Watch CBC Wild Docs online: Episode 4 Extreme Speed

Counts down the fastest animals on earth and compares them to human attempts to race their way into the record books. You can run - but you can't hide from the fastest animals on the planet. Earth is a planet of extremes - extreme places, and extreme animals. But some animals are more impressive than others when it comes to quickness. It may surprise you to find out which animals use their knack for speed to survive. From miraculous lizards that walk on water to super swift sharks, Extreme Speed counts down the top ten most extreme speed freaks in the animal world, and compares them to human attempts to race their way into the record books. The legendary hare has an impressive track record of extreme speed. But how would it stack up against the world's fastest human athletes? Running full throttle, the hare can approach speeds of 45 miles per hour. That means it could dominate the Olympic 100 metre sprint and shatter the world record in a time of just 5 seconds. That's fast, but not as fast as the tiny animal that races to catch prey while traveling an astonishing 170 body lengths each second. For the cowboys of the Wild West, extreme speed was the difference between life and death. It only takes two tenths of a second for the fastest gunslingers to draw ... and shoot. But cowboys have some competition from a creature that you might find hiding at the bottom of a fish tank. This sharp shooter doesn't pack pistols, but uses clubs to knock its opponents senseless - clubs that move as fast as speeding bullets. Snails are not known for their speed, but some varieties are actually stealth assassins. When the cone snail detects prey a hollow and barbed harpoon loaded with venom is launched from inside the snail's throat. A U.S. Marine based in Guam was posing for a photograph with two cone snails when both simultaneously struck him in the neck. He died in just four seconds. Whether they're predator or prey, the fastest animals on earth all use the power of speed to stay alive. Extreme Speed examines these creatures and their remarkable flair for life in the fast lane - but first we have to catch them!

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