In the animal kingdom,
the ultimate rule is to kill or be killed.
Animals who are at the bottom of the food chain,
continue to do everything they can to stay alive.
While at the top of the food chain,
the most dangerous predators continue to sharpen their hunting skills,
leading to some of the ugliest and most horrifying killing strategies you can
ever imagine. In today's video, we'll be looking at the top 10,
most horrific ways that animals kill their prey.
Number 10 crocodile.
We start out with one of the most clinical predators in the animal kingdom,
the crocodile.
Crocodiles have perfected the art of killing.
There are not many animals who can match them when it comes to the work,
dedication and patience that they put into their attack.
Crocodiles have a long body, short limbs and are very heavy.
So they find it difficult to move swiftly on land,
making them very weak hunters on that terrain. However,
when in water, they are cold blooded killing machines.
Crocodiles are known as ambush predators because of their stealthy attacks.
They will hide in water for hours if necessary,
patiently watching their targets,
who are often totally oblivious to the danger that lurks beneath the waters.
Then once the prey is within reach, with stunning speed and precision,
crocodiles will lunge out of the water,
grabbing their prey and dragging them under in an attempt to drown them to
death. This is often accompanied by violently shaking their catch,
tearing them to pieces in the process. For the prey,
this is a violent and horrific way to die. But for the croc,
it's like James Bond's martini. Shaken, not stirred.
Number nine golden Eagle.
The golden Eagle is one of the most recognizable Eagles in the Northern
hemisphere. It is also the most widely distributed species on the planet,
which is one of the reasons why it's so popular.
Another and very important reason for its popularity is that it's one of the
most potent predators around.
It has mastered the art of killing by developing several ways of capturing its
prey. In one of its most disturbing killing methods,
the golden Eagle glides through the air and springs a surprise attack,
diving in on its prey and grabbing it with its claws,
before launching itself high up into the air. In a shocking and brutal move,
the Eagle then releases its prey in mid air allowing it to
fall hard into the mountainous terrain.
Many times the prey falls instantly to a painful death,
but if the golden Eagle suspects that the prey is not yet dead,
it grabs the animal again and throws it down to the earth repeatedly until it
finally dies. Number eight, the African wild dog.
The African wild dog is a skilled Hunter.
So skilled that it's regarded as the most efficient in all of Africa.
The wild dog is built for the kill and is believed to have been biologically
adapted specifically for hunting.
These dogs are endowed with giant grated teeth that are designed to shred and
tear flesh with ease.
Their giant grated teeth and incredible bite force combined with their ability
to work so incredibly well and synchronized in a pack,
allow the dogs to successfully catch and rip into their targets,
opening them up from the moment they are subdued.
The perfect combination of all of these factors is what makes these dogs such
efficient and brutal killers.
Wild dogs will often chase down their prey until it tires out.
Once it tires out two or three members of the pack bite the animal in its most
vulnerable parts, including its underbelly and private area.
The dogs will continue to bite these areas until they tear open the skin.
Once they do, they eat the animal alive from the inside out,
devouring its internal organs like its kidneys and intestines first.
The worst thing about this death is that it takes very long for the dogs to get
to the animal's heart or intestine.
So the animal has to lie there enduring the pain, as it's being eaten alive.
Number seven, Asian Giant Hornet.
The Asian Giant Hornet is an efficient predator.
Just 30 Hornets can encamp around a honey bees nest and kill up to
30,000 honeybees.
They do this by picking out worker bees as they leave and enter the nest.
Known as the largest member of the wasp family,
Asian Giant Hornets can grow up to two inches long bearing stingers
that are able to penetrate clothes and light plastic materials.
They use these stingers to devour their prey by mercilessly,
decapitating them before eating them whole.
These stingers are also filled with a powerful venom that is capable of causing
serious pain while breaking down the flesh of the prey.
This is a fly you don't want to mess around with.
Number six Orca. Also known as the killer whale,
the Orca is in fact, the largest member of the dolphin family,
thus making it not a whale.
