TOP 10 fastest animals in the world (speed)

Distinctive features

It is not difficult to recognize this animal among other members of the family. The photos of jaguars presented in our article and the list of characteristic features of the species will help:

The skin is covered with large black rosettes with dark red centers. In a leopard, the rosettes are smaller, and the contrast between the centers and the main tone is less pronounced. The cheetah has no rosettes and is covered with small spots.
The jaguar is a large predator. Only the lion and the tiger surpass it in size. By the way, all these animals, as well as the leopard, belong to the genus panther, that is, they are closely related.
The jaguar has a massive tail with a thickening at the end, large paws, a head with a powerful forehead and rounded compact ears. The chest, belly and tip of the tail are always lighter than the sides, head and back.
The jaguar's pupils are round, not slit-shaped, like those of a domestic cat.
An adult animal weighs on average 70-90 kg, but cases of greater weight among older males have also been documented - up to 120 kg. Body length from nose to base of tail – 120-180 m.

So, the beast is quite large. It can be assumed that he is dexterous and strong. Is it really?

Pronghorn

The average speed of the Pronghorn is 70 km/h, and the maximum reaches 89 km/h. A slender and beautiful animal weighing 60 kg can easily and quickly escape from any predator, as it is very hardy and does not need rest. The Pronghorn lives in North America mainly in the steppes. By winter, these animals gather in herds, and in the spring they disperse in pairs. They feed on plant foods, and it does not matter whether the plant is poisonous or not.

Where is the jaguar running?

Let's first figure out why this beast needs to run at all. For example, a wolf is fed by its legs, even first-graders know this. And man is a very mediocre runner, compared to his neighbors on the planet. That’s why he likes to repeat that there is no truth in the legs.

It is impossible to find any information about the jaguar in Russian folklore, but this is not surprising. But if you turn to old Indian tales, you can find very interesting information.

As the legends of the indigenous people of Central and South America say, jaguars can hypnotize (by the way, modern hunters who hunt in those parts also believe in this). And this animal, according to the Indians, skillfully imitates the voice of any of its potential victims.

Scientists, of course, have not found evidence to support any of these versions. However, it is worth paying tribute to the observation skills of the Indians: the jaguar is cunning. This predator prefers to hunt from ambush. It is not surprising that the indigenous inhabitants of the selva accompanied his slowness, ability to wait and cunning with mystical details, and did not glorify the speed of the jaguar. The animal really doesn't like to run.

Continuing to answer the question posed about motives, we note that the jaguar simply has no one to flee from: it is at the top of the food chain and keeps at bay all the large predators sharing its habitat.

What does a puma look like and what is it called?

The puma looks like a strong cat, it has a very flexible body, with a long, muscular tail. The paws are adapted for climbing trees. The puma has short and thick fur.

Adult pumas are predominantly reddish in color, with the undersides of the body being lighter than the top. Cat face with black markings and dark ears.

The body length of the puma is 100-180 cm, the tail length is 60-75 cm. Height at the withers is 60-90 cm, the weight of the puma can reach 100 kg. It is noteworthy that males are much larger than females. The average weight of females ranges from 30-50 kg, and that of males – 60-80 kg.

This wild cat has other names. Puma is also called mountain lion and cougar.

Jaguar on land and more

Even without direct reasons for developing sprinting talent, the beast learned to run at great speed. It is included in the lists of the fastest among terrestrial predators, representatives of the cat family and, in general, all modern animals. The speed of a jaguar can reach 80-90 km/h.

But his talents do not stop there. He is an excellent jumper, capable of making throws of 7 and even 9 meters.

He is an excellent tree climber who can even nestle in the dense crown to sleep. It is so strong that it is able to drag large prey onto the branches and enjoy a meal there.

The jaguar is also an excellent swimmer. It makes no sense to escape from him in the water: most likely, there he will be even faster and more agile than the victim. He not only fishes in reservoirs, but also simply splashes for pleasure and to escape the midday heat.

Coyote

Coyote is one of the fastest running and hardiest animals. While hunting, it can reach a speed of 65 km/h. The coyote not only runs fast, but is also an excellent swimmer and fisherman. This wolf moves in an interesting and unusual way - at high speed it makes long jumps of 2-4 meters. The coyote is smaller in mass than a real wolf and weighs only 21 kilograms, when wolves reach 60 kg. The coyote's posture and fur are very similar to a wolf, but its muzzle is similar to a fox. Coyote is a resident of the plains, but they try not to get into the forests. They can often be found even on the outskirts of large cities and in areas of city dumps. In addition to being an excellent hunter, the coyote can eat nuts and berries in the fall.

Potential victims

The jaguar is a predator whose diet includes at least 85 species of animals living in the same territory. Among the gourmet's favorite delicacies are capybaras, peccary pigs, tapirs, deer, mazamas and even caimans and anacondas. If the hunt for the desired prey is not successful, the jaguar will be content with waterfowl, rodents, and small snakes. Fish occupies an important place in the diet.

Among the potential victims, there is not a single animal that the jaguar could not catch up with. Running speed, cunning and agility are qualities that allow him not to know what hunger is.

