Have you ever wondered what is the fastest animals in the world? Some animals can run, fly, or swim incredibly fast! On our exciting adventure today, we will explore the fastest animals in the world — from the quickest land runners to the fastest flyers in the sky.
Knowing about the top 20 fastest land animals and birds will amaze you with their speed and superpowers. Let’s dive in and learn about these incredible creatures!
If your kids love learning about animals, you can also explore our helpful guide on Wild Animals Name and Domestic Animals List Every Kid Should Know to learn even more.
Top 20 Fastest Land Animals ♀️
The title of the fastest land animal goes to the amazing cheetah, but did you know many other animals are also super speedy?
Here is a list of the top 20 fastest animals in the world with their speeds:
| Animal | Speed (km/h) | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Cheetah | 112–120 | Cheetahs can run so fast that they can outrun most cars for a short distance! |
| Pronghorn Antelope | 88–98 | They can run for long distances without getting tired—like a super marathon runner! |
| Springbok | 88 | Springboks can jump high into the air while running, almost like doing cartwheels! |
| Quarter Horse | 88 | Quarter Horses are famous for short, super-fast sprints, like racehorses in mini-races. |
| Wildebeest | 80 | Wildebeests travel in huge herds and are great at running together to stay safe. |
| Lion | 80 | Lions are called the “King of the Jungle,” but they actually like to nap most of the day. |
| Thomson’s Gazelle | 80 | These gazelles are so quick, they can dodge predators like a real-life game of tag. |
| Hare (Brown Hare) | 77–80 | Hares can make zigzag moves to escape danger, almost like superheroes! |
| Greyhound (Dog) | 72–74 | Greyhounds are the fastest dog breed and love to sprint in the park. |
| Blackbuck | 72 | Blackbucks are known for their twisting, spiraling horns which look like candy canes! |
| African Wild Dog | 66–72 | They live in packs and hunt together like a team of superheroes. |
| Coyote | 65–70 | Coyotes are clever and can adapt to live in cities as well as forests. |
| Ostrich (Bird on land) | 70 | Ostriches are the biggest birds on land and can run faster than a car in the city! |
| Red Kangaroo | 65–70 | Kangaroos can hop really far, almost like jumping over cars! |
| Hyena (Spotted) | 60 | Hyenas laugh! Well, it sounds like laughing, but it’s how they talk to each other. |
| Moose | 56–60 | Moose have huge antlers that can spread wider than a car! |
| Zebra | 56–60 | Each zebra has unique stripes, just like a human fingerprint. |
| Elk | 56–65 | Elk bugle loudly to talk to friends and scare off rivals. |
| Grey Wolf | 50–60 | Wolves howl to communicate with their pack over long distances. |
| Giraffe | 50–60 | Giraffes have super long necks so they can reach the juiciest leaves at the top of trees. |
Isn’t it cool that animals like the quarter horse and pronghorn antelope can run almost as fast as the cheetah?
These are truly some of the fastest animals in the world on land!
Fun Fact About the Fastest Land Animal
The cheetah, the fastest animal on land, has a superpower that amazes both kids and adults! It can blast from 0 to 100 km/h in just a few seconds, which is quicker than many sports cars on the road.
Why This Is So Amazing
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The cheetah’s lightweight body and long legs help it sprint like a rocket. -
Its tail works like a steering wheel, helping it turn quickly while chasing prey.
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Sharp eyes allow it to spot animals far away before the chase even begins.
Why Speed Matters
This incredible speed helps the cheetah catch its food and stay safe in the wild.
It also shows why cheetahs are a big part of the fastest animals in the world, using speed not just for fun but for survival every single day.
