[narrator] Growing up in the wild can be pretty hardcore.

Imagine learning to leap... roar, swim, or fly for the very first time.

You've got to get it right, because the faster you are, the stronger you are or even the better you can camouflage yourself, the greater your chances of surviving and thriving in the wilderness, when you grow up that is!

But with all this feral rivalry going on, you've got to wonder - who really is Mother Nature's biggest or smallest or most dangerous untamed youngling of them all?

The answers will astound you, and we are counting them down from ten to one.

They are cute.

They are wild.

They are the cover girls and boys of the animal kingdom and they know it!

They are baby animals.

In the animal kingdom, speed is a pretty handy survival skill whether you're a predator, or prey.

These babies are destined to be the fastest creatures on the planet, clocking up some seriously impressive speeds on the daily each in their own revved up way.

From heart-racing gallopers to powerful swimmers and breathtaking high-flyers these baby animals are growing up fast.

The expansive continent of Africa.

These wild, grassy open plains, shrublands, woodlands and mountains are the perfect place for one of the world's fastest baby animals to stretch its legs!

This one is so fast, it's even got its own racing stripes!

Number ten is the zebra.

With one of their closest relatives being the horse, it's not surprising that zebras are built for speed as well as long-distance migrations.

These hoofed ungulates are capable of zipping around at speeds of up to 65 kilometres per hour.

And it's not just the adults that are swift.

Check out that fast-moving foal.

Zebras are born ready to run, with legs that measure almost as long as their parents'.

Whilst it might take a few short moments to figure out exactly how to use those lengthy limbs, newborn foals will be walking within around 20 minutes and be capable of running with the herd after an hour of being alive.

Yep, they're fast learners.

But it looks like it might just take this one a few attempts.

Every zebra is born with a unique stripe pattern.

Just like human fingerprints, no two stripe patterns are the same.

A zebra mum will stay very close to her foal in the first few days, so her young can learn and recognise her stripes, scent and sounds.

There are three different species of zebra, all with slightly different traits and behaviours.

But all foals will drink Mum's milk and, on average, will be weaned by the time they're 7 to 11 months old.

As well as nursing, foals will start munching on vegetation with the rest of the herd in their first few weeks of life.

Zebras are herbivores and have the ability to extract protein from low-quality grasses thanks to their super-fast digestive system.

This evolutionary adaptation means they're able to live off grass that other animals, like antelope, aren't able to stomach.

Now they've had some speedy snacks, let's get this pacy party started!

Zebras are powerhouses that are just as good over a long distance as they are in short, sharp bursts.

Some populations will migrate for hundreds of kilometres to find food and water, often merging herds with other mammals, such as wildebeest.

A zebra's main motivation to run at full speed is to get away from their predators as quickly as they can.

There are plenty of deadly creatures to be wary of here on the African continent.

Lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and cheetahs are just some of the predators that have the zebra on their hit list.

Are zebras black with white stripes?

Or white with black stripes?

And why do they have stripes at all?

Scientists aren't 100% sure as to the why but it is believed their stripes help them to confound their colour-blind predators as well as put off bloodsuckers, like horseflies, from biting them.

But when it comes to what colour they primarily are, you could say it's a little more black and white.

Though many people think zebras are white with black stripes, because of their visible pattern formation, all zebras actually have dark skin underneath their fur - white stripes, black stripes and all.

Zebras are very social creatures.

They can spend time looking for lagging or lost members of the herd and sometimes the momentum of a group will even slow down to accommodate those that are injured or sick.

And, at the end of a long day on the trot, what could be better than a cuddle - zebra-style?

Grooming is part of day-to-day life for zebras too.

It not only helps to maintain their trademark coats, but their close bonds as well.

I'll scratch your back, if you scratch mine.

When you can keep up with your speedy family from day dot, you sure are one brisk baby.

Let's bounce on over to Australia, the smallest of the world's seven continents where a big name in the animal kingdom is living it up swift-style.

Number nine is the iconic animal emblem of Australia - the kangaroo.

There are four species of kangaroo hopping, skipping and jumping around the land of Oz.