Cougar cubs: appearance and development

The puma is a rather quiet animal. She makes loud screams only during the mating season, which first occurs at the age of two or three years. The pregnancy duration of a cougar is three months. On average, a puma gives birth to 2-3 cubs, weighing 250-450 g and body length 25-30 cm.

Cougar kittens differ from adults primarily in color. Cougar cubs have a brownish-gray coloration with black spots, which changes by the age of one year.

Cougar cubs open their eyes 2 weeks after birth, and their first teeth erupt at the same time. Initially, puma kittens have a pronounced blue eye color, which gradually changes after six months. The spots on the coat begin to fade by 9 months and gradually fade by 2 years.

Puma kittens begin to eat adult food at the age of 6 weeks, but milk is still included in their diet. Puma cubs stay with their mother for up to two years, during which time they manage to learn all the necessary survival and hunting skills for further independent life.

After that, the cougar cubs go in search of their own hunting grounds, but can stay in groups with their brothers and sisters for several months after leaving their mother.

America's largest cat has no natural enemies. Few people would dare to fight the majestic and smart puma. Only occasionally, some large predators can attack young and inattentive pumas.

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The fastest relatives

Looking at the photos of these animals, it is difficult to understand who is faster - a cheetah or a jaguar. After all, the latter really has many undeniable advantages. Compared to him, the cheetah (in the next photo) seems like an awkward teenager: he has a compact body on thin legs, a small head, and an inconspicuous tail. The jaguar looks like a hardened, fierce beast next to its angular, lean relative.

But the sprint competition would be won by a cheetah. Of course, they have never been found in the wild (the jaguar is generally the only panther species that lives in the New World, and the cheetah is African). But the available scientific data can be simply compared: the speed of a cheetah can reach 120 km/h, this is an absolute record among all animals known to science. The jaguar will not be able to catch up with him or escape from him.

The top five includes a close relative of our hero - the lion. Science has only approximate data on the speed of the king of beasts; it is impossible to accurately measure this indicator. But we can say that the speed of a lion and a jaguar is comparable. Indicators fluctuate between 80-90 km/h.

The jaguar is slightly inferior to the puma - its unloved neighbor. These animals live nearby, but never share the same territories and avoid each other in every possible way. Some scientists believe that the stronger jaguar dominates the puma, displacing and oppressing it. But the version is not 100% confirmed due to the specific conditions in which it is very difficult to carry out observations. It is estimated that the puma's speed can reach 70-78 km/h.

Other representatives of the panther genus - the leopard and the tiger - do not even step on the heels of the jaguar sprinter. They move at a maximum speed of about 60 km/h.

Another contender for the title of excellent runner is the leopard. The inhabitant of snowy slopes can accelerate to almost 80 km/h on the plain.

The fastest cat in the world

Cheetah
The fastest cat in the world is the cheetah. No animal could repeat his record. The cheetah reaches speeds of up to 112 km/h, and in just 3 seconds. At short distances it runs even faster - 130 km/h .

The cheetah has a toned body and powerful muscles. The predator has no fat, so it weighs only 65 kg. A cheetah can instantly change running directions without even stopping. He will catch up with any prey.

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The fastest cats in the world include the cheetah, jaguar, black panther, lion, tiger, puma and snow leopard. They all run at different speeds, but the results are amazing in any case. The cheetah is considered the fastest. He is the absolute record holder among all animals in the world, as his speed reaches 130 km/h.

Everything is relative

To better understand whether a jaguar's running speed is high, let's make a small comparison.

A domestic cat can reach a top speed of up to 13.5 km/h.
The hippopotamus, which is considered one of the best runners in Africa and is one of the most bloodthirsty and dangerous animals in the world, can accelerate to 35-40 km/h on land.
The pronghorn antelope is capable of escaping from its pursuer at speeds of up to 100 km/h. She has relatively large lungs and a heart, so she has the strength to run at high speed for much longer than any of the hungry predators.
The wildebeest, greatly frightened, accelerates to 90 km/h.
Thompson's gazelle cannot run faster than 80 km/h, but even a cheetah cannot catch up with it. The light-footed artiodactyl escapes thanks to its endurance. If the jaguar had the opportunity to hunt Thompson's antelopes on the plains, where there is nowhere to hide, he would go hungry.
A moose can run at speeds of up to 72 km/h. A terrible sight! He sweeps away everything in his path. A jaguar would not mess with such dangerous game. However, we will never know for sure: the ranges of these animals are too far from each other.
A person moves on foot at a speed of 5-6 km/h. Fleeing from a jaguar, the average citizen could reach a speed of 12-18 km/h. For someone who regularly plays sports, this figure could increase to 30 km/h. Olympic athlete Donovan Bailey set a record with a speed of 43 km/h. As you can see, our chances of escaping from a jaguar are negligible.

Elk

Elk is a stately and large animal weighing up to 600 kilograms, but it can run at a speed of 75 km/h. On the plain, this animal moves very quickly and defends itself from attackers with strong blows of its front legs, so it does not always become prey for predators. Moose live mainly in the Northern forests. A distinctive feature of these animals are their horns, reaching a span of up to 1.8 meters. Moose feed on vegetation, mushrooms, and tree branches in winter.

