Hey YouTube, Jim here!
Welcome to Top 10 Archive!
Animals are fascinating creatures that range from tiny and ferocious to enormous and gentle,
and they all need to eat.
Some only need to chew through grass or leaves, but others can crush through bone…and we’re
here today to count down the top 10 animals that have the most devastating of bites!
10.
Hyena They’re known as the comedic villainous
sidekicks from “The Lion King,” but there's more to hyenas than that!
With a bite force of 1100 psi, their jaws are surprisingly formidable for an animal
that reaches a weight of only 90 pounds (40.82 kg).
Hyenas are territorial and live in clans, much like wolves, and communicate with each
other using many different sounds and signals.
One of the most famous is the characteristic sound of hyena laughter.
They are nocturnal animals known for resorting to cannibalism and using their impressive
bite strength to crush through muscle and bone.
9.
Polar Bear Perhaps one of the most famous bears in existence,
this enormous white Arctic bear is the most carnivorous of its species.
Its bite strength, at about 1200 psi, is used mostly to eat seals, although they prey on
other large animals such as walruses and whale carcasses.
Polar bears are built extremely well for their climate as their thick fur and layer of fat
beneath the skin work to keep them warm and enable them to stay afloat in the freezing
waters.
Their large paws are also built like paddles to help them swim faster and find their food
sources.
8.
Grizzly Bear While you should definitely be wary of being
bitten by any bears, the grizzly has, perhaps predictably, the strongest bite force of them
all.
Coming in at a hefty 1250 psi, the grizzly’s bite makes it a bone-crushing omnivore.
Their canines are large, though are most often used for munching on food like plants or fish.
Grizzly bears will attack if they feel threatened, though, so don’t feel too confident if you
see one in the wild.
From 1872 to 2015 - a 145-year span - Yellowstone National Park only reported 8 human fatalities
linked to grizzly bears.
7.
Silverback Gorilla Native to tropical rainforests, the gorilla
is well-known as the strongest and largest primate.
Their bite strength measures around 1300 psi, although it is rarely used to eat meat.
Gorillas are generally herbivores, so their jaws are made for crushing vegetation and
roots.
Similar to many other animals, they live in groups, and some alpha male gorillas can be
as much as six times as strong as a human man!
They are not typically aggressive, unless in a battle for dominance or protection.
Unfortunately, the silverback is extremely endangered, having faced years of habitat
destruction from encroaching humans.
6.
Bull Shark One of the most aggressive of sharks, the
bull shark tends to live in popular beach shores, and can even travel slightly inland
through rivers as freshwater does not bother them.
Their bite strength is measured at 1350 psi and, like a proverbial garbage machine, tend
to use it to eat whatever they can find.
They don’t discriminate between fish, dolphins, or other sharks and are known to curiously
nibble on humans.
These blunt-nosed sharks are extremely fast and agile in the water and can live to be
up to 16 years old in the wild.
5.
Jaguar With the strongest bite strength of any of
the big cats, the jaguar’s, at 1350 psi, is formidable.
Their powerful jaws were meant to snap down on fleeing prey such as deer and crocodiles,
disabling them as quickly as possible.
Another endangered animal, jaguars do still remain in the wilds of South America and are
typically found hunting alone and on the ground, although they have been known to surprise
their prey from the treetops or water.
They’ll aggressively protect their territory if they feel it is necessary, so while they
don’t typically come after humans, you should still beware!
4.
Hippopotamus They may appear to be a rather large and awkward
herbivore, but the hippopotamus is actually one of the deadliest creatures on Earth.
Their bite can be as strong as 1821 psi, and it is often used to defend their territory,
even against humans.
In fact, they kill about 3,000 people per year on average, as they are very aggressive
and volatile.
Due to their large tusks and considerable weight, they can do quite a bit of damage,
even to their own young if they get in the way.
When traversing their habitat, you’ll have to keep an extra close eye for them, as these
amphibious creatures like to submerge most of their bodies in murky water before attacking.
3.
American Alligator Native mostly to the coastal southern United
States, these carnivores are rightly feared.
Their strong jaws have a bite strength of 2125 psi, and they use every bit of it.
Alligators tend to live in freshwater rivers, swamps, and lakes, eating a variety of animals
that cross their paths.
With a mouth strong enough to crack open turtle shells, the alligator uses its teeth for seizing
and holding their prey either to be swallowed whole or torn into smaller, more easily manageable
pieces.
While they’re not generally aggressive towards humans, that doesn't stop them from accidentally
killing 2-3 people annually that happen to stumble into their territory.
2.
Nile Crocodile Crocodiles certainly take the prize for the
strongest bite force, but there was debate as to which species deserved the winning title.
The Nile crocodile, native to sub-Saharan Africa, came in at a close second with a bite
strength of about 5,000 psi.
These carnivores are known to sun themselves on land or float in the water, but their apparent
laziness disappears when they go after prey.
They can be quick enough to catch unsuspecting zebras, hippos, even other crocodiles, and
can eat up to half of their own body weight in one sitting.
While they don’t try to hunt humans, up to 200 deaths a year can still be attributed
to these vicious reptiles. 1.
Saltwater Crocodile The largest living reptile on Earth also has
the claim to fame of the strongest bite strength.
The saltwater crocodile, weighing as much as 2,200 pounds, has a bite that can be up
to 7,700 psi.
These animals have an enormous natural habitat ranging from Southern Asia to Australia.
They generally don’t discriminate when it comes to their meals, as these excellent swimmers
have been known to eat anything from water buffalo to sharks to, yes, humans.
Their typical hunting method is to hide the majority of their body beneath the water and
explode into motion by using that muscular jaw to drag their prey back down with them
until it drowns.