Have you ever wanted to pet a baby seal, or cuddle with a platypus?
My advice, resist the urge.
Here are 11 adorable animals that are surprisingly dangerous.
11: Dolphins
Dolphins are extremely curious, approachable,
and friendly.On the other hand they are highly intelligent and will not hesitate to defend
themselves if provoked.
The BBC says that besides being cute and cuddly, they are also known for violent mating practices,
incest and infanticide.
Just like humans they can be nasty and conniving, says The Dolphin Research Alliance.
They will organize and attack sharks, each other, and their own babies and bludgeon them
to death if necessary.
There has been a dramatic rise in killer attacks by dolphins on porpoises in one of Britain’s
main breeding areas.
Experts have witnessed porpoise bodies with punctured lungs and deadly internal injuries
inflicted by dolphins.
While attacks on humans are extremely rare, they could easily do the same to us.
Respect their space, and admire them from a distance in the wild.
10.Slow Loris
This lovable, big-eyed creature might look harmless, but the slow loris has a deadly
secret.
Lorises have toxic glands hidden on their elbows which they lick to lace their bites
with poison.
They groom themselves with this toxin to give their fur a nasty taste in case someone is
thinking of taking a bite out of them.
Strangely enough, slow lorises have evolved to share some of the same traits as a cobra.
They make hissing noises, have similar markings, venom in their elbows, and they even move
like a snake.
Looking like a cobra would definitely be helpful when trying to escape a predator!
In reality, this poison is only dangerous to humans if the victim is allergic to the
toxin.
You may have seen them looking extremely cute raising their arms in videos as a reaction
when people tickle them.
In reality they are feeling extremely threatened and are trying to protect themselves with
their poison elbow.
Many of these animals are victims of the illegal pet trade and could even fund organized crime
around the world.
International Animal Rescue has a pledge you can sign to raise awareness at www.ticklingistorture.org.
9.
Anteaters As its name suggests, anteaters eat about
35,000 ants and termites every day.
It is hard to believe that an animal with no teeth could be dangerous, but this cuddly
creature has long, sharp claws that it uses to tear into anthills and termite mounds and
it won’t hesitate to use them to defend itself.
If threatened, an anteater can maul a human and do an incredible amount of damage with
just one swipe.
According to National Geographic anteaters aren't aggressive, but can be fierce.
A cornered anteater will rear up on its hind legs, while using its large tail for balance
and use its 4-inch claws (10 cm).
The giant anteater can reach 7 feet (2.1 m) long and is ferocious enough to fight off
jaguars and pumas.
8.
Mute Swans
Known for their beauty and grace, it is hard to imagine such a peaceful creature turning
into Mr. Hyde.
So how dangerous are swans exactly?
These swans will vigorously defend their nest so the best advice is to stay away from it?
I mean, can you blame them?
If you intrude on their territory, swans will swim straight at you quickly, raising and
batting its wings, and hiss.
Loudly.
Swans are pretty big and strong and the president of the American Ornithologist’s Union says
he is sure swans can do major damage with their beaks.
In 2012, a mute swan from the Chicago area made headlines around the world after charging
and capsizing the boat of Anthony Hensley, a 37-year-old father of two who subsequently
drowned.
Witnesses said the swan would not let him come up for air.
Other violent swans in England have also gained notoriety for stalking the River Cam and attacking
rowers.
You shouldn’t really be that scared, but just in case if you have small children, pick
them up and walk away!
7.
Moose
The problem with Moose is that there are a lot of them and most people don’t know any
better and think they aren’t dangerous.
Their innocent face makes people want to get as close to them as possible.
They can be extremely aggressive during mating season and when they are hungry, tired, and
threatened by humans and dogs getting too close.
That makes total sense but still, each year in Alaska more people are injured by moose
than by bears.
Moose have a personal space and if you invade it they might snap and charge at you.
Anchorage-area state wildlife biologist Jessy Coltrane, told CBS News.
"Assume every moose is a serial killer standing in the middle of the trail with a loaded gun."
A moose can defend itself and its calf from a full-grown grizzly.
It can also lunge, kick, and chase you down to get revenge.
The National Park & Preserve Alaska website recommends you do not take selfies with them,
and if a moose is charging you, to run and duck around trees, cars, or buildings.
If you are out in the open, run in a zig-zag motion.
6.
Leopard Seal The leopard seal is the second largest seal
in the Antarctic after the southern elephant seal, and this is one predator you don't want
to swim with.
It is one of the Southern Ocean’s most fearsome predators, second only to the killer whale.
It eats everything from fish, to penguins, and even other seals.
While these big-eyed seals might look like they are giving you the cute puppy dog face,
don’t let this smile fool you!