Not only can the world's largest living marsupial reach speeds of about 56 kilometres per hour, it can also jump up to nine metres in a single bound.

And just you wait till you see their babies hop to it.

Kangaroo babies, or joeys, are born tiny and underdeveloped, only about the size of a grape.

When a joey enters the world, it uses its tiny claws to pull itself into Mum's pouch, a snug little bunker, where it will attach itself to a teat and nurse for several months, growing bigger, furrier and, indeed, much cuter.

As a joey grows, it will pop its head out for a good look at the world, in a behaviour we think should be called peek-a-roo!

This joey is making the most of its opportunity to get a quick sniff, and maybe even a sneaky taste of what Mum's eating.

From about four months onwards, joeys will pop out to explore for real gazing on grasses and getting their hop on are high on the priority list for these little herbivorous roos.

For up to a year and a half, kangaroo joeys will return to the pouch for milk and shelter.

Depending on the species, joeys will use the pouch for anywhere between 120 to 400 days.

And just FYI - Mum's pouch isn't only a nice comfortable room to sleep in, it can also be a joey's toilet.

Some of the excrement will be absorbed by Mum's pouch lining - but it can get pretty smelly in there so, every now and then, Mum will need to give it a good clean out - with her tongue.

If there was a competition for the most devoted parent, kangaroo mums would really clean up.

When they're young, kangaroos will playfight.

They might look kind of cute now but trust us, when they get older, you would not want to mess with them.

As they mature, these little scuffles will get more and more hardcore.

Male kangaroos will often be seen battling it out during mating season, fighting for a female.

Lightning-fast punches, kung-fu kicks, even a cheeky bite are all part of a kangaroo's repertoire.

They'll use these sorts of moves when faced by predators as well, dingoes, eagles and humans beware.

Kangaroos typically hang out in groups called mobs and can go from dead still to full tilt in a matter of seconds.

Pushing off the ground using both feet at the same time, this kind of movement is called saltation and is unique to macropods, like kangaroos.

When it comes to getting around in search of food and water, or escaping a predator, a kangaroo has a few speedy secret weapons.

They use their set of powerful hind legs to propel themselves forward.

Their tendons are like giant springs that, when contracted, will produce almost all the energy needed for each hop.

Incredibly, the faster a kangaroo hops, the less energy they burn.

Now that's efficient!

This means they are able to travel long distances while not needing a lot of water which can come in very handy, here on the world's driest inhabited continent!

With all of these high-speed skills, it's no surprise that this baby animal has a super-fast spring in its step.

If you find yourself by the ocean, staring out at the waves, you might be lucky enough to spot a pod of dolphins surfing in the breakers.

It's a beautiful sight.

But below the waves, there's likely to be something that's actually even more beautiful.

Number eight on our Fastest Baby Animal Countdown - the baby dolphin.

Dolphins are found in waters all over planet Earth with about 37 recognised species.

But all those species share similar habits when it comes to baby raising.

A dolphin calf is not a small baby, compared to a human one.

Born in open waters, around one metre long, weighing between 11 and 18 kilograms, a baby dolphin spends the first days of its life literally in the shadow of its mother.

In its mothers slipstream and often with a protective aunty close by the calf can feed easily and safely learn the ways of dolphining, streamlined swimming, rolling, and diving, breathing through their blowhole which is essentially a big nostril on the top of their heads, and zooming along, exploring the deep blue ocean with their playful pod.

When it comes to speed, dolphins usually cruise along at about eight to ten kilometres per hour.

In comparison, the average human swimmer can only manage half that speed.

And, If a dolphin needs to, they can accelerate to speeds of 54 kilometres per hour at the surface for short bursts.

A dolphin's eyes might look endearingly human, but they work quite differently to ours.

Dolphins don't see colour or detail in the same way humans do, which makes sense knowing they live underwater.

Placed on the side of their head, each dolphin eye can move and see independently.

Even in sleep, a dolphin will close only one eye at a time.

And dolphin eyes are protected by a jelly-like film which wards off microbes and debris in the water which must be handy, but sounds a little gross.

