Cheetah: Fastest Animal on Land

The distinction of being the fastest land animal as well as the fastest mammal on the planet, goes to cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). A species native to the vast plains of Africa and Asia, the cheetah can clock a speed of 70 mph with immense ease. With an acceleration of 0-60 mph in 3 seconds, cheetah is faster than several sports cars in production today.

The body structure of a cheetah, right from its relatively small head - which adds to its aerodynamics, to its heavy tail - which facilitates steering and sharp turns, plays a crucial role in helping it sprint. Similarly, the large nostrils of a cheetah help it take in more oxygen, while the enlarged heart and lungs facilitate proper circulation of the same within the body. It is the only large cat with semi-retractable claws, and these claws give it much-needed traction - thus helping it clock unbelievable speeds.

Interestingly, the cheetah can only pull off this feat in short distance chases, ideally for 500 m, as its body temperature elevates quickly in course of these sprints and results in a life-threatening condition for the species. Due to this, the cheetah has to abandon its chase at times for the sake of its own survival. After every sprint, it takes rest for about half an hour or so in order to bring its body temperature back to normal. The cheetah has a success rate of 50 per cent which is one of the best in kingdom Animalia, and its speed has a crucial role to play in this success rate.

A cheetah's habitat spans across the plains of Africa and south-western Asia, which is also the habitat of the second fastest terrestrial animal on the planet - the gazelle, with an ability to clock a speed of 50 miles per hour. It isn't surprising that the cheetah and gazelle share a predator-prey relationship in these open grasslands. More importantly, this cheetah-gazelle relationship also suggests that the environment has a crucial role to play in making these species the fastest on the planet.