When it comes to speed, obviously there is nothing that can beat the machines made by humans. After all, nothing made of flesh and bone could hope to top the speed of a fighter jet. But, that doesn’t mean you should count the animal kingdom out of the race entirely. It turns out that there are some naturally fast creations of Mother Nature that defy expectations, to such an extent that it is almost beyond belief.
These are the fastest living things alive, and yes, they come close to being competition for your average motor vehicle in most cases.
Peregrine Falcon
You probably thought the cheetah was going to be at number 1, but you’d be wrong by a long shot. The cheetah may rule the land, but the Peregrine Falcon owns the sky. When diving, this majestic creature can top speeds of a staggering 200 mph (321 kph.) It need not be said that it took humans a rather long time to match that speed in the sky.
Though, the bird does use this speed only when diving on prey.
Frigate Bird
The difference between the Frigate Bird and the Peregrine Falcon is achieving speed during normal flight. The Frigate Bird, without diving, can hit 95 mph, (152 kph.) It also boasts having the biggest wing to body ration in the animal kingdom, as well as being one of very few birds to spend up to a week in the air, without ever having to touch the ground.
Sail Fish
Imagine sitting on the beach, settling in to play slots games for real money, and looking up to see a fish fly by at 68 mph, (109kph.) It is almost inconceivable, but happens to be the case with the notorious Sail Fish. The amazingly designed fish is master of the ocean, and will also spend time shooting out of the ocean, soaring through the air, and splashing back down, apparently as a form of recreation.
Cheetah
Now we come to the cheetah, which is unmatched on land. An 11 year old cheetah set the animal kingdom land speed record in 2012, pushing her speedometer up to 61 mph (98 kph.) Though, it is important to keep in mind that cheetahs are fast, but not especially strong. They have no trouble accelerating at a breakneck pace, and stopping on a dime, but are outmatched by almost every other African predator in terms of raw strength. We wouldn’t try facing off against one, though, you’ll almost certainly be cat food in seconds.
Pronghorn Antelope
Last on our list is the Pronghorn Antelope, with doesn’t get nearly enough credit. It is only slightly slower than a cheetah, but since it isn’t half as impressive to look at, it is widely forgotten. It can outrun literally all predators with a top speed of 60 mph, (96 kph.) Though, that doesn’t mean it can’t get snuck up on or otherwise outwitted, what it does mean is that if it gets a chance to bolt, you won’t be catching it, no matter what carnivore you happen to be.