It's comforting to know that sharks don't walk on land and can't rip us to shreds in
our beds, but did you know that there are plenty of animals who are just as dangerous
on land as in the water?
It's true; some of the most vicious creatures on our blue planet can go from land to water
with surprising- and deadly- agility.
Whether we're talking about the massive man-crusher Anaconda or a whole pantheon of cruel spiders,
there are brutal beasts that can follow you straight into the waves and inflict a world
of pain.
Did you know that Hippopotamuses, one of the most violent beasts known to man, can outrun
you on land and outswim you in the murky river?
Or that Tigers with a taste for delicious human blood are no stranger to water?
Stick with us as we count down the top fourteen animals you wish didn't swim...
Moose Number Thirteen: Moose.
When we tend to think about dangerous animals, the humble Moose rarely ever pops up on our
radars, but it should.
This massive mammal has the features of a deer, but a temper that you definitely don't
want to tangle with.
What's more, Moose naturally take to the water, as it's an integral part of their habitat
in the Taiga, or northern forests of the world.
Moose are a well-known menace to drivers and cause plenty of fender-benders and downright
car totals, but they can also be aggressive one-on-one.
This is because although most Moose tend to run away to avoid conflict, some will stand
their ground and fight, chasing intruders across land and well into the water to defend
their territory.
This is one animal whose size and strength you don't want to mess with.
Moose aren't the biggest land to water creatures you need to watch out for.
Check out our Number Thirteen pick…
Elephants Number Twelve: Elephants.
Elephants are the biggest land mammal on the planet, with many varieties weighing upwards
of ten thousand pounds.
That a lot of sheer muscle and flesh on land, and it becomes even more dangerous when wet.
Elephants love the water and routinely seek it out to cool off.
As you can imagine, navigating a pool with animals, the size of cars is no small feat,
and while Elephants are rarely aggressive to humans, accidents do happen.
Those who swim with Elephants roll the dice that the mostly-benevolent beasts won't accidentally
trample or pin them under the water.
Unfortunately, Elephants do have a dark side.
Elephant moms get exceptionally protective of their young, and can, and do, lash out
at people.
Sloths Number Eleven: Sloths.
We tend to think of Sloths as nature's chilled-out teddy bears, but these slow-moving animals
can become aggressive if you rub them the wrong way.
Sloths belong to an exclusive little corner of the animal kingdom known as the Xenarthra
Superorder and Pilosa Order.
Their only known relatives are Armadillos and Anteaters, making them neither mammals
nor marsupials, but a cool hybrid that looks good on t-shirts.
What the Sloth fandom won't tell you is that these tree-dwellers have massive claws that
can inflict some serious damage, and they're just as good in the water as they are on land,
holding their breaths for astoundingly long periods.
Some types of Sloths can slow their heart rate down and hold their breath for up to
forty minutes under the water's surface!
That's darn near aquatic...
Diving Bell Spiders Number Ten: Diving Bell Spiders.
If you thought that underwater was free of creepy-crawlies, think again.
The Diving Bell Spider is just one variety of venomous spiders that can live underwater,
and this one happens to have an incredible superpower.
Unlike other spiders that bounce back and forth between land and sea, the Diving Bell
Spider lives most of its life underwater, and it does so by creating its own supply
of air… directly from its abdomen.
Once in a while, the Diving Bell Spider will surface and collect air bubbles on the tiny
hairs of its body.
Once fortified with oxygen, the spider will sink again, comfortably living in a small
personal bubble of air under the waves.
As cool as this naturally self-sufficient spider is, don't cross it.
While Diving Bell Spiders are rarely fatal to humans, their bite is still painful enough
to send you straight to the hospital.
Leopard Seals Number Nine: Leopard Seals.
From a distance, Leopard Seals look like big, cuddly, Antarctic dogs, but when you get up
closer, you learn the truth.
Leopard Seals are bonafide nightmare fuel, a massive blubbery creature with razor-sharp
teeth, and a sharp hiss that will chill your bone marrow.
Leopard Seals are smart, luring humans into their web by padding around on their goofy
fins, but get too close, and you could be in a world of trouble.
Not only can these cranky creatures navigate well on ice, but they are also expert swimmers,
and their preferred method of murder is drowning.
In 2003, a researcher from the Rothera research station was attacked by one of these seals
and dragged to their death beneath the polar ocean's chilly waves.
Not a pleasant way to go!
Our number nine pick swaps out brawn for something more tingling; electricity...
King Cobras Number Eight: King Cobras.
King Cobras don't just terrorize the land; they are also apex swimmers, expertly hunting
down their prey underneath the water.
They are also great climbers, making these snakes some of the scariest creatures on Earth.
There's literally no escaping them.
What's more, some King Cobras have powerful enough venom to take down a full-grown elephant!
