Welcome to the richest
environment on Earth.
Beautiful, right?
But don't get too comfortable.
It's teeming with ruthless predators
and some of the world's
most venomous creatures.
Today, we'll explore the top five killers
that swarm this colorful
but dangerous landscape.
You may want to take some notes
if you're planning a dive trip soon.
Coral reefs form in warm tropical waters
when millions of individual polyps
form rich and complex shapes,
providing food and shelter
for many marine creatures.
But don't be fooled.
Behind these vivid colors
and amazing shapes
hide terrible killers
that won't hesitate to end you
if you wander into their territory.
But before we take a dip
with these colorful killers,
you'll need to take a break
and set some positive goals in your life
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Okay,
now it's time to get back
to these swimming nightmares.
This captivating fish
is native to the Indo-Pacific region.
It has spread to the Atlantic
and Caribbean,
devastating their native fish populations.
And guess what?
It's also dangerous to us.
Its body has 18 dorsal fins
covered with venomous barbs.
If its venom enters your body,
you'll have difficulty breathing,
convulsions
and, in the worst case,
heart failure.
As fascinating as this creature looks,
stay away from it
and never try to touch it.
These creepy-looking creatures
hide in the reef's crevices
and wait for their prey.
The giant moray eel
can be up to 3 m (10 ft) long.
And if you think those sharp teeth are scary,
wait until you see the second set of jaws
in its throat.
Yeah, just like this guy.
If you get too close to the reef or poke
into its crevices,
this fast-moving nightmare
may think you're prey or a threat
and bite you.
Moray eels can be vicious.
So stay away from the reefs,
and if you see a grouper around the reef,
keep your distance.
Groupers and moray eels hunt together,
and you could get ambushed.
Look at this narrow, spear-like snout.
Now imagine that these creatures can be
up to 2 m (6 ft) long
and leap out of the water
at 60 km/h (37 mph).
They can become powerful
and deadly projectiles.
There are recorded cases of needlefish
stabbing people
fishing from small boats near reefs.
In 2020, a 16-year-old boy
from Indonesia
went out fishing late at night with a friend.
Suddenly, a 75 cm (29 in) long needlefish
jumped out of the water
and stabbed him in the neck
so forcefully
that he fell out of his boat.
The fish was stuck in his neck.
His friend wisely decided
not to remove the fish to avoid bleeding.
The boy swam to shore,
and hours later
he received medical attention
and survived.
If you plan to take a small boat
near a reef,
stay alert and wear protective gear
on your chest, face and neck.
These cute, tiny creatures
hide in the cracks of coral reefs
waiting for prey.
Suddenly, one stings a fish
with a long, harpoon-like tooth
that pierces the prey's skin
and injects a potent venom.
Their body is no bigger than a teacup,
but some species of cone snails
have enough venom
to kill 700 people.
Oh, I almost forgot.
There's no cone snail antivenom.
When swimming near reefs,
never touch their surface or crevices.
Cone snails may feel threatened
or mistake you for their dinner.
Also,
you could step on the snails
and get stung,
so it's best to protect your feet
when walking in shallow water.
Allow me to introduce you
to Earth's most venomous fish.
Spines on its dorsal fin,
pelvis and anus
contain neurotoxins
to protect the stonefish.
It lies waiting by the rocks
and covered in sand
until an unsuspecting prey
comes too close.
These masters of disguise
can also live up to 24 hours
out of the water,
so it is easy for an inattentive human
to step on one of them.
If one of their bony spines
pierces your skin,
it will inject you with a neurotoxin
that can kill you in less than an hour.
So never put your feet near a rock
when swimming near a reef,
wear foot protection
when walking in shallow water
and never try to catch a stonefish
with your bare hands.
Unfortunately for you,
venom,
sharp snouts
and a terrifying second set of jaws
aren't the only ways
aquatic creatures can kill you.
Have you heard of electric eels?
They can shock you
with five times the voltage
of a normal household outlet.
How can you avoid that?
Keep watching here on How to Survive.