Top 20 Fastest Air Animals ✈️
Flying animals are some of the fastest creatures on Earth too! Let’s look at the fastest animals in the sky and how quickly they can fly:
| Bird / Animal | Speed (km/h) | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Peregrine Falcon (dive) | 389 | Peregrine falcons dive so fast they can “fly faster than a race car”! |
| Golden Eagle (dive) | 240–320 | Golden eagles can swoop down to catch prey like real-life superheroes! |
| White-throated Needletail | 170 | These swifts can zip through the sky so fast it’s like a tiny airplane. |
| Mexican Free-tailed Bat | 160 | These bats can fly faster than most birds at night! |
| Frigatebird | 150 | Frigatebirds can stay in the air for weeks without landing—like sky travelers! |
| Grey-headed Albatross | 127 | They glide over oceans for hours without flapping their wings, like floating on wind. |
| Spur-winged Goose | 142 | These geese are super strong fliers and can cross huge distances. |
| Gyrfalcon (dive) | 130 | The largest falcons use their speed to catch other birds mid-air! |
| Red-breasted Merganser | 130 | These ducks are amazing divers and fast swimmers in addition to flying fast. |
| Canvasback Duck | 115–120 | Canvasbacks are fast in the sky and love swimming in deep waters. |
| Rock Dove (Pigeon) | 110–120 | Pigeons are great at finding their way home even from far away—like little navigators! |
| Common Swift | 111 | Swifts can sleep while flying—like flying dreamers! |
| Golden Plover | 100–110 | These birds migrate thousands of kilometers every year—real long-distance flyers! |
| Mallard Duck | 105 | Mallards quack loudly, but each duck’s quack is unique, like a name! |
| Eurasian Hobby (Falcon) | 100–110 | These falcons catch dragonflies and small birds mid-flight like acrobats. |
| Barn Swallow | 100 | Swallows swoop and dive while catching insects—it’s like eating on the go! |
| Whooper Swan | 90–100 | Whooper swans make loud honking sounds when flying in big “V” formations. |
| Red-tailed Hawk (dive) | 120–190 | Red-tailed hawks can spot tiny mice from high in the sky—it’s like having super vision! |
| Alpine Swift | 70–100 | Alpine swifts can stay in the air for months without landing—longest flight champions! |
| Magpie Goose | ~90 | Magpie geese stick together in big flocks to stay safe and have fun flying together. |
The Peregrine Falcon is the absolute fastest animal in the sky, reaching speeds of 389 km/h during a dive! That’s nearly five times faster than the fastest car!
Interesting Fact About the Fastest Air Animal
Did you know the Peregrine Falcon uses gravity to boost its speed when diving? It tucks its wings and plummets down to catch its prey. This makes it the fastest animals in the world when flying!
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It tucks its wings close to its body and plummets from high above.
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During this dive, it can reach incredible speeds of up to 389 km/h, making it the fastest animal in the world when flying.
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This amazing skill helps it catch birds, bats, and other prey with pinpoint accuracy.
Other fast air animals also use their speed for survival:
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Golden Eagle: Can dive at 240–320 km/h to snatch prey.
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White-throated Needletail: Flies straight and super fast, almost like a jet in the sky.
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Mexican Free-tailed Bat: Uses speed to hunt insects at night.
Fun fact: Some birds like the Alpine Swift can stay in the air for months without landing, showing that speed isn’t just about short bursts—it’s also about endurance!
Why Are These Animals So Fast?
Speed is a superpower for animals. It helps them survive in the wild in different ways.
Catching Food
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Fast animals can chase and catch prey before it escapes.
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For example, the fastest animal of world like the cheetah can run super fast to catch speedy prey, and the fastest animal in the sky like the peregrine falcon can dive at incredible speeds to catch birds or bats.
Escaping Predators
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Speed helps animals run away from danger in just a few seconds.
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Ostriches, which are birds that run on land, are part of the fastest animals in the world because they use their long legs and powerful speed to survive.
Traveling Long Distances Quickly
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Some animals use speed to travel far distances during migration or when finding new habitats.
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Birds like the Golden Plover and Whooper Swan fly fast and steady to complete long journeys safely.
FAQs About the Fastest Animals in the World ❓
Q1: What is the fastest animals in the world
A1: The fastest animal in the world is the Peregrine Falcon when diving, reaching speeds of 389 km/h.
Q2: What is the fastest land animal
A2: The cheetah is the fastest land animal, running up to 120 km/h.
Q3: Are there animals faster than the cheetah
A3: Yes! While the cheetah is the fastest on land, many birds and sea animals are faster in their environments.
Q4: What are the fastest animals on earth
A4: They include the Peregrine Falcon, cheetah, and fast runners like the pronghorn antelope.
Q5: Is the cheetah faster than a car
A5: In short bursts, yes! The cheetah can accelerate faster than many cars, but only for short distances.
Conclusion: Speed Is Amazing!
Learning about the fastest animals in the world shows us how incredible nature really is. From land runners like the cheetah to sky champions like the Peregrine Falcon, each animal uses its special speed to hunt, stay safe, and explore its habitat.
These amazing creatures remind us that every type of speed has a purpose.
If you want to learn about animals that need our help, check out our kid-friendly article on Endangered Animals of the World for Kids.
Some animals sprint, some soar, and some glide for hours. Together, they help us understand how the fastest animals in the world survive and stay strong in nature.
So next time you watch an animal running or a bird flying overhead, imagine the powerful speeds they might be hiding—just waiting for the right moment to shine!