These are just some of the animals you should steer clear of!
There are some creatures we never want to deal with in our lives, because they are either dangerous and can kill us, or they are simply disgusting and can trigger our phobias. For example, there are very few people in the world who would make a tarantula or a rat as a pet, right?
However, the animal kingdom is unpredictable and full of various creatures with incredible features and personality traits, so inevitably, there are some species of animals that can be life-threatening and you better don’t mess with them!
One of the crucial things that we have to take into consideration when analyzing the behavior of an animal is that there are a lot of factors that could influence their reactions to us or even their interaction with other creatures.
In other words, animals can change their behavior if someone invades their intimate space, or habitat, tries to interact with their babies and family, or simply feel threatened by you (sometimes unjustified – maybe just because of your body posture) then they can become dangerous, so, out of a desire to defend themselves, they can attack you.
Therefore, there are animals that have developed more or less effective defense mechanisms, some of which can be really strange, while others are quite impressive.
So, if you want to find out more info about our impressive animals and their traits, keep reading and click on the “Next” button for more!
Hairy Frogs
The hairy frog (commonly known as the horror frog or Wolverine frog) is a Central African species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. They are called like that because males have a hair-like structure on their bodies. However, even though they are threatened by habitat loss, the hairy frog is not considered endangered.
Usually, males are larger than females and they are terrestrial creatures that return to the water for breeding. Hairy frogs usually feed on slugs, myriapods, spiders, beetles, and grasshoppers.
What many people don’t know about this special frog species is that, unlike other amphibians, they have developed an interesting defense mechanism when they feel threatened, namely to break their own legs. Can you believe that?!
According to animal experts, hairy frog adopts this type of defense whenever they feel attacked by predators or even when biologists want to study them. So, they intentionally break the bones of their toes. In addition, their claws gradually retract later and the damaged tissue slowly regenerates itself.
So if they are not dangerous, then why avoid them? Well, would you want to be responsible for causing a simple innocent soul to break their own legs in fear? Please say no!
Western capercaillies
The western capercaillie, also known as the Eurasian capercaillie, wood grouse, or heather cock, is the largest member of the grouse family. According to animal experts, the heaviest capercaillie recorded in captivity had a weight of 7 kg (16 pounds). Of course, males are larger than females and are best known for their courtship display. However, even if they are really beautiful and charming birds, they can be just as dangerous, especially during the mating season.
It has been shown that the male western capercaillie can become very territorial and aggressive during the mating season, so they can attack even bird watchers who get too close to them.
Nevertheless, as a general rule, although they are in captivity at a zoo, you should never get too close to these wild animals. Not to mention that you shouldn’t do this at all, not even with the domestic ones that you don’t know. It’s important to understand that they are all animals and have unpredictable instincts after all.
Moray Eels
Moray Eels are a family of eels that lives in all the waters of the world. Researchers say that there are approximately 200 species of eels in 16 genera. Most of them are marine, but a few species can be found in brackish water (water with more salinity), while some can be seen in freshwater as well.
They are carnivorous creatures that feed mostly on smaller fish, crabs, and octopuses. They can be prey for groupers, barracudas, and sea snakes.
But why are they considered dangerous? Well, most of them possess large teeth used to tear flesh or grasp slippery prey. Some species, such as the snowflake moray and the zebra moray, have molar-like teeth suitable for crushing. That’s not all! They can secrete mucus that contains a toxin that causes red blood cells to clump and eventually get destroyed. That being said, if they bite you, then you can be hospitalized for a while. If that doesn’t scare you, then their face definitely should.
Tiger Centipede
The tiger centipede, also known as Scolopendra polymorpha, the common desert centipede or Sonoran Desert centipede, can be found in the Southwestern US and northern Mexico. Their natural habitat can be observed under rocks or inside rotting logs. Their bodies can reach up to 7 in (18 cm) in length.
But what if a tiger centipede bites you? According to animal experts, the centipede’s venom can cause pain and swelling in the area of the bite, plus other possible severe reactions throughout the body, such as redness, anaphylaxis, vomiting, nausea, headache, and tissue necrosis. However, most of the time, their bites aren’t life-threatening to humans (especially adults), but they can be dangerous to children or people who are allergic.
Coyote Peterson (known for getting bitten by terrifying animals in the name of science) said about the tiger centipede that they are the worst pain givers in the world of insects. “This just absolutely eclipses all the insect stings I’ve taken.”
Australian Magpies
The Australian magpie is a medium-sized passerine bird native to Australia and New Guinea. They are closely related to the black butcherbird, but NOT to the European magpie, which is actually a corvid. The male and female are usually similar in appearance, and sometimes only an animal expert can distinguish them by their black markings. These songbirds have an array of complex vocalizations and are also omnivorous. They tend to be territorial.
Sometimes males become aggressive when someone approaches their nests, especially during the mating season. According to animal experts, in 2020, there were more than 3000 attacks on humans by magpies in Australia, with about 400 people seriously injured.
Camel Spiders
Camel spiders, also known as solifugae, are neither true scorpions nor true spiders. They are univoltine, which means that they reproduce once a year. The female usually digs a burrow into which they can lay up to 200 eggs. Females don’t feed during this time but will try to fatten themselves beforehand. It’s important to know that there are a lot of legends that exaggerate their size and behavior.
However, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t dangerous to humans. They could bite you, indeed, and you could develop painful lesions. More than that, they are incredibly fast, with their top speed at about 16 km/h (10 mph).
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The alligator snapping turtle lives in the freshwater habitat in the United States. According to animal experts, this species of turtle in the family Chelydridae is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles, and the largest species in North America.
They are carnivorous creatures that feed on live food caught by themselves as well as dead organisms. In other words, they will eat everything they can catch. They can eat not only fish, mollusks, carrion, and amphibians but snakes, snails, birds, and other turtles as well.
There are people who keep the alligator snapping turtle as a pet, but they are difficult to take care of. Even though they are not prone to biting, they can be dangerous whenever they feel threatened. To be more specific, they can easily amputate fingers or cause other severe injuries.
Since we are on the topic of dangerous animals, make sure that you keep in mind that encountering any of these ones can lead to dire consequences!
