Everyone knows that lions and tigers and bears (oh my)
are cute but dangerous, but there are a lot of critters out there that
seem entirely harmless but are actually every bit as deadly as those
previously mentioned beasts.
1. Squirrels
Squirrels
are adorable little fuzzballs that just want to eat nuts and play all
day right? Well, for the most part, yes. But there have been stories of
rogue squirrels attacking people and pets. In Florida, a three year old
boy was attacked by a squirrel and he had to be hospitalized after
receiving nine bites. In California, an elderly couple was sent to the
hospital after being scratched and bitten by a crazed squirrel that had
previously attacked at least six other people. While no humans have been
killed by squirrels (that we know of) but in Russia, eight of them
worked together to kill a stray dog that was barking at them -according
to the newspaper report, "they are said to have scampered off at the
sight of humans, some carrying pieces of flesh." If that doesn't leave
you with a whole new image of the fluffy-tailed rodents, I don't know
what will.
2. Giant Anteaters
You
probably wouldn't be intimidated just looking at one, but giant
anteaters can defend themselves surprisingly well. The large mammals
have powerful , sharp claws that they use to dig up termite hills. These
claws can kill humans. When they feel threatened, the animals stand on
their hind legs and extend their arms in what looks like a hug -but you
do not want to take them up on a cuddle.
3. Swans
They're
beautiful and elegant, but they can actually be incredibly dangerous
-and in rare instances, deadly. Swans are highly territorial and will
attack, aggressively flapping their strong, boney wings and snapping
their beaks at people. In one unbelievable story, a canoe r was drowned
after a swan knocked him from his boat and then stopped him from being
able to swim to shore. The man's widow even sued the lake for housing
such violent and dangerous birds.
4. The African Spur-Winged Goose
If
you think death-by-swan is scary, then just wait until you learn about
the African spur-winged goose, the one of the most dangerous birds in
the world. This strong bird has spurs on its wrists that it uses while
attacking, which can actually be poisonous. They aren't always
poisonous, but those that feed on a specific blister beetle carry the
toxin in their spurs. As little as 10 mg is enough of this toxin can
kill a human. The bird's flesh is also deadly if they have been eating
the beetles.
5. Cassowaries
Widely
considered the most dangerous bird in the world, the cassowary is also
the third largest bird. There are all sorts of rumors of the birds using
their sharp nails to gut a person, but that much isn't true. They still
can kill with those talons though and the most recent death occurred in
1926 when a cassowary kicked a 16 year old in the neck, causing him to
bleed to death. In the bird's defense, the teen was trying to club it to
death.
Cassowaries are solitary animals and should be left alone
or they may start defending their territory violently. Most attacks
occur when people attempt to feed the birds, so please, if you see a
giant dinosaur bird, leave it alone.
6. Beavers
You
wouldn't think a little, cute beaver could do any real damage against a
human, but at least one beaver has killed a person when the animal
chomped on a fisherman's leg, severing an artery. These creatures are
territorial and defensive and have been known to bite, though deaths are
pretty unheard of. The bottom line: if you see a beaver in the wild,
just leave it alone.
7. Deer
Oh
sure, they look like helpless, innocent icons of a simpler time and
every kid grows up crying when Bambi loses his mother to heartless
hunters, but deer can be surprisingly aggressive. Generally speaking,
deer will run away when they sense danger, but during mating season
males can attack humans the same way they would charge another buck and
once babies are born, mothers will risk their life to save their
offspring. Deer have even been known to fight back after they are
wounded by hunters. In recent years, people have been attacked and
killed by deer in California, New Hampshire, Maine and Georgia and even
more people have been hospitalized by the animals.
Even when they
aren't trying to hurt anyone, deer are still the most dangerous animal
in the US based solely on the number of deaths they cause. Every year an
average of 130 people die in car accidents from hitting deer. That's
right, you're statistically way more likely to hit a deer with your car
and die than you are to get fatal attacked by a shark or bear -and
that's when the deer doesn't want to attack you.
8. Cone Snails
You
probably don't think of snails as dangerous whether they live on the
ground or under the sea, but cone snails all carry venom that is
injected with a harpoon-like tooth that punctures its prey before
paralyzing it. Most small cone snails are no more dangerous than a bee,
but the larger versions and some more venomous varieties can kill a
human. There is still no antivenin for cone snails and the larger ones
can even puncture through protective gloves. Symptoms of a bite include
pain, swelling, numbness, vomiting, muscle paralysis, changes in vision
and respiratory failure that can result in death.
9. Slow Lorises
This
might just be the cutest, sweetest looking critter ever, but no matter
how much you might want to grab one and cuddle it -don't. The slow loris
though is actually one of the only poisonous mammals on earth. It
produces the toxin in a gland in its armpit and the critters often rub
their arms in the gland and rub the toxin on their young to protect them
from predators. You might be thinking to yourself, 'yeah, but I have no
intention of eating a slow loris, baby or not,' but the animal isn't
just dangerous to animals stupid enough to take a bite. The primate can
suck the poison into its mouth and then inject it into an enemy while
biting. This poison can cause an allergic reaction in many animals
(including humans) and result in death from anaphylactic shock.
It goes without saying that this is yet another reason you really shouldn't own one of these endangered animals as pets.
10. Leopard Seals
They're
so cute, but they sure aren't cuddly. Leopard seals are appropriately
named in that they are the stealthy predators of the Antarctic, hunting
penguins fish and other seals. In 2003, a leopard seal actually killed a
biologist studying in Antarctica, dragging her under the water and
holding her there until she drowned.
Remember,
just because something looks innocent and cuddly, doesn't mean it can't
kill you.