Interesting Facts

The ability to hide well, run fast and swim well, unfortunately, did not guarantee the jaguar's safety. Although it has no natural enemies, in some of its original habitats this animal was completely exterminated by humans. There is not a single jaguar left in El Salvador, Uruguay and Texas.

Today, the hunting of these animals is strictly controlled. Limited shooting is permitted in Bolivia, Mexico and Brazil.

Cheetah

The cheetah is the fastest predator in the world.
This is a species of the cat family, which is noticeably different in its structure from other representatives of its family. This is a large cat with developed muscles, a very slender body with almost no fat deposits, which makes the cheetah even seem too thin and fragile. But it is precisely its lightness and slenderness, as well as the special structure of its head - small, smooth, with small round ears - that give this predator the ability to develop enormous speeds. A cheetah can accelerate to 75 kilometers per hour in just two seconds (which can be compared to the fastest racing car in the world), and the maximum speed of these cats reaches 120 kilometers per hour. Thanks to their speed, cheetahs are excellent hunters; they hunt hares, gazelles, wildebeest and other small animals. They do not use the common tactics of attacking from behind bushes or shelters among cats, but openly pursue their prey. But such races deprive them of their strength, so cheetahs have to rest for half an hour after a successful hunt.

Where does he live?

Jaguars are huge and strong cats that live in the forests and meadows of Central and South America. They are the largest animals in the New World. The jaguar's habitat extends from Mexico to Argentina and Paraguay.

Despite its large size, strength and agility, life is not easy for the jaguar. Although in the wild it is at the top of the food chain, it is forced to defend its own territory. The size of such a territory is large - about 100 km. Females have smaller territories than males.

The wild cat is very dangerous and protects its territory in every possible way. She will not let anyone pass by her, so animals and people should beware of meeting her.

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Jaguars live not only in dark forests, they also live in other areas:

shroud;
mountain forests;
marshy area;
ocean coast;
desert.

In hot weather, they prefer to swim in shallow waters, as these animals are considered excellent swimmers. Sometimes they settle very close to the water to catch fish. To catch, they use their tail, dipping it into the water instead of a fishing rod. So, they lure prey.

The population of the species has decreased several times, and in some countries they have been completely exterminated. This is associated with hunting animals, since their skin is highly valued. For this reason, the jaguar is listed in the Red Book. In the wild, life expectancy is 12-15 years, in captivity it is several years longer.

Lifestyle

There are 9 species of jaguars in the world and each of them lives in a different area. One of the Texas species has now been completely exterminated. The most unusual is the black jaguar, which is often confused with a panther. In fact, such an individual has an atypical variant of genetic coloring.

In terms of lifestyle, all species of these predators are very similar. These are nocturnal animals that live alone. Each has its own territory, although a female with several cubs can often be seen. Having matured, they will leave their mother and go to explore new areas, because they prefer to live independently.

With the onset of the mating season, animals can live together. However, there is no specific breeding season for jaguars. During the mating season, predators gather in groups where the female chooses a mate. After that, she leaves the territory and goes to where the male lives. She carries the cubs for 3 months.

Predators necessarily periodically bypass the borders of their territory. Thanks to their high speed, they manage to do this quickly. Sometimes jaguars may overlap, but they react to each other absolutely calmly. When meeting other predator cats, they are hostile.

Animal Jaguar / Jaguar animal

Nutrition

This graceful animal always hunts at night. It can hunt for prey in one place for several nights, but then moves on to another. Since animals live in different areas, their prey includes artiodactyls, as well as birds and fish. They hunt different animals:

roe deer;
deer;
wild pigs;
foxes;
rodents.

The high speed of the jaguar plays an important role in prey. The predator swims well and climbs trees, and climbs to extreme heights. It is difficult for the victim to run away from such a hunter. Pets also become prey. The beast uses its strong paws, sharp teeth and powerful jaws.

They are skilled hunters and always take their prey by surprise. The animal can sit in ambush for hours, looking for prey. Most often, the animal chooses bushes or trees for ambush. As soon as prey appears, it rushes at it with lightning speed and gnaws its throat.

Running speed reaches up to 90 km/h. However, if the victim managed to recognize the enemy in time and began to run away, then the jaguar cannot always catch up with it. This is due to the fact that he cannot run for a long time at such a speed. In the water they hunt not only for fish. Sleeping alligators and turtles are eaten as food. These cats can tear apart clutches of turtle eggs and eat them. Jaguars eat their small prey immediately, but larger prey several times.

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People are attacked extremely rarely. It all depends on the mood and hunger of the animal. Many people, having met them, experienced not fear, but delight from the noble and beautiful appearance of predators.

Egyptian Mau

The fastest representatives of domestic cats are considered to be the Egyptian Mau (“Mau” means cat). The maximum record of these miniature darlings is acceleration to 58 km/h (over short distances). All zoologists claim that if these animals had larger dimensions, they could well compete with the cheetah for the title of the fastest animal on the planet.

Cats of this breed have a flexible and muscular body, with a relatively small weight (3-7 kg).