The world is full of fascinating creatures but at the same time is home to some of the most dangerous creatures. Some animals are so cute that nothing makes you happier than picking them up and giving them a short embrace. Other creatures, on the other hand, can be quite deadly if approached too closely. After all, wild animals are wild. There are some species that you need to avoid at all costs.
Here’s a countdown from the least terrifying to the most:
#10- Poison dart frog
When an animal’s name includes the term “poison,” it is obvious that you should keep away from it. The poison dart frog, however, is not a single frog. There’s a whole field of vividly colored frogs that you simply want to pet. When you see them, though, you should do the exact opposite. They contain enough venom in them to kill ten human adults despite being the size of a paper clip! The poison they possess is called batrachotoxin which can be found in their glands located right under their skin. Despite its dangers, the poison can be used for good. The indigenous Embera people took advantage of this characteristic for their own benefit. To shield themselves from any threat, they’ve been lacing the point of their arrows with this frog’s poison.
#9- Puss moth
The moth is not always horrible looking. Some might be prettier than an actual butterfly. The puss moth, which gets its name from its similarity to a cat and its fluffiness just makes you want to pet them. But don’t be fooled by its cute looks. The fur on the Puss Moth conceals a hidden pair of spikes ready to puncture and kill anyone who gets too close. Once stung, the pain only gets worse. But the good thing is that the pain lasts for about an hour and the rash lasts for a day. You just need to clean the sting with some soap and water and apply an ice pack to it.
#8-Hooded Pitohui
Birds are very far away from being poisonous but not this guy. The Hooded Pitohui has a very high level of batrachotoxin, just like the poison dart frog. The toxin can be found on the bird’s muscles, heart, and liver. If you by accident eat this bird, it will affect our nerve cells and cause cardiac arrest within moments. Even scientists wonder how can such a small bird contain so much toxin without being killed by it.
#7-Box Jellyfish
Such a graceful swimmer but also considered to be the most venomous sea creature. What’s worse is that they are invisible which makes it hard for prey to notice. Their tentacles are about 10 feet and each tentacle has thousands of stinging cells called the nematocyst. These toxins can attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells all in one go. Despite having a cure for it, many victims died drowning or of heart failure before getting medical aid. And those lucky enough still experience pain and scarring.
#6- Cone Snails
Snails are slow and not harmful, right? But if you see this guy, just run. Cone Snails can be found in the warm water of tropical regions and it’s easy to find them because of their beautiful shell. Cone Snails have harpoon-like teeth that contain venom that is super strong, making them the poisonous snail species. The toxin they possess is called conotoxin that causes cells to stop communicating with each other and this leads to instant paralysis.
#5- Striated Surgeonfish
They look like normal fish with no special marking to identify them. The poison in this fish is generated by a buildup of another poisonous dinoflagellate that the fish absorb while consuming algae. Dinoflagellates are a kind of sea plankton that can cause shellfish poisoning. If we eat that contaminated fish, the poison can cause neurological damages that can lead to death.
#4-Blue-Capped Ifrit
Here’s another poisonous bird. The Blue-Capped Ifrit contains the same venom as the Poison Dart Frog and the Hooded Pitohui. This toxin opens the sodium channel in the nerve cells which then causes paralysis. However, these birds don’t produce venom by themselves. Poisonous birds have a diet that becomes the source of their toxin.
#3-Platypus
Who would have thought that this cute creature is also venomous! They are one of the few mammals that are venomous. And what’s interesting is that this mammal lays eggs, looks like a reptile, and sleeps for 14 hours a day. The venom from these guys is secreted from their hind legs and is only produced by males during the mating season. They use this venom to paralyze smaller animals. Though it is not really that strong, its venom can still be very painful, causing the affected area to swell up. The pain usually lasts for few days or a week but on rare occasions, it lasts for months. What’s worse is that even morphine can really treat the pain.
#2- Blue-Ringed Octopus
This eight-legged creature might be smart and pretty but is also dangerous. Their bright and beautiful patterns are actually a warning sign. Usually, they run away when they are confronted by humans but if there’s a need, they would strike. They have enough venom that can kill about 26 adults. However, you won’t realize when you have been stung, well not until the symptoms kick in. The venom of these octopus contains tetrodotoxin which is a thousand times more deadly than cyanide. Once stung, it can lead to complete paralysis.
#1-Comb Stars
They look terrifying enough already. This starfish contains tetrodotoxin in its flesh. This toxin can not only cause paralysis but also death from respiratory failure. Every part of this starfish holds enough toxin to kill about 520 mice. What’s worse is that there’s no cure for this toxin.
Sources: Facts Junkie