In an astonishing display of speed and surprise, the cheetah—long hailed as the fastest land animal on Earth—was recently caught off guard in a viral wildlife video… by none other than the pronghorn antelope, the second-fastest land animal.
Filmed in the open plains of Wyoming, USA, the footage shows a cheetah (brought for controlled research observation) attempting to chase a pronghorn during a supervised speed study. Initially, the cheetah gains ground, showcasing its explosive acceleration. But as the sprint continues, the tables turn. The pronghorn, built for endurance over speed bursts, maintains its velocity and eventually outruns the tiring cheetah—leaving onlookers stunned.
While cheetahs can hit speeds up to 112 km/h (70 mph), they can only maintain them for 20–30 seconds. Pronghorns, on the other hand, can sustain 88–98 km/h (55–61 mph) for much longer—thanks to an evolutionary advantage in North America’s wide-open terrains.
Experts say the twist is a perfect reminder: “Speed isn’t everything. Endurance wins the long game.”
The unexpected race has sparked global interest online and renewed admiration for the lesser-known pronghorn—proof that even the silver medalist in nature’s speed chart has some golden tricks up its hooves.
