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Simpson Street Free Press

Who is the Fastest Mover of Them All?

Many animals use their speed to catch their prey and others use their speed to escape predators. They all move in different ways.

The cheetah can run up to 60 miles per hour, but that speed is not sustainable because it uses all its energy in a single sprint. It catches its prey by jumping and attacking it. The cheetah’s long skinny legs and strong body help it reach top speed. The tail helps it balance while it chases its prey.

The prey is different. The hare hops fast away from predators 40 miles per hour. The pronghorn is brown with antlers and white stripes around its neck. Its belly is all white and has a very small tail. It is not faster than the cheetah, but can run for longer and will often tire cheetahs out. It can only run at 40 miles per hour for about 10 minutes. The kangaroo jumps for food and water and is found in deserts of Australia. It jumps for long distances and runs up to 43 miles per hour.

Although these animals are cool to look at and research, if you see one stay away. Humans can only reach an average running speed of eight miles per hour so you would not outrun them.

[Source: 100 Things You Should Know About Mammals]

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