Mammals · Ranked by top speed

Fastest European Mammals (2026)

Mammals whose native range includes Europe, ranked by the same figures as the full list. A species that also lives in Asia, such as the brown hare and the wolf, appears on both regional lists.

2 rankedA source on every row

Post

A view of Fastest MammalsNative toEurope

Diet

2 mammals, ties share a rank.

1
Brown hare
Lepus europaeus
72km/h44.7mph20.0m/s38.9kn1.9× Bolt
EstimatedJournal of Zoology (opens source in a new tab)
2
Wolf
Canis lupus
64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn1.7× Bolt
EstimatedJournal of Zoology (opens source in a new tab)

How we measure

Top speed

One maximal running speed per species: a timed or filmed result outranks a speedometer or subjective estimate from the same literature review.

The ranked cheetah figure is Sharp's 29 m/s timing. Garland's 110 km/h and Wilson's 25.9 m/s hunt peak stay on the entry and do not take the rank.
Other mammals are the Table I values Garland published in 1983. Method F (film) or T (timed) is verified. Methods S, E and U are estimated.
Domestic dogs and horses are not on this list. The greyhound has its own page.
Conversions to other units are done in code from the unit the source printed. We do not store a second converted measurement.

What the labels mean

Official: Ratified by a governing body such as the FIA, World Athletics or Guinness World Records.
Verified: Independently measured and published, for example in a peer-reviewed study or with certified timing.
Claimed: Stated by a manufacturer, owner or publication without independent timing.
Estimated: Calculated or approximated rather than directly timed.
Disputed: Contested by experts or contradicted by other evidence.

How we verify every figure

Speed race

See the top two side by side at true relative speed, over 100 m or any distance.

Race #1 vs #2

Top speed · sourced

Mammals, sliced

Family, range and diet, with the same figures as the full ranking.

Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest predators
Hunters only: the cheetah, wild dogs, wolves and lions.
1. 1Cheetah104km/h64.9mph29m/s56.4kn
2. 2African wild dog70km/h43.5mph19.4m/s37.8kn
3. 3Wolf64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn
4 predators
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest antelope & gazelles
True antelope and gazelles, family Bovidae. The pronghorn isn't one, so it isn't here.
1. 1Blackbuck105km/h65.2mph29.2m/s56.7kn
2. Tied for 2ndGoitered gazelle97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
3. Tied for 2ndSpringbok97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
11 bovids
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest African mammals
Savanna sprinters and the predators that chase them.
1. 1Cheetah104km/h64.9mph29m/s56.4kn
2. 2Springbok97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
3. 3Black wildebeest90km/h55.9mph25.0m/s48.6kn
10 mammals
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest Asian mammals
Mammals whose native range includes Asia.
1. 1Blackbuck105km/h65.2mph29.2m/s56.7kn
2. 2Cheetah104km/h64.9mph29m/s56.4kn
3. 3Goitered gazelle97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
8 mammals
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest North American mammals
The pronghorn, a desert jackrabbit and the grey wolf.
1. 1Pronghorn100km/h62.1mph27.8m/s54.0kn
2. 2Antelope jackrabbit72km/h44.7mph20.0m/s38.9kn
3. 3Wolf64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn
3 mammals
Dogs · Top speed
Sourced
Wild dogs vs greyhounds
The African wild dog, the grey wolf and the greyhound record on one list.
1. 1African wild dog70km/h43.5mph19.4m/s37.8kn
2. 2Greyhound67.32km/h41.8mph18.7m/s36.3kn
3. 3Wolf64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn
3 canids

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Mammals, sliced

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