By NYMetroParents Staff

10 Wild Animals That Have Olympic Gold-Medal Worthy Abilities

  |  Misc. Sports  

The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympics is July 27, and whether it's your child's first Summer Olympics or they've watched the games before, the National Wildlife Federation offers a creative way to get them excited about the global event by comparing Olympians with wild animals that use similar skills for survival.

The National Wildlife Federation offers a unique way to get your kids excited about the upcoming London 2012 Summer Olympics while also teaching them a few fun facts about wildlife. Who knew a tiny primate in the jungle leaps similar to an Olympic gymnast when searching for food?

Animals and Athletes
Which animals have survival skills that resemble the amazing physical abilities of Olympians?

High-Jump Stars

Going the Distance


The sooty shearwater would take the silver medal with a migrating journey beginning in New Zealand and ending in the North Pacific, 40,000 miles annually. The Pacific gray whale can only hope for the bronze. It’s the longest migrating mammal traveling a round-trip journey of 12,000 miles

Broad-Jump Winners

Diving Specialists
The beaked whale, actually more closely related to dolphins than whales, can dive deeper in the ocean than any other animal. Heading down to depths of 6,230 feet, that’s over a mile deep, it can then hold its breath for 85 minutes before resurfacing for air.

Jungle Gymnasts

Cheetah in the Wild
A cheetah can run faster than 60mph!

Run, Run, Fast as You Can
The fastest animal on the planet is the cheetah which can run as speeds over 60 miles per hour. But even that doesn’t always ensure that this big cat gets a meal. The gazelles and other small antelope that are the cheetah’s main prey are not as fast as the cat, but they have greater endurance and agility in a high-speed chase and often escape the spotted speedster. The silver medal would go to the pronghorn, the planet’s second-fastest animal with a top speed that almost matches the cheetah’s.

Fast Swimmers

This article is courtesy of the National Wildlife Federation, a 75-year-old organization that aims to inspire Americans to protect wildlife.
Learn more about other amazing animals at

Also see:





Comments for This Article