Ranked: The Fastest Land Animals on the Planet

Fastest Land Animals by Top Speed

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Speed is a defining characteristic of survival in the animal kingdom, with some land animals reaching incredible velocities in their pursuit of prey or escape from predators.

This graphic visualizes the top speeds of the 10 fastest land animals in miles per hour (mph).

The data is compiled by Fact Animal from various academic sources and includes the fastest reliably recorded speeds for each animal. The human’s top recorded speed comes from USA Today.

What is the Fastest Land Animal?

Below, we show the top recorded speeds for each of the 10 fastest land animals.

Cheetahs lead the pack with a top speed of 65 mph (105 km/h), followed closely by pronghorns at 62 mph (100 km/h).

Cheetahs’ incredible speed can be attributed to their slender bodies, powerful leg muscles, flexible spines, and unique gait that allows them to cover significant ground with each stride.

According to a study by Imperial College London and Harvard University researchers, the maximum running speed of land animals is determined by two muscle function limits: the speed of muscle contraction (affecting smaller animals) and the extent of muscle shortening (affecting larger animals).

Animals of “intermediate” size, such as cheetahs, exist in a “physical sweet spot” where these limits coincide, allowing them to achieve the highest running speeds

Other medium-sized quadrapeds (four-legged animals) like the Dorcas gazelle, Quarter Horse, and Greyhound, dominate the top 10 list. The ostrich is the only biped (two-legged animal) and bird on the list.

Ostriches’ long, powerful legs and specialized anatomy, including a long stride length of up to 5 meters per step and a lightweight yet strong lower leg structure, contribute significantly to their speed and endurance

Humans, with a top recorded speed of 28 mph (45 km/h), fall short of ranking among the fastest land animals. Lions, the 10th fastest animal on the list, clock in at a top speed of 31 mph (50 km/h).

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about the fastest animals on the planet, graphic that visualizes the top speeds of the fastest flying animals for both diving/stooping and horizontal flight.