Many people think they know who the fastest animals on the planet are, but most of them will realize they are wrong because there are many surprising speedsters in the animal world you would never expect are fast.
AFRICAN WILD DOG
The wild dog is one of the world’s most endangered mammals. The largest populations remain in southern Africa and the southern part of East Africa especially Tanzania and northern Mozambique.
Wild dogs are social and gather in packs of around ten individuals, but some packs number more than 40.
They are opportunistic predators that hunt medium-sized ruminants, such as gazelles.
In a sprint, African wild dogs can reach speeds of more than 44 miles per hour.
Unlike lions and cheetahs, they can maintain this speed over long distances.
When hunting, the African wild dog can run at 44 miles per hour for some five kilometers.
This makes it very difficult for their prey to escape.
OSTRICH
Ostriches are flightless birds found only in open countries in Africa.
The largest living birds, adult males maybe about 9 feet tall—almost half of that height being in the neck—and weigh more than 330 pounds.
Ostriches are seen individually, in pairs, in small flocks, or in large aggregations, depending on the season.
The ostrich relies on its strong legs—uniquely two-toned, with the main toe developed almost as a hoof—to escape its enemies, chiefly humans and the larger carnivores.
A frightened ostrich can achieve a speed of 72.5 kilometers (45 miles) per hour. So, this walking bird is fast! If cornered, it can deliver dangerous kicks capable of killing lions and other large predators.
Deaths from kicks and slashes are rare, with most attacks resulting from humans provoking the birds.
