10 fastest animals in Africa
(1) The Cheetah
The cheetah is a large cat native to Africa, they are the fastest land animal in the world, reaching speeds of up to 120kph or 75mph. They are not only fast having amazing acceleration. Researchers found they can increase their speed by 10kph in a single stride. They have around 2000 spots and use their spotted coat as a disguise, the males are social, the females can give birth to 2-8 cubs at a time and they do not Cheetahs do not roar but they do make different sounds these include sounds include “chirrs”, “pr-prs”, “gargles”, “churtlings”, “gurgling”, “purring”, and “growling”. Tonal sounds such as “chirping”, “howling”, and “yelping”. Noisy sounds like “hissing”. Cheetahs are blisteringly fast and can reach speeds up to 64 miles per hour in 3 seconds, making them the fastest land animals in the world over short distances. For comparison with humans, they run so fast because one of their felines’ most prominent characteristics is their light bodyweight, which helps them gaining speed faster. On top of that, they have small heads and long legs for getting the best out of aerodynamics’ law. Also, their flexible spine allows for extreme extension during the run. You can not compare Cheetah’s smartness to animals such as chimps or elephants, cheetahs are smart animals. Because they hunt by predicting the moves of their prey and being careful to pounce when they are close enough to catch the animal. Cheetah’s personality thrives whilst working independently or as part of a group. They are task-focused and always pay close attention to detail. They are adventurous and love trying new experiences. Cheetahs often attempt to find their own solution to a problem before seeking assistance.
(3) The lion
Some people think that lions live in the jungle. They mostly reside on open savannah plains in Africa. The lion is a large cat of the genus Panthera native to Africa. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. At a maximum speed of 81 km/h (50.3 mph), the lion ranks third among the fastest land animals in the whole of Africa. Pipped only by the cheetah who can reach a mind-boggling 120 km/h (74 mph), the lion can consider itself quicker than most. A lion can run at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. However, they can only sustain this speed for short bursts of around 300 yards(274.32 meters. After that, they need to rest for a few minutes to catch their breath.
(2) Thomson’s gazelle
Gazelles rely on their speed to escape from predators. Gazelles can reach speeds up to80km/h (50 mph) in short bursts and sustain speeds of 30 to 40 mph. When running, gazelles use a bounding leap, called “pronking” or “stotting,” which involves stiffly springing into the air with all four feet
Thomson’s gazelle is one of the be Thomson’s gazelle is one of the best-known species of gazelles. It is named after explorer Joseph Thomson and is sometimes referred to as a “tommie” st known species of gazelles. It is named after explorer Joseph Thomson and is sometimes referred to as a “tommie”
These small gazelles, have light-brown coats with dark stripes running down their sides, a white patch on their rumps extending underneath the tail, and ridged horns that curve backward. Females may have shorter, smoother, and slimmer horns than males
(3) Wildebeest
Wildebeest, also called gnus, are members of the antelope family. They are related to oryxes and gazelles. A wildebeest can grow to 2.4 meters (8 feet) in length, and weigh up to 270 kilograms (600 pounds). Wildebeest typically inhabit the Serengeti plains of southeastern Africa. A wildebeest can reach top speeds of 80 kilometers per hour, or 50 miles per hour. As well as being extremely fast, they also have great endurance, which they use to migrate over long distances. Through grazing, wildebeest reduce the amount of vegetation that can act as fuel in a wildfire and make it possible for new, diverse plants to grow. This improves habitat quality for other species, including birds and butterflies, making wildebeest a keystone species. The name wildebeest finds its origin in the Dutch and Afrikaans words wild beest which means “wild animal/beast”. Although the name is derived from the Dutch language, the name wildebeest doesn’t officially exist in the Dutch language
(4) Ostrich- the fastest land animal on two legs
Ostriches are large flightless birds. They are the heaviest living birds, and lay the largest eggs of any living land animal. With the ability to run at speeds of 70km/h(
37-44 mph), they are the fastest birds on land. They are farmed world wide, native in Africa. Ostriches can not fly, but no birds can match their speed on land. Ostriches are the fastest running birds in the world! With their long, strong legs ostriches can cover more than 10 feet in a single stride.
(6) African wild dog
The African wild dog, also known as the painted dog or Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa the wild dog can give chase for 10 to 60 minutes, running at a speed of up to 70 kilometres per hour. Like most predators, they play an important role in eliminating sick and weak animals, thereby helping maintain the natural balance and improve prey species. They can run long distances at speeds up to44 mph (70 km). Of the large carnivores, wild dogs are probably the most efficient hunters—targeted prey rarely escapes.
(7). Giraffe
The giraffe is a large. African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus Giraffa. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. The giraffe can reach a sprint speed of up to 60 km/h (37 mph), and can sustain 50 km/h (31 mph) for several kilometres.
(8). Rhinoceros
Rhinos can run at up to 50km per hour, which makes them the fastest land mammal heavier than 1000kg. A rhinoceros, commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. native to Africa, Rhinos can run at up to 50km per hour, which makes them the fastest land mammal heavier than 1000kg.
(9) African Elephant
African elephants are a genus comprising two living elephant species that can run at speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph), the African bush elephant, and the smaller African forest elephant. Both are social herbivores with grey skin, but differ in the size and color of their tusks and in the shape and size of their ears and skulls. The largest male elephants can weigh up to 15,000 pounds (6,800 kilograms). For comparison, an average male human weighs about 180 pounds (82 kilograms). On average, newborn calves stand about 1 m (3 ft.) high and weigh 120 kg (264 lb.) at birth.
(10) Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus or hippo, further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. Despite their look hippos are very fast animals. They can run between 25 and 30 kilometers per hour on land (only around 8 km/h in water). Hippos average 3.5 metres (11 ft) long, 1.5 metres (5 ft) tall at the shoulder, and weigh from 1,500 kg to 3,200 kg (3,300 to 7,000 lb). They are approximately the same size as the White Rhinoceros, and experts are split on which is the next largest land animal after the elephant.
book this Safari to see all these animals: https://www.xaviersafaris.com/itinerary/25-days-southern-africa-adventure-combo-safari/