King Cobras are eighteen feet of pure muscle, the longest venomous snake on the planet boasting
a noxious blend of neurotoxin that shuts down your nervous system on impact.
Although King Cobras tend to be on the shier side, they will react with force if confronted-
so beware!
Crocodiles Number Seven: Crocodiles.
For ages, Crocodiles have been painted as loathsome sneaks, lurking in the shallows
to grab their prey.
Is this malignant reputation deserved?
Hell yes!
Crocodiles are some of the scariest animals on the planet, and they can live in freshwater,
saltwater, and on land.
Talk about a tyrant with a long reach!
While these prehistoric monsters pose a significant threat to those who are already in the water-
it's said that surfers fear them more than Great Whites- they also go after land lovers.
Crocodiles might look slow, but they're deadly fast on land, grabbing their prey in their
huge jaws and then going for the signature move: the old roll and drown.
Crocs drag you underwater and spin you around so that you're totally disoriented.
In the best-case scenario, you die before the giant teeth chomp down...
Anacondas Number Six: Anacondas.
Anacondas are well-known man mashers, stretching over nineteen feet long and lurking in the
South American wetlands, waiting to strike.
Its name comes from "Anaikolra," which is Tamil for "elephant killer," and these gristly
snakes certainly live up to it.
Very few snakes eat people alive, and even the most venomous usually inject a hefty dose
of poison, but not Anacondas.
These snakes relish their human meals, suffocating then swallowing their prey whole.
The lucky ones are unconscious.
What makes this snake even more fearsome is its ability to move between land and water
seamlessly and quietly, a stealth assassin who relishes the thrill of the hunt.
If you think all of the nastiest land to sea predators are large, think again and check
out our number five pick….
Funnel Spiders Number Five: Funnel Spiders.
Funnel Spiders are one of the primary reasons people say Australia is the most dangerous
continent on the planet.
These deadly Arachnids can kill a full-grown human in just fifteen minutes, and if you
don't die from the sting, you will wish that you had.
It's said to be one of the most painful bites on the planet.
To add insult to injury, these spiders are extremely aggressive on land, actively biting
humans in their path, especially during mating season.
What's more, they can live underwater for hours.
Funnel Spiders often fall into pools, where they create a pocket of air that allows them
to survive for several hours.
Unlucky folks who've come across these spiders in their pools are in for a nasty- and often
fatal- surprise.
Cone Snails Number Four: Cone Snails.
These creatures look innocent, or even pretty on the ocean floor, but beware of this saltwater-friendly
variety of snail: it's one of the deadliest animals in the sea.
Cone Snails can deliver a paralyzing, horrifically painful sting that is almost always fatal
to people.
In fact, their nickname is "Cigarette Snail" because the victim has just enough time to
smoke one last cigarette before the snail's venom takes its final hold.
Those who make it feel sharp pain at the injection site, vomiting, and paralysis.
Although Cone Snails won't chase you from land to sea, our next pick will- and trust
us- it has a taste for human blood.
Tigers Number Three: Tigers.
Tigers are one of nature's aberrations since most cats don't like getting wet.
Tigers don't mind heading out for a nice long swim, and might even chase their human prey
straight into the waves to get a tasty snack.
Tigers are tough, migrating across continents and surviving extinction events with ease,
so should we be surprised that they can gracefully transition between land and water?
Probably not, but it doesn't make this feat any less bone-chilling.
Tigers have been known to swim in the company of other apex water creatures, like dolphins
and crocodiles, and some Tigers enjoy and pursue human flesh.
That means that if you come across the wrong Tiger, you're in for a world of pain, whether
on land or sea.
Polar Bears Number Two: Polar Bears.
You might remember that cute Polar Bear from the Coca-Cola commercials, but don't be fooled:
Polar Bears are anything but cute and cuddly, and they are one of the most dangerous animals
on the planet.
Precious few people have survived Polar Bear attacks and lived to tell the tale.
Polar Bears don't see us as being on top of the food chain.
To them, we're a viable source of nutrition, which means that they actively hunt humans-
and they are good at it.
Polar Bears can live on land and in the sea, and their thick layer of blubber insulates
them from the chilly depths of polar oceans.
They can swim down just about any creature at sea, and on land, they can outrun a human.
Their favorite methods of murder; mauling and decapitation…
Hippopotamuses Number One: Hippopotamuses.
Hippos are the deadliest animals in the Nile, big beasts with hair-triggers that will crush
you to tiny pieces in their massive jaws, or trample you with their huge bodies.
They can run as fast as horses and are surprisingly agile in the water, given their immense size.
Get on the wrong side of a Hippo, and you're in a world of hurt.
These animals kill more people in Africa than any other animal, and those who survive have
to contend with grotesque gaping bites.
They can outrun you quickly on the land and overturn your boat on the river.
Hippos are genuinely one of the scariest creatures on Earth.
Which of these secret swimmers surprised you the most?
Let us know in the comments below.
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