If You Spot This Creature, Run!

Nature’s anything but a safe place. Some of the creatures you’ll find out there are straight-up biological weapons. Get ready for some good nightmares tonight, because we’re bringing you some of the wickedest animal defenses you’ll find anywhere on the planet.

1. Saltwater Crocodile

Australia is infamously full of things that can kill you. One of the most fearsome is the saltwater crocodile, the world’s largest reptile. If you invade this bad boy’s space, he will clamp down on you with the strongest bite ever recorded: 3,700 pounds per square inch, which is stronger than a T. rex. After biting, it holds on and does a death roll that rips off huge chunks of flesh. You’re not safe on land or at sea. They’ve attacked fishermen hundreds of miles from land, and can go far inland up freshwater systems. Up to 200 people a year die from this monster’s fury.

2. Box Jellyfish

The box jellyfish looks ephemeral and harmless, but it is the most venomous animal in the ocean. Its sting packs a powerful punch that can stop your heart in minutes, but not before inflicting such intense pain that some people pass out in the water and drown first. Those who do survive the experience report being in agonizing pain for weeks. Forty to 100 people a year die this way. And get this — the box jellyfish keeps on defending itself after it dies. People who touch the tentacles of a dead box jellyfish can still get a painful, and sometimes fatal, dose of venom.

3. Inland Taipan

How’s this for a wicked defense: the inland taipan has venom 50 times more powerful than a cobra’s! The venom in a single bite is enough to take out 100 people. That makes it the most venomous snake in the world. Fortunately, it is reclusive and not very aggressive, so people rarely cross paths with it.

4. Cape Buffalo

Maybe it just looks like a big cow, but the Cape Buffalo is one of the most dangerous and unpredictable animals in Africa. They kill about 200 people a year, including more big game hunters than any other African species. The cape buffalo has to fight off lions, so nature has equipped it very well to survive in a tough neighborhood.

5. Blue-Ringed Octopus

Native to the Pacific Ocean, the blue-ringed octopus is small and super cute. Those blue rings are beautiful and mesmerizing, but just look, don’t touch. Because if it bites you, its venom will paralyze you so that you know exactly what’s happening but can’t do a thing about it as you sink to the ocean floor. Now that’s a wicked way to die.

6. Brazilian Wandering Spider

The next time you happen to find yourself lost in a tropical rainforest in South America, resist the urge to pet this spider with 6-inch long legs that are about the size of your hand. This one’s so fast and aggressive it doesn’t bother to build a web but just chases its prey down. It’s packing one of the most toxic spider venoms on the planet. In people, it can cause unspeakable pain, paralysis, and sometimes death.

7. Komodo Dragon

Fortunately for the world, Komodo dragons are pretty much restricted to a few small islands in Indonesia. You definitely don’t want this guy as your neighborhood invasive species. They grow up to 10 feet long and can weigh up to 300 pounds. They can run 12 mph in short bursts, climb trees when they’re young, and are powerful swimmers. But their animal defenses aren’t limited to running away. They have a deadly bite, full of bacteria and venom that cause sepsis and paralysis in their victims. They can eat up to 80% of their body weight in meat in one meal. And most horrifying of all: they have been known to stalk and eat people.

8. Cone Snail

This tropical water ocean snail lives in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean Sea. It has a harpoon-like stinger to inject poison into its prey. And its venom is huge overkill for this snail’s needs. Even the smallest ones have a sting with enough venom to kill 700 people! Sometimes people don’t feel the sting and only realize something is wrong when they begin to lose control of their body and have increasing problems breathing. Worst of all, there is no anti-venom. Doctors just have to try to keep the victim alive as the venom wears off. So when you’re wading in the ocean shallows, wear protective footwear and don’t pick up pretty shells in the water. Because one of them might still have an overly defensive little guy with a toxic spear inside.

9. Hippopotamus

A hippo is cute . . . from a distance. Up close, enjoy it, it’s probably the last thing you’ll ever see. They stand at 5.5 feet high and weigh up to 9,000 pounds. Despite being so heavy, they’re fast, reaching 30 mph in short bursts. They kill on land and in the water, sometimes purposely turning over fishing boats and killing the occupants. They kill more people than any other animal in Africa, including lions, crocodiles, or elephants. About 500 people a year die by being crushed, bitten, or drowned by hippos.

Your Best Defense

Clearly, these creatures don’t just defend themselves; they go full-on beast mode and end fights permanently. So what’s your best defense against them? Give ’em space—or risk learning the hard way why they made this list!