Orcas have adopted various techniques to catch their prey depending on the type
of animal. They've been known to charge at seals,
stranded on floating pieces of ice and shoving them into the sea before grabbing
them and devouring them. But they don't just eat them.
They first play with the seals,
throwing them around and passing to the baby orcas to teach them how to catch
prey, all while the seals are still alive.
In some cases, orcas will drown whale calves alive before eating them.
And in some others, they'll deliver karate chops to sharks before killing them.
Number five, chimpanzees.
The way chimpanzees hunt monkeys is one of the most tactical yet
disturbing things you're ever going to see. The chimps attack in groups.
One chimpanzee acts as a driver,
pushing all the monkeys into a place where they are easily trapped.
Two chimpanzees stationed on either side act as blockers to close off the way of
escape for the monkeys. Two other chimpanzees act as runners.
These are the ones who actually try to grab the monkey.
And there's one alpha male who goes ahead of the others to ambush the monkeys
from the other side. Rounded on all sides,
the monkeys are left without a way of escape.
When the chimps finally get their hands on the monkeys,
that's even when the gruesomeness starts.
The chimps literally rip out the monkeys limbs while it's still alive,
feasting on its internal organs.
That is certainly one of the most painful ways to die. Number four,
hippopotamus. Hippopotamuses are misunderstood creatures.
They are largely believed to be calm,
but they can be ferocious beasts when they want to be.
They are equipped with large intimidating tusks and a series of sharp teeth.
And despite their super heavy build,
these beasts can run up to speeds of 30 kilometers,
making them more than capable of chasing humans.
It is no wonder that they are responsible for more human deaths than any other
mammal.
They often overturn boats with people inside and watch them drown.
There are two main ways hippos kill their prey, both equally gruesome.
First,
they can trample upon the prey with a humongous 1800 kilograms of
weight. They will literally crush the animals bones,
leaving them to die a long and painful death.
The second way they kill their prey is with their powerful jaws.
Hippos have a dangerous bite, and when they want to attack,
they often go for the mid-section snapping the animal in half.
Number three, pitcher plant.
The pitcher plant is an exception to our list.
Although it is technically not an animal,
it's carnivores nature earns it a spot on this list.
The pitcher plant is a compound name for several carnivorous plants that capture
their prey using deadly fly traps.
Most of their victims include insects and flies who meet a gruesome death when
they fall into the pitcher plants trap. To attract prey,
the pitcher plant uses nectar and visually stimulating leaves to lure
unsuspecting insects into their trap.
The trap almost always has a smooth leaf so that when an insect lands on it,
the smooth leaf guides them into the fly trap. Once in,
the insect finds itself in a deep cavity, filled with liquid in which it drowns.
The pitcher plant then devours the insects by releasing enzymes into the fluid
in the cavity, which break down the insects to make them easily digestible.
Number two, secretary bird. Do not be deceived by their charming looks,
the secretary bird is no gentle creature.
This fearless creature is a seasoned Hunter.
They often hunt in pairs and primarily consider insects and small mammals as
prey. Although they also love to hunt black mambas for some reason.
For more about that,
see our video on animals that kill natures scariest animals.
Link in the description.
These predators are skilled at using their feet to stomp the life out of their
prey before picking them up and swallowing them whole or tearing them into
two with their razor sharp beaks. It has to be said,
being stamped to death is no proper way to die,
but these secretary birds couldn't care less.
Before we look at our top pick for today for more videos like this,
be sure to hit the subscribe button and turn on the bell notification so you
never miss any of our future uploads. Number one,
leopard seal.
If there's anything we've learned from today's video it's that looks can be very
deceiving. Leopard seals may come across as cute, friendly,
and helpless creatures, but that is only a façade. Leopard seals are in fact,
the apex predator in Antarctica.
They are tactical hunters who hide under water while keeping a close eye on
their prey, which is primarily the penguin.
After biding their time and waiting for the right moment,
leopard seals attack penguins with lightning speed,
leaving them with no time to react. Before they have any clue what's going on,
the penguin is locked in the jaws of the seal as they are violently shaken under
water until they suffer a truly painful death.,
Which one of these was the most horrific?
Let us know what you think in the comments section down below.
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