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Humans aren’t the only species testing their limits during the Beijing Olympics – animals do it every day. In honor of the best of human achievement, CI is proud to present ten of the fastest, most limber, strongest and deepest diving creatures on the face of the earth. And we’re taking a sideways look as well – no speedy cheetahs or deep-diving squid here!

IN PHOTOS: Want a closer look? All of our animal athletes are featured in a photo gallery.

Shooting/Archery
Parsons Chameleon (Chamaeleo parsonii)
IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Parsons chameleons are consummate hunters, flicking their muscular tongues at great speed, catching prey on the tip of the tongue, and pulling morsels back into the mouth. In fact, many chameleon species’ tongue’s can reach twice the animal’s body length. Most of the world’s chameleons (90%) are found in Madagascar’s tropical forests and nowhere else in the world, and –although the pet trade has been limited through legal measures –deforestation remains a serious threat.

Boxing
Doria’s Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus dorianus)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

A tree kangaroo would probably only get a bronze in boxing, if they made it to the Olympics at all. Although tree kangaroos, unlike their larger ground-hopping relatives, aren’t actually known to box, all ten species of tree kangaroo are in the ring. Doria’s kangaroos, native to Papua New Guinea and relative heavyweight of the tree kangaroo world, are threatened primarily due to hunting, though they won’t go down without a fight. Males are heavy with serious claws, and show how tough they are by stretching tall, raising their forearms, thrashing their tail, and lifting their snout to the sky.

Diving
Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Leatherbacks go deep. And far. Adult leatherback turtles range over thousands of kilometers, and have been found diving to 1,200 meters (well over 3,000 feet)! Like many of their threatened turtle counterparts, leatherback turtles face numerous pressures, from pollution to hunting for eggs, meat and shells. In 1996, a collection of turtle scientists estimated that 20,000 to 30,000 adult females existed in the world. This is not good news: In less than a single generation, turtle populations had dropped by nearly 80%.

Gymnastics
Siamang (Hylobates syndactylus)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Gibbons swing by their long arms, twist among the branches using their grabbing feet, and sing in elaborate hooting symphonies. They are also in serious danger, and while Siamang populations remain relatively stable, most gibbons face a terrible situation across much of Asia. Because of increasing human pressures – primarily the destruction of the forests the gibbons live – the Javan gibbon population is down to less than 4,000 individuals. Only serious conservation action will allow the flexible species to survive.

LEARN MORE: Delve into the threatened waters of our oceans and CI's on-going projects to protect marine life.

Synchronized Swimming
Amazon River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Unlike many of their dolphin brethren, Amazon river dolphins (also called boutu, boto or bufeo) often live alone or in pairs. As you can see here, though, paired botos have an uncanny ability to swim in seeming synchronicity – a trait many a human swimmer would love to emulate. Although the river dolphins have long played apart in local mythology – affording them a measure of protection – today, they are threatened by hunting, capture and habitat degradation.

Weightlifting
African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Obviously, elephants are strong. As the largest of land mammals, African elephants have few natural predators, and like the most heavily muscled athlete, a healthy adult can stare down any threat. But in honoring the elephant, let’s not forget the insects, often overlooked for their abilities and conservation needs. The rhinoceros beetle can carry 850 times its own weight – imagine an elephant doing that! Like elephants, many insects are important parts of their ecosystems. And the massive Goliath beetle (Goliathus regius) of West Africa is in much more danger from deforestation and habitat loss than some bigger, more popular beasts.

Swimming
Shortfin Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened (at least for now…)

Shortfin makos are the world’s fastest sharks, both in speed trials (makos can hit 32 kilometers, or 20 miles, per hour for short bursts) and the marathon. Makos have been shown to travel nearly 2130 kilometers (or 1320 miles) in only 37 days – that’s 58km/36miles a day! One way makos aren’t so fast, however, is in their reproductive rates, which may be one reason they are so vulnerable to direct fishing, sport hunting and as bycatch by fishing fleets. New assessments of marine species also suggest these important predators may be in much hotter water than we previously thought.

Wrestling
Blue Poison Frog (Dendrobates azureus)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Beautiful – Yes. Dangerous? Sure. But the world’s number one wrestler? That might not be as much of a stretch as you’d think. Blue poison frogs are aggressive and territorial, particularly during the breeding season, and are known to fight for the right to mate. Today, all frogs have good reason to fight for their survival. A combination of illegal trade, habitat loss and environmental sensitivity to climate change are seriously threatening these amphibians’ chances for survival. Today, one in every three species is now threatened with extinction.

Water Polo
Giant River Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)
IUCN Status: Endangered

Like a finely honed athletic team, these gigantic Brazilian otters use speed, muscle, and above all, teamwork, to achieve their goals. They are excellent hunters, whether seeking fish or other river animals, and can be seen coordinating their hunts like a finely honed sports team. Only by working together do the otters (which average a length of 1.8 meters or six feet!) continue to thrive in a rivery habitat facing habitat destruction and a diminishing food chain.

Judo
Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

The cassowaries of Papua New Guinea display aggression with a swift kick – and their toes are much more dangerous than one worn by a martial artist with a black belt! Despite their aggressive reputation, cassowaries are primarily fruit-eaters, playing an important role in dispersing rainforest seeds. They are threatened only by increasing pressure from the human population encroaching into their forested homes.

IN PHOTOS: Hundreds of animals are struggling to survive in out world. Check out some other threatened species.