Watching a dolphin family in action, it's difficult to not think of them in human terms - playing, comforting, exploring their world together just like us on a family road trip, except underwater - and without the fights over what song to listen to.

The majority of dolphin species hunt by schooling fish in the open ocean.

But some coastal and river dolphins have invented a different way to catch their lunch.

These dolphins are strand feeding.

They wait in the middle of the river until a group of fish are passing.

Then, they charge towards the bank, pushing the fish out of the water.

Not only does this make the fish easy pickings for the dolphins but it's also instant home delivery for these shore birds.

Between three and six years of age, juvenile dolphins form pods and go on adventures with each other, minus the adults, which makes you wonder if the baby dolphins are looking out from under their mothers and dreaming of teenage adventures under the sea.

Next, we travel to the open plains of Africa to meet a bird that doesn't fly, but still manages some serious speed.

It's number seven - the ostrich.

These flightless birds are born the size of a chicken, covered in downy, earth-toned feathers.

But they have a lot of growing to do and they do it fast.

Every month, an ostrich chick will add 30 centimetres to its height.

And by six months of age, a juvenile ostrich will be the same size as their parents.

And that size is tall, about 2.7 metres tall, like a ping-pong table standing up on its end tall.

And most of that height comes from two things a long slender neck and two of the most powerful legs you will see on any animal.

Once an ostrich hits adult size - and remember it's still only six months old at this stage - it can run at about 70 kilometres per hour or faster!

Each stride a running ostrich takes can be longer than a diving board - anywhere between three and five metres - which means an ostrich flock can cover some ground and given where an ostrich chooses to live, that is a very good thing.

The plains of Africa are vast and they are often dry, so food is scarce.

Ostrich flocks have cleverly learned to follow herds of grazing animals that kick up all sorts of insects and plant roots as they migrate.

And these things make for a tasty ostrich lunch.

Speaking of food, ostriches have an interesting habit when it comes to digestion.

Under those long wavy feathers, ostriches have around 14 metres of intestine.

This long gut is built to absorb as many nutrients as possible from their sometimes limited food supply.

But because an ostrich's meal has such a long digestive journey, ostriches swallow sand and pebbles to grind their food as it makes its way from gullet to ground.

Ostriches live in relatively small flocks - usually around ten birds - that will include a dominant male, a dominant female and a collection of non-dominant females.

Each female will lay around ten to 12 eggs in a clutch.

But here's where it gets interesting.

They all lay their eggs in the one nest - the nest built by the dominant female.

Her eggs go in the centre, all the others around the edges.

And should the dominant female feel the urge, she will eject the eggs of the other females.

Tough crowd.

Ostriches are all about sharing when it comes to parenting.

The male sits on his eggs during the day and after they hatch, both mother and father will show the chicks all the skills they need to ostrich - the wing fluffing, the pecking and, of course, the very speedy running.

Africa's grassy plains also make an ideal running track for the next wild child on our countdown.

Speeding around like it ain't no thang is number six - the wildebeest.

With a top speed of around 80 kilometres an hour, the wildebeest is a migratory master that uses its explosive power to travel long distances.

You've got to be pretty quick to keep up with this herd.

Just as well this baby animal can really hoof it.

When a wildebeest calf is born, there is no time to mess around.

It's only a matter of minutes before it's up on its feet.

After a few attempts, this one is up and about and ready for its first feed.

Calves will nurse on Mum's milk for about eight months and may bunt their mother's udders to stimulate and quicken the milk flow.

That is one greedy guzzler.

These hungry herbivores will also start grazing on grass within their first two weeks.

Wildebeest calves will move with their mothers and stay close to them as soon as they are able to stand.

This is distinctly different from most other animals in the antelope family that hide their young until they're ready to run.

Wildebeest calves are born to be on the move.

They've adapted to be this way because their herds migrate over great distances.

It's not long before the juveniles will start to interact and play with other youngsters in the group, and test out those legs of theirs.

Fast, huh?

This playful behaviour can help to strengthen their legs for the enormous journey they have ahead of them.

There's some serious power in those growing legs.

By the looks of it, these youngsters are raring to go.

