Discover the Fastest Animals in West Virginia

West Virginia is an outdoor lovers’ paradise. With their sprawling emerald forests, stunning mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and white-water rivers, there is no shortage of places to explore. Or perfect habitats for plant and animal life. Many wildlife species call this state home, from birds of prey to forest-dwelling mammals. Discover the fastest animals in West Virginia, including where to find them.

Golden Eagles

The golden eagle is a large bird of prey with a wide distribution across the northern hemisphere. These eagles are abundant in the western half of the United States, but you can find them in the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia during the winter. 

Golden eagles are extremely fast, one of the fastest on earth. Their normal soaring speed is around 30 miles per hour, but they can reach up to 200 miles per hour when stooping or diving for prey. They can reach these impressive speeds due to their enormous wingspans and aerodynamic bodies. 

Quarter Horse

The American quarter horse is the most popular breed in the United States and the largest in the world. They are specifically bred for excelling at sprinting short distances and are typically used in horse shows, rodeos, and working on ranches. They are essentially built for quick bursts of speeds, reaching up to 55 miles per hour. And they are well-proportioned horses with long legs, broad chests, and powerful hindquarters. Their slender shape and well-muscled bodies allow them to move at incredible speeds and maneuver through courses with agility.

Elk

Elk are large species of deer and one of the biggest terrestrial mammals in North America. They were absent from West Virginia for over one hundred years, but thanks to reintroduction efforts, are now back and flourishing. These majestic creatures now roam the rugged mountains of West Virginia once again. You may not think it by looking at them, but elk can be pretty fast and agile. Males can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and have been recorded sprinting at 40 miles per hour. They use quick bursts, hurling their massive bodies away from danger, such as hunters and other predators.

White-Tailed Deer

These medium-sized deer are native to the Americas and the most widely distributed ungulate in North America. And in West Virginia, the white-tailed deer is the most sought-after big game species in the state. Over 200,000 people go hunting for these deer each year in the West Virginia woods. You can find these animals in every county and almost every habitat. So it’s no surprise that these prey animals need to be speedy. They can quickly escape danger by running up to 40 miles per hour and jumping over obstacles eight feet tall. They are also excellent swimmers and will even forage in the water.

Eastern Coyote

Eastern coyotes are a hybrid between coyotes and wolves, likely occurring during the 1930s through natural processes. They are larger than their western cousins and present throughout the Eastern United States, including West Virginia. And they live in almost every habitat in the state, even spilling into urban areas. They run at 20 miles per hour when hunting prey but have a top speed of 43 miles per hour, which they typically use when fleeing danger. These animals are highly intelligent and social, moving in groups and forming complex social systems. 

Gray Fox

The gray fox belongs to the canine family and is widespread throughout North America. They prefer wooded environments and are abundant in West Virginia’s forests. While the state features red foxes, gray foxes are faster but also more aggressive. Gray foxes can sprint up to 42 miles per hour, with an average speed of around 20 miles per hour. These animals must be fast to catch quick-moving prey and to escape predators like coyotes, which can run just as fast. 

Bobcat

Bobcats are medium-sized wild cats native to North America, where they range from Southern Canada to Mexico. They are the only native feline predator in West Virginia, where they live across most of the state. These cats are fast and agile, climbing effortlessly over tall structures and running at 30 miles per hour. Like the other animals on this list, they use their speed to catch fast-moving prey like rabbits and escape dangerous predators, such as coyotes and domestic animals.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Don DeBold from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons – License / Original