The Americas, which encompasses North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, has a huge variety of landscapes \u2013 and therefore animals.<\/p>\n
From imposing mountains to desert plains and tropical beaches, these habitats provide a home for all sorts of creatures.<\/p>\n
But have you ever wondered what the fastest land mammal in the Americas is?<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the fastest land mammal in the Americas?<\/p>\n
The fastest terrestrial mammal found in the Americas is the pronghorn. While it\u2019s commonly called an American antelope, its closest living relatives are the giraffe<\/a> and okapi<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the only surviving member of the Antilocapridae family, which are a family of ruminants<\/a> endemic to North America. They are commonly found in western North America, ranging from Alberta (in Canada) and into Mexico. <\/p>\n A pronghorn herd begins to pick up speed in Yellowstone National Park, USA. Credit: BBC Natural History\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The pronghorn can reach speeds up to 55 mph (88.5 kmph). It\u2019s thought to have evolved a larger cardiopulmonary system in order to reach these speeds to evade the now-extinct North American cheetah<\/a> and American lion<\/a>.<\/p>\n