They are potentially highly dangerous.Leopard seals do not play well with others!
They generally hunt alone and love to play with their food before eating it.
There are many examples of them stalking and attacking humans over the years.
Leopard seals have bitten explorers on expeditions and tried to drag them to sea.
The only reason they were saved was because other companions were either able to shoot
the animal or kick it in the head with their spiky boots.
In 2003, biologist Kirsty Brown was dragged by a seal underwater to her death.
Leopard seals are also attracted to the black, torpedo-shaped pontoons of inflatable boats,
so researchers need to equip their craft with special guards so they don’t get punctured.
Ian Boyd, director of the Sea Mammal Research Unit in Scotland says that leopard seals are
becoming a greater danger because of their exposure to humans.
5.
Puffer fish
Few fish are cuter than these little, smiling puffer fish.
Don't be fooled because the pufferfish is the second most poisonous vertebrate on the
planet after the Golden Poison Frog.
They are very slow fish, which makes them an easy target for predators so they have
developed a very unique defense mechanism.
The puffer fish can suddenly inflate which will surprise predators and make it difficult
to swallow.
Nearly all pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a deadly, potent poison.
People who eat enough of it die a frightening and slow death by suffocation.
According to National Geographic, tetrodotoxin is up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide.
One pufferfish has enough toxin to kill 30 adults and there is no antidote.
Fugu is a delicacy eaten in Asia which consists of the intestines, ovaries, and liver of a
special kind of blowfish.
Because of the high risk of eating it, chefs must undergo 2-3 years of training to get
a license to prepare it.
Part of the allure for diners is the thrill of the danger and the tingling in your mouth
that you get when you eat it.
The FDA has very specific warnings on consuming puffer fish since you could easily die, especially
if you eat the wrong one.
4.
Deer Turns out that the most dangerous animal in
all of America is the deer, not really what you were expecting, was it?!
Deer kill about 120 people in the US on average each year compared to just around one person
a year each for bears, alligators, sharks, and rattlesnakes.
Maybe it’s not on purpose since in most cases it is due to vehicle collisions but
still…Most deer are skittish and quick to flee if they sense something.
However, every now and then there is a brave one that will charge and kick at anyone or
anything it sees as a threat.
A buck’s sharp, tough antlers can cause gruesome injuries or even death.
Deer can also carry diseases which can be harmful to humans.
3.
Platypus
These cute guys with a body like an otter and a beak like a duck are one of the only
mammals that lays eggs.
Just because it looks like a bunch of cute animals got rolled into one doesn't mean you
should let your guard down.
The male platypus has a spur on its hind foot that contains enough venom to kill a dog.
The spur is about 15mm long and injects poison produced by a gland in the thigh.
They use their poison in battles with other males possibly to fight for territory or to
protect their family.
It is one of the few mammals that are poisonous.
The sting is not considered life-threatening to humans, but is extremely painful and causes
rapid swelling in the affected area.
Now people mainly get spurred when they handle a platypus that has gotten hooked on a fishing
line.
If you do live in Eastern Australia or Tasmania, try to avoid handling them unless it’s an
emergency!
2.
Blue-Ringed Octopus The tiny blue-ringed octopus is one of the
world’s most venomous marine animals.
They are only about 12-20 cm (5-8 in) long and relatively docile.
However, if it feels threatened, it will bite.
Like the puffer fish, the blue-ringed octopus venom contains tetrodotoxin, and can kill
an adult human within minutes.
It lives in tidal regions ranging from Australia to Japan and is frequently encountered by
people wading in tide pools, making it more likely for someone to step on it.
When the octopus feels threatened it will flash its blue rings as a warning.
If a predator doesn't leave, the octopus attacks by ejecting venom that causes paralysis, and
then death.
The more common blue-ringed octopus, carries enough poison to kill 26 adults in just a
few minutes.
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1.
Elephant Elephants are some of the most beloved creatures
on Earth and have been hunted mercilessly for their tusks.
As the largest of all land animals, if they are agitated, abused or if encountered in
the wild, an elephant can be one of the most dangerous creatures in the world.
Elephants experience unexpected bouts of rage and are known to be vindictive.
In India, hundreds of people are killed by mistreated or rampaging elephants.
According to the National Geographic Channel documentary "Elephant Rage," some 500 people
are killed by elephant attacks each year.
Most people think that elephant mothers are the most dangerous if you get between her
and her baby but many of the deaths caused by elephants are attributed to younger male
elephants who are wild and more aggressive.
Increasing conflict with human populations taking over more and more elephant habitat
and poaching for ivory are additional threats that are placing the elephant’s future at
risk.
Thanks for watching, and remember it is best for everyone to respect and admire wild animals
from afar.
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Bye!