Every year, more than 1.5 million wildebeest migrate in a gigantic loop, in search of places where the grass is greener.

Food and water are the motivation for this epic journey.

It's when they're on the move that you really begin to understand just how fast they are on foot.

It's truly majestic.

But this is not a voyage without risk.

With rivers and waterways to be traversed, some filled with enormous Nile crocodiles, the wildebeest use their speed and strength to bound through the water, fighting the current.

But sadly, not all of them will make it.

This is a risk worth taking for these animals because the grass is indeed greener on the other side.

There are other predators to contend with whilst on the move, with lions, cheetahs, and spotted hyenas preying on weaker members of the herd.

If you're a calf being pursued, it's likely your mum will quickly come to your rescue making every effort to protect you from an attack.

Looks like this cheetah is going to have to jog on.

And this calf will live to trot another day.

When you've got the ability to keep up with the herd, you are one sprightly speedster.

Get ready to race with number five on our countdown - the horse.

Found across the world in domesticated, wild and feral populations, the horse is a veritable symbol of speed.

This animal is so powerfully pacy that humans even named the power that engines and motors produce after these revved-up creatures.

With the fastest horses on the planet having the ability to gallop at top speeds of about 70 kilometres per hour, it's safe to say that this baby animal is going to be capable of some serious horsepower.

After an 11 to 12 month gestation, this horse Mumma - or mare - is giving birth to her precious foal.

You could say that foals start their lives as they intend to continue - moving fast!

Usually born feet first, the second stage of horse labour - where the foal emerges - is quite quick, typically only taking around ten to 15 minutes.

Not long after birth, foals will make their first attempts to stand.

When you're born with legs almost as long as your mother's, but without the same strength, this simple task can be fraught with difficulty - if not a little frustration.

Lucky Mum's on hand to offer a little reassurance.

Usually within two hours of being born, we have lift off and this little foal looks proud as punch.

Not long after standing, foals will have their first drink of milk.

They'll spend anything from four to ten months drinking the good stuff as well as nibbling on grass with Mum.

Horses are herbivores, stoking their engines with plant-based foods such as grass, grain and hay.

Similar to humans, foals have baby teeth that are replaced with adult teeth by the time they're five years old.

Mares can be very protective in the early stages of a foal's life, keeping their young close by and limiting direct contact with other horses.

If any other horses do come close, beware of the mare.

Mothers may become aggressive.

That's one swift kick!

Yowch!

You do not want to mess with these big Mummas.

Foals can gallop within their first 24 hours of life, a useful ability to have when your herd can move this fast.

Herds, like this one in the wild, typically have a lead male horse, or stallion, for protection.

Some might also have a mare that will guide the group to food and water.

Interestingly, the closest thing to a truly wild horse is the endangered Przewalski's horse.

Mobs like this are actually called feral horses because they are descendants of once-domesticated horses that escaped or were released into the wild.

When it comes to their need for speed, horses evolved to run fast to escape their predators.

Depending on the location, predators can include mountain lions, wolves and bears.

Oh my!

The muscles and tendons in a horse's powerful legs use stored energy to thrust them forward - similar to the mechanics of a pogo stick.

When you've got powerful pogo stick legs that have the potential to get you from A to B at a potential 70 kilometres per hour, this baby animal is a real front-runner when it comes to getting around in a flash.

The Wild West of North America is where the next zippy creature can be found kicking up its hooves.

Clocking in at a top speed of almost 97 kilometres an hour, it's the second fastest land mammal on the planet.

Meet Number four - the pronghorn.

Here's a fun fact - if you're a pronghorn baby - or fawn - there's almost a 100% chance that you'll be a twin.

You know what that means.

Double the fawn equals double the adorable.

Hashtag twinning.

Newborn pronghorns are in a hurry to get moving not long after they take their first breath attempting their first few awkward steps only 30 minutes after being born.

It's hard to believe that in just a few days' time, this little clambering cutie will be able to outrun a human.

Now that's fast development.

Fawns will drink Mum's milk, but only until they're a few months old.

