye’. The usual max sprint pace is a little over 50 mph.
The adaptability of the American quarter horse breed has allowed it to be used in other occupations outside of racing, such as trail riding and for use by many urban mounted police units.
- Achievable Speed: 55 mph (88 km/h)
Wildebeest
Wildebeest are born to run. Its something that comes naturally to them. In fact, from around 10 minutes after they are born, they can start to learn the skill. They are fast runners for long periods of time. They are built for endurance running rather than sprinting, and can maintain their speed for longer than most of the predators that they face.
That comes in handy, as some big predators can match the wildebeest in terms of maximum speed. If a lion gets the jump on a wildebeest it can match them for pace, but if the wildebeest gets wind of the lion it can maintain its pace for longer and evade the threat.
- Achievable Speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Lion
Lions are the second fastest of the big cats, and while they may be slower than the cheetah, they are capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h). They are much bigger than cheetahs however, and can only maintain this speed over short bursts.
While they can match the speed of many of their prey animals over a short burst, these carnivores are more likely to stalk their prey and get as close as possible before striking. Meals can be few and far between, and springing is energy intensive. To try and improve the chances of a successful hunt, lions will try to reserve sprinting until absolutely necessary and their timing is right.
- Achievable Speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Gazelle
Most Gazelles, including the Thomson’s Gazelle and the Black Buck (Indian Antelope) are able to run at speeds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h). They are able to react and accelerate very quickly too, enabling them to successfully outrun an approaching predator most of the time. They are able to maintain their top speed for around a mile, which is usually sufficient to outlast and predator, even a persistent one!
- Achievable Speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Brown Hare
Unlike their smaller cousins the rabbit, hares are not burrowing animals. They live and sleep above ground, and therefore speed rather than cover is their main defence from predators. That and their powerful hind leg kick. Some hares are faster than others though. Arctic Hares for example can run around 38 mph(60 km/h).
The fastest hares, the wild Brown Hare, can reach speeds of up to 48 mph (77 km/h). They will leap and bound with tremendous strength and speed, and can turn sharply to evade predators.
- Achievable Speed: 48 mph (77 km/h)
Greyhound
Greyhounds are commonly used as racing dogs, for their fast pace and endurance. They can maintain their top speed for around 250 meters, which is longer than a cheetah can maintain their top speed. They have the quickest acceleration of any other dog, and the only other land animal with a quicker acceleration, is again, the cheetah.
The unofficial record for a greyhound’s speed is 50.5 mph achieved by an Australian greyhound. The norm however, is around 41-42 mph.
- Achievable Speed: 46 mph (73 km/h)
African Wild Dog
African Wild Dogs are opportunistic predators. At 44 mph (71 km/h) they might not be the quickest predator, but they make up for that with stamina and endurance. Many of their prey animals are medium sized ungulates, like gazelle, which over a short distance are faster than the African wild dog. But they can’t keep their top pace for a long time.
The African wild dog can maintain a pace of around 37 mph (59 km/h) for around 3 miles, which is around 85% of their maximum. This is usually fast enough to keep their prey in sight, and as their prey tires from evasion the African dog will pounce with their pack to take the exhausted animal down.
- Achievable Speed: 44 mph (71 km/h)
14 More Of The Fastest Land Animals In The World
- Coyote – Achievable Speed: 43 mph (69 km/h)
- Kangaroo – Achievable Speed: 43 mph (69 km/h)
- Grey Fox – Achievable Speed: 42 mph (67 km/h)
- Blue Wildebeest – Achievable Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
- Hyena – Achievable Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
- Zebra – Achievable Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)
- Moose – Achievable Speed: 35 mph (56 km/h)
- Whippet Dog – Achievable Speed: 35 mph (56 km/h)
- Jackal – Achievable Speed: 35 mph (56 km/h)
- Grizzly Bear – Achievable Speed: 34.8 mph (55.8 km/h)
- Caribou – Achievable Speed: 34 mph (54.4 km/h)
- Jackrabbit – Achievable Speed: 34 mph (54.4 km/h)
- Standardbred Horse – Achievable Speed: 33 mph (52.8 km/h)
- Giraffe – Achievable Speed: 32 mph (51.2 km/h)
Fast Land Animal Facts
- A grizzly bear is capable of running faster than the average horse!
- Cheetahs can run faster, but pronghorns can run at their top speed for longer
- Despite their long necks, Giraffes are still very fast, able to achieve greater than 32 mph!
- Lions can sprint as fast as many of their potential prey, they just can’t do it for very long.
- While the animals above are all fast at running, the fastest ‘movement’ of any land animal is actually performed by the blood ant ‘dracula ant’. When these insects snap their mandibles shut, this movement occurs at a speed of up to 200mph and takes 0.000015 seconds to complete!