Can you run faster than a bear? Photo via Flickr.
Sometimes when I am running as fast as I possibly can I feel pretty fast. I know I am not as fast as a cheetah, but what about a bear or moose?
There are a lot of different animals in the Rocky Mountains, dangerous ones, herbivores, birds, and insects. I know some of them can move very fast, but was never sure exactly how fast they could move. I decided to look into how fast people can run and compare that to animals. Here is a brief summary of some of the fastest animals in the Rocky Mountains and if people are faster than them.
Usain Bolt, the fastest person in the world. Photo via Flickr.
How Fast Can People Run?
As most of us know, the fastest person in the world is Usain Bolt. He holds the world record and has won loads of gold medals. At his peak, when he set the world record he ran at a speed of just over 27 mph!
Most of us are not world record holders. The fastest among us normal people can run at a speed of 16 mph. So, for this comparison to see if you are as fast these animals assume that you can run at 16 mph.
How Fast Can Different Animals Move?
Red squirrel – This tiny mammal can run up to 19 mph! That is faster than people.
Are you faster than a dragonfly, the fastest flying insect?
A dragonfly can fly up to 35 mph! It is the fastest flying insect and makes it much faster than people can run.
A peregrine falcon is the fastest bird – it can fly up to 200 mph when it is in a dive! That is much, much, much faster than people.
Are you faster than a moose? Photo via Flickr.
A moose can run at 35 mph. That is actually faster than Usain Bolt and normal people.
A black bear can run at 35 mph and a grizzly bear at 30 mph. Both of those are faster than people.
A cougar or mountain lion can run up to 35 or 40 mph, once again faster than people.
Lots Of Animals Are Faster Than People!
It may seem surprising that so many animals are faster than people. I guess the moral of this story is that even though we can run quick, we can’t outrun most animals. Keep this in mind the next time you go for a hike in the Rocky Mountains. You are not going to outrun a dangerous animal, so you better know what to do to remain safe.