Page 137 - (DK) I Can’t Believe It! 2

IT CAN’T BE TRUE! 135

FAST FACTS
A thoroughbred racehorse can
gallop at up to 43 mph (70 kph)
in races of 2 furlongs (0.25 miles/
0.4 km). Running at this speed,
the horse could complete the
100 m sprint in 5.15 seconds.
27 mph The cheetah’s speed comes
from its flexible spine. The cat
(43 kph) hunches its spine at the start of
a stride, bringing its back feet in
front of the forefeet. As the back
feet hit the ground and push off,
its spine extends, giving the
cheetah an extra-long stride.

Snail 0.03 (0.05)
Mouse 8 (13)
Squirrel 13 (21)
Elephant 25 (40)
43 mph Human 27 (43)
Domestic cat 30 (48)
(70 kph) Greyhound 43 (70)
African lion 55 (89)
Pronghorn 62 (100)
Top speed in mph (kph)
The garden snail certainly takes
its time to move around. However,
the domestic cat is quite fast—it
could beat an Olympic sprinter
if it had to make a run for it.

70 mph
(115 kph)

A cheetah can sprint at incredible speeds
to catch its prey, but the chase will only
last for about 30–60 seconds, after which
the cat gets too tired.

US_134_135_309600_ICBT_Fastest_runner.indd 135 19/12/17 2:36 pm