Fastest Sea Animals in the World

The orca or killer whale (Orcinus orca) is an aquatic mammal that inhabits different oceans around the planet. Despite the name, killer whales are actually a type of dolphin. Moreover, they are the largest dolphin species in the world. They travel and hunt in groups of around 5 to 20 individuals, called ‘pods’.

Orcas have a robust and hydrodynamic body, with a dorsal fin that can measure up to 1.8 meters. This body structure is what allows them to move fast through water. There are differences in body size between males and females, influencing their swimming speeds. Killer whales have reached recorded speeds of 55 kph (34 mph), earning them a place in our list of the 10 fastest sea animals.

We continue with our list of the fastest marine animals with the Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), a fish found in coastal areas of the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. They are very large fish, measuring up to 2 meters in length.

Tarpons have a dark blue back and silver sides, with a forked caudal fin and long dorsal fin. Their most distinctive feature is what is called a ‘swim bladder’, which allows them to take in oxygen directly form the air. This means the fish can breathe better underwater and they are well adapted to oxygen-poor waters. Tarpons are able to swim at speeds of up to 56 kph (35 mph).

Flying fish belong to the Exocoetidae family. There are different species found in tropical and subtropical marine habitats all across the planet. They are characterized by their rigid bodies, pectoral fins and forked tails, all of which allow them leap out of the water and ‘fly’ or glide in the air over short stretches (see photo below). Flying fish a small specimens, that do not grow to more than 30 centimeters.

A flying fish's caudal fin can vibrate at 50 times per second. Their average speed is around 30 kph (19 mph) when leaping through the air, although some four-winged flying fish can reach speeds of 70 kph (43 mph). These speeds, along with their unique flying abilities, help them to escape predators at sea and make them some of the fastest sea animals in the world.

The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a fish that inhabits the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. High demand and over-fishing have lead to continuously declining populations, with Atlantic bluefin tuna currently listed as an endangered species in the IUCN Red List.

These fish tolerate various temperature changes, having the the ability to dive underwater up to 900 meters. They are a large species, reaching 2-3 meters in length and weighing around 250 kilos. Despite their size, the bluefin tuna - along with their close relatives the yellowfin tuna - are among the fastest sea animals. They are known for burst swimming speeds reaching 64-72 kph (40-45 mph).

It is not only some of the fastest aquatic animals that are at risk, as our guide to marine animals in danger of extinction shows.

The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is characterized by its long, slender and streamlined body, anatomical features of sharks which allow it to be an incredibly fast aquatic animals. It has two elongated and pointed pectoral fins, a cone-shaped snout and distinctive large black eyes. It gets its name from the dark blue coloring of its back.

The blue shark inhabits temperate and tropical oceanic waters, where it is able to dive up to 350 meters deep. As for its speed, the blue shark can swim at up to 70 kph (43 mph).

Also known as the dorado or dolphinfish, the mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is a fish species found in different seas and oceans around the world. They inhabit both tropical and subtropical waters, in shallow areas between 5 and 10 meters deep.

These fish are characterized by their prominent forehead (especially in males) and known for their beautiful blue-green and golden metallic coloring. You can see this coloring in the picture below. Mahi-mahi have sleek and compressed bodies, along with forked tails that allow for faster swimming. These fast fish have been shown to reach the impressive speed of 93 kph (57 mph).

Discover where the mahi-mahi ranks on our list of the most beautiful fish in the world.

Image: https://www.iucnredlist.org/

The Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri), is a fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as in the Caribbean and Mediterranean seas. It is long and thin, with a pointed head and bright blue coloring on its back.

Wahoo can grow up to 2.5 meters long and are one of the fastest sea animals. They can reach swimming speeds of up to 96 kph (60 mph), truly making them some of the fastest marine fish in the world.

Image: http://combine.ncscm.res.in/

Marlins are fish belonging to the Istiophoridae family, which contains several species including the white marlin, stripped marlin or Atlantic blue marlin. They are characterized by their slender bodies and elongated sword-like snout, seen breaching the water in the picture below.

These species inhabit the temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Some may think marlin is the fastest sea animal in the world, but this is not quite true. It is true that marlins are incredibly fast, reaching speeds of up to 105 kph (65 mph).

The Shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a type of shark found in the offshore temperate and tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean and the Red Seas. Their low biological productivity, and the fact that commercial fishing affects their populations and habitat, mean that shortfin makos are currently an endangered species.

They are highly streamlined animals, with great muscular power. This allows them to to leap out of the water to a height of up to 6 meters. The mako shark is another contender for fastest aquatic animal in the world, with estimated speeds of up to 124 kph (77 mph). It is definitely the fastest of the shark species, with a more realistic estimate of bursts of speed reaching 68 kph (42 mph).

Mako sharks a relatively large, providing them a place on our list of the largest sharks in the world.

The sailfish (Istiophorus albicans) belongs to the same family as marlins, although it is distinguished by its prominent sail-like dorsal fin. It is this feature from which it derives its common name and can be seen in the picture. Sailfish have an aerodynamic and muscular body, along with a rigid tail that allows them to propel itself forward. Their dorsal fin acts like a sail, helping them to cut through water as they move.

Sailfish can measure up to 3 meters and weigh 90-100 kilos, making them quite a force to be reckoned with. They have long been considered the fastest sea animals in the world, with estimated sprint speeds of up to 110 kph (68 mph). However, recent studies suggest that a more realistic estimate of sailfish speed is at around 50 kph (34 mph)^[1]. It is still possible that they reach higher speeds when burst swimming, although this has not been demonstrated.

Now that you know the fastest aquatic animals in the world, you might be interested in which is the slowest. Although there are species that are very slow due to their anatomical characteristics, there is one that takes the title of the slowest sea animal in the world and that is the loggerhead turtle.

The loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) is a solitary species that can weigh up to 100 kg. Its carapace is brownish in color and its back is yellowish or cream. Although there are many other species of turtles that are significantly faster, the loggerhead turtle has an average speed of 0.04 kph, which is why its impressive slowness makes it an easy prey for hunters. This has directly led to their current conservation status as ‘vulnerable’.

Much has been said about the ferocity of the shark versus the intelligence of the dolphin. This is evidenced by the fact we are usually much more scared when we see a shark in the water than a dolphin. It is important to remember that orcas are also dolphins and orcas are one of the most able apex predators in the world. If we are talking about speed, there are several elements that you must take into account.

The main thing is to define the species. As you can see on our list of the 10 fastest marine animals in the world, the mako shark is much faster than the killer whale. However, there are many shark species which are slower than an orca, especially over long distances. In this way, we can say that the fastest shark is faster than the fastest dolphin, but not all sharks are faster than killer whales.

Now you know the fastest sea animals, you may want to see our related list of the slowest animals in the world.

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