For the first two to three weeks, after each round of suckling, a pronghorn mum will groom her fawns' bottoms consuming their urine and faeces while she's at it.

Feeding and grooming your babies at the same time!

When you're a mother of twins, you've got to multi-task.

A pronghorn's diet is comprised of plants.

They'll graze on grasses, shrubs and other vegetation.

They regurgitate their partially digested food, called cud, and then chew it again.

While it sounds kind of gross, chewing cud helps pronghorns to extract more nutrients from the plants they eat.

All this grinding must be tough on their teeth but it's all good.

Their teeth never stop growing.

When it comes to a pronghorn's survival strategy, it's basically see and flee.

With eyes the same size as an elephant's, their vision is excellent.

They can detect movement over five kilometres away.

Because pronghorns rely on their eyesight to spot any potential threats, they don't like to sleep for long periods of time.

It's just a quick couple of z's at regular intervals for these speedy creatures.

If they do see a predator in the distance, it's time to action phase two of their survival strategy - flee.

They really get their butts into gear, activating an alarm odour that emanates from glands in the white fur on their backsides.

The white patch will enlarge and stand up on end, alerting the rest of the herd to danger.

It will also act as a bright butt-beacon, helping pronghorns stick together as they hoof it at great speed.

With the ability to leap up to six metres in a single bound, pronghorns run with their mouths open so they're able to take in as much oxygen as possible to power their muscles when running.

They may be the second fastest land mammal on earth, but they can actually sustain high speeds for longer periods of time than the very fastest.

This makes the pronghorn fawn a baby animal with speed and staying power - and certainly not a creature we'll be challenging to a race anytime soon.

It's time to take to the sky.

Up here, you'll find a creature capable of speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour.

Number three is the golden eagle.

The largest population of these winged whirlwinds can be found in North America, but they can also be seen in Europe, Russia and parts of Asia.

And it looks like this golden eagle is just arriving home to its hungry hatchlings with tonight's dinner.

Grub's up at this cosy golden eagle home - a delicious freshly caught kill which can range from rodents and rabbits, plus foxes, fish, cats and even other birds.

Eaglets are born downy and soft and will develop their feathers as they grow.

They won't actually have their full adult plumage until they're about five years old.

Both Mum and Dad golden eagles will care for their young.

These couples are thought to be monogamous, and might even mate for life.

When you've got hungry beaks to feed, it's all talons on deck.

After a couple of months, golden eaglets are ready to fledge but they won't venture too far from the security of their nest not for a few more weeks anyhow.

Unless they're in a breeding pair, or roosting in a group for warmth during the winter, golden eagles lead a relatively solo life.

North America's largest birds of prey are quick off the mark, making their breakneck speed appear effortless, gliding more than they flap.

If you've ever wanted to know what it might be like to fly like an eagle, here's a bird's eye view.

You're welcome.

While the golden eagle might look fast now, wait till you see one dive.

This is when these speedsters really take it up a notch to between 240 and 320 kilometres per hour.

They hurtle through the air as they dive towards their prey in the ultimate aerodynamic position - with their wings and legs tucked in tightly.

One thing is for sure - these eaglets are the future faces of fast and fierce.

We are eight baby animals in on our Fastest Countdown so let's bound back to the open grasslands of - you guessed it - Africa.

We know by now that here on Mother Nature's racetrack, you can really get some speed up.

So it's no surprise these wide expanses in eastern and southern Africa are home to the largest wild population of the fastest land mammal on the planet.

Clocking the radar at up to 113 kilometres per hour, number two is the cheetah.

They look small and kind of still now.

That's all about to change - and fast.

For about the first two months of their lives, cheetah cubs drink milk from their mum.

These little cuties are racing into adulthood - with their teeth breaking through at about the three-week mark.

They'll also be halfway to being fully grown by the time they hit six months.

And you begin to understand why they might want to grow up so speedily when you learn that cub mortality in the wild is high.

In some areas, it can be as high as 90%.

As Mum must leave her litter to hunt for food, it leaves her cubs unprotected and vulnerable to the likes of lions and hyenas.

Luckily, cheetah cubs have a clever adaptation that can deter their would-be predators - a furry, fearsome disguise.

