'World's fastest animal' that hits speeds of 200mph spotted in County Durham village
The animal, widely regarded the fastest in the world and capable of hitting speeds in excess of 200mph, was seen over Bishop Middleham, near Sedgefield.
Northern Echo Camera Club member Michelle Mason photographed one soaring above the village last month.
The Peregrine falcons in Bishop Middleham (Image: MICHELLE MASON/CAMERA CLUB) It's not the first time the birds have been spotted in the region, with sightings in Sutton Bank, North Yorkshire, the Teesside coastline, and near Durham City in recent months.
Peregrine falcons are known for their record-breaking stoops – aerial dives that can reach speeds of 390 km/h (242 mph), allowing them to strike prey with surgical precision.
A Peregrine falcon in Bishop Middleham (Image: MICHELLE MASON/CAMERA CLUB) Though their level-flight speed is more modest between about 25 and 35mph, their agility and vision give them the edge in aerial hunting.
The peregrine falcon's incredible velocity is owed to its highly aerodynamic body, lightweight skeleton, and robust respiratory system. Its signature hunting manoeuvre – the 'stoop' – allows it to descend upon unsuspecting prey with unrivalled acceleration, reducing air resistance through a specialised wing position and body shape.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Officers hail incredible dog that sniffs out criminals in forest: 'Reaches the target in the blink of an eye'
Galileo, a Belgian Malinois breed dog, is the hero of the Nauradehi Tiger Reserve in India, sniffing out poachers and their traps to protect the wildlife in the region. The Deccan Chronicle reported on this exceptional canine, who is part of a 16-member dog squad raised by the Madhya Pradesh forest department. The eight-year-old dog is the top performer, smelling poachers from miles away. He can even sniff out traps hidden beneath thick layers of leaves. Before he became the Nauradehi Tiger Reserve's top defender, he worked in the Chambal gharial sanctuary in Morena district. But his high intelligence and "exceptional sniffing ability," noted by local divisional forest officer Dr. Abdul Aleem Ansari, make him the perfect dog to protect the tiger reserve. "Galileo has cracked 51 wildlife crimes in the Nauradehi Tiger Reserve, leading to the arrest of 91 wildlife smugglers and poachers. The canine sends shivers down the spines of poachers," Ansari told the Deccan Chronicle. This local hero is protecting the rare tigers and other wildlife in this reserve. The reserve is home to six tigers, a species listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. Galileo ensures poachers don't further reduce the tiger population. His spine-chilling presence also deters poachers from going after other wildlife, safeguarding the region's biodiversity. Biodiversity is essential for a healthy planet. A wide variety of flora and fauna stabilizes climate conditions, reduces disease spread, and promotes food and water security for everyone. Humans need a biodiverse world as much as any other species. Every animal in an ecosystem is part of the delicate balance. For example, as apex predators, tigers are crucial for regulating prey populations and preventing overgrazing. If they weren't present to reduce deer and wild pig populations, they would grow out of control and overeat the vegetation in the area. A substantial loss of vegetation can release planet-warming gases into the air, accelerating global heating. It can also increase disease spread, threatening crops that humans rely on. The far-reaching effects of losing any species are severe, but losing an umbrella species like tigers could be catastrophic. Galileo's not just protecting the animals. According to The Free Press Journal, he's also sniffing out timber smugglers. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Preetam Ahirwar, Galileo's trainer, told the Journal, "Galileo is so agile that it reaches the target in the blink of an eye." He's an impressive dog helping to create a cooler, cleaner planet for everyone. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
'World's fastest animal' that hits speeds of 200mph spotted in County Durham village
A striking peregrine falcon has been spotted over County Durham. The animal, widely regarded the fastest in the world and capable of hitting speeds in excess of 200mph, was seen over Bishop Middleham, near Sedgefield. Northern Echo Camera Club member Michelle Mason photographed one soaring above the village last month. The Peregrine falcons in Bishop Middleham (Image: MICHELLE MASON/CAMERA CLUB) It's not the first time the birds have been spotted in the region, with sightings in Sutton Bank, North Yorkshire, the Teesside coastline, and near Durham City in recent months. Peregrine falcons are known for their record-breaking stoops – aerial dives that can reach speeds of 390 km/h (242 mph), allowing them to strike prey with surgical precision. A Peregrine falcon in Bishop Middleham (Image: MICHELLE MASON/CAMERA CLUB) Though their level-flight speed is more modest between about 25 and 35mph, their agility and vision give them the edge in aerial hunting. The peregrine falcon's incredible velocity is owed to its highly aerodynamic body, lightweight skeleton, and robust respiratory system. Its signature hunting manoeuvre – the 'stoop' – allows it to descend upon unsuspecting prey with unrivalled acceleration, reducing air resistance through a specialised wing position and body shape.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Watch This Black Bear Ferry Her Tiny Cubs Across a Huge Reservoir
It's not every day you see a black bear with two cubs riding piggyback across one of the biggest bodies of water in Massachusetts. But that's exactly what angler Izzy Drost of Greenfield captured on video last week while fishing with his buddy, John LaQuire, on the Quabbin Reservoir. The pair spotted a sow black bear paddling hard through open water with a pair of young cubs clinging to her back. He caught the whole thing on video, and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife shared it on its Facebook page. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } 'This heat has everyone looking to cool off, even this mama bear and her cubs! Black bears can often be seen swimming to cool off during hot summer months in both backyard swimming pools and natural bodies of water,' MDFW wrote in its post. 'Bears may also swim to travel or avoid perceived threats.' Drost managed to record four separate videos of the sow and her tiny cubs, who appeared to be making their way toward an island in the reservoir. 'I have posted some great videos of wildlife that I have captured with my cameras before, but this has to be one of the best videos yet,' Drost wrote in his original Facebook post. (He also said that he and his buddy caught some nice smallmouths on their trip.) Massachusetts has a booming black bear population, with an estimated 4,500 animals statewide, according to MDFW. Not only are their numbers increasing, but their distribution is also expanding, with their range pushing eastward each year. The Quabbin Reservoir, one of the largest man-made public water supplies in the United States, is situated in the heart of prime Massachusetts bear country. Read Next: Black Bear Fights Off Two Gators While Swimming Across a Florida River As for the video, it's a rare look at a wild animal doing what it takes to keep its offspring alive.
