Most of the following measurements are for maximum speeds over approximate quarter-mile distances. Exceptions—which are included to give a wide range of animals—are the lion and elephant, whose speeds were clocked in the act of charging; the whippet, which was timed over a 200-yard course; the cheetah over a 100-yard distance; humans for a 15-yard segment of a 100-yard run; and the black mamba snake, six-lined race runner, spider, giant tortoise, three-toed sloth, and garden snail, which were measured over various small distances.

Animal Speed
(mph)
Peregrine falcon............. 200.00+
Cheetah...................... 70.00
Pronghorn antelope........... 61.00
Wildebeest................... 50.00
Lion......................... 50.00
Thomson's gazelle .......... 50.00
Quarter horse ............... 47.50
Elk ......................... 45.00
Cape hunting dog ............ 45.00
Coyote ...................... 43.00
Gray fox .................... 42.00
Ostrich...................... 40.00
Hyena ....................... 40.00
Zebra ....................... 40.00
Mongolian wild ass .......... 40.00
Greyhound ................... 39.35
Whippet ..................... 35.50
Rabbit (domestic) ........... 35.00
Mule deer ................... 35.00
Jackal ...................... 35.00
Reindeer .................... 32.00
Giraffe ..................... 32.00
Kangaroo..................... 30.00
White-tailed deer ........... 30.00
Wart hog .................... 30.00
Grizzly bear ................ 30.00
Cat (domestic) .............. 30.00
Human ....................... 27.89
Elephant .................... 25.00
Black mamba snake ........... 20.00
Six-lined race runner ....... 18.00
Squirrel .................... 12.00
Pig (domestic) .............. 11.00
Chicken ..................... 9.00
House mouse.................. 8.00
Spider (Tegenearia atrica) .. 1.17
Giant tortoise .............. 0.17
Three-toed sloth ............ 0.15
Garden snail ................ 0.03