It's been hypothesised that the silvery-grey strip of fur that runs all the way down their back, called a mantle, mimics that of the honey badger, an aggressive animal that lions and hyenas are much less likely to attack.

Though a honey badger sandwich might sound like an appetising lunch, it certainly doesn't look like an easy one.

Yikes!

A cheetah cub's mantle does have some other proposed benefits too - camouflage and protection against the extreme temperatures of the African savannah.

One of the most important jobs for cheetah mums is teaching their cubs how to hunt.

This cheetah fam is on the prowl.

Cubs will start eating meat when they're between six and nine weeks old and will actively participate in hunts with their mother by their first birthday.

Mum will thoughtfully tear open the carcass for her offspring and wait a while before taking a bite herself.

How sweet.

Now it's time to talk speed.

These rapid racers are built for the chase.

It starts with their incredible eyesight, helped by their unique, black, tear-like markings that are thought to protect a cheetah's eyes from the glare of the sun as well as helping them focus on their prey over great distances.

Its stealthy spots and rings around the tail help a cheetah to stay hidden when stalking their prey.

Once this daytime hunter spots its next meal, it can accelerate up to 100 kilometres per hour in just over three seconds.

If you're a small to medium-sized animal like a hare or an antelope you're on a cheetah's menu.

With hard foot pads for maximum grip and semi-retractable claws similar to spikes on a running shoe a charging cheetah is able to propel itself at awe-inspiring speed over short distances.

They have evolved to have long flexible spines, allowing for an increased stride length of up to seven metres.

Growing up to be so quick, you can literally fly through the air faster than a highway speed limit - yeah.

That makes you a Pretty Fast and Fly Baby Animal.

And now for the moment we've all been waiting for - our number one Fastest Baby Animal which, conveniently, is known to be the fastest animal on the planet.

Able to achieve speeds of 320 kilometres per hour, blink and you'll most certainly miss this one.

It's the peregrine falcon.

When a peregrine falcon parent isn't tearing through the skies, it might just be tearing up pieces of fresh meat for its nestlings to eat.

There are usually three to four eggs laid in a peregrine falcon clutch, and babies are called eyases.

When you live your life at speed, ain't nobody got time for building elaborate nests!

A mating pair will find a little cave in a cliff face like this one, a tree hollow, or even abandoned nests of other birds to lay their eggs in and nurture their young.

These eyases may look tiny and weak now, but they mature rapidly - doubling their weight just six days after hatching.

In addition, they're ready to fledge much faster than the golden eagle at around five or six weeks.

Even though they can fly, fledglings will still need Mum and Dad until they're about ten weeks old, at which point, their speedy childhood is over and they're ready to race into the world on their own.

The peregrine falcon is a highly adaptable bird that is successful across a multitude of habitats.

From snow-covered forests... to searing hot deserts... plus the seaside... and towering mountains... even cities, this hardy bird can wing it just about anywhere on earth.

To be a fast flier, you've got to keep your wings in tip-top shape.

Peregrine falcons spend a lot of time preening their feathers, but not because they're image-obsessed.

Preening actually helps to waterproof their feathers, as well as ensuring maximum aerodynamics whilst in flight.

Preening isn't the only time you'll see feathers in a peregrine falcon's beak.

Their diet is heavy in - you guessed it - other birds.

While they'll occasionally eat rodents, rabbits and fish, this one is tucking in - or should we say plucking in - to its birdy meal.

Oh and just FYI - peregrine falcons are capable of catching said prey mid-flight.

When it comes to game plan, the fastest creature in the animal kingdom will hunt by soaring up to great heights and then diving at great speed.

These awe-inspiring aerial acrobatics are a wonder to behold, swooping and stalking their prey - until the time comes to strike with their razor-sharp talons often killing on impact.

That is how it's done, folks.

That right there is the wild definition of "fast food".

When you grow up to catch other birds in mid-air whilst diving at speeds of over 320 kilometres an hour, and it takes you around ten weeks to become independent - yeah.

That makes you the Fastest Baby Animal on the planet in our books.