Number 11 Goliath Birdeater Spiders are among the animal kingdom’s most
captivating hunters, particularly when considering the vast variety of techniques they employ.
Depending on the species, they trap prey in suspended webs, hunt on the ground, ambush
prey by jumping, hide in flowers or use trap doors. The latter is a technique involving
a hole in the ground and a dirt door suspended with silk. Yet, if sheer dominance is the
criteria, the Goliath birdeater is the most adequate example of spider hunting prowess.
This tarantula species has a leg span of up to 12 inches. True to its name, it’s the
largest spider in the world in terms of mass, weighing up to 7 ounces. While that’s giant
by spider standards, it’s still only slightly heavier than a baseball. Despite being called
“birdeater”, this arachnid rarely preys on birds. Instead, the spider prefers to use
its size to overpower various insects and terrestrial vertebrates. The prey animal is
dragged to the Goliath birdeater’s burrow, where the spider liquefies its insides and
proceeds to suck it dry. The tarantula’s fangs are large enough to puncture human skin,
but the venom is generally harmless and the pain of a bite is reportedly comparable to
a wasp sting. Number 10 Hunting Dogs
While most hunters opt for larger dog breeds as companions, like bloodhounds or Labrador
retrievers, there are a few smaller dogs that are relentless when tracking down and tackling
prey. Jack Russell terriers, for example, are sturdy, tough and tenacious. They seem
to have almost endless energy reserves and are ideal for hunting rabbits or even chasing
down foxes. Judging by the beagle’s small size and short legs, one would be inclined
to assume this breed isn’t suitable for hunting. However, its sense of smell is outstanding
and the dog can be used while hunting animals up to the size of small deer. Even some Pomeranian
variations can be ruthless and have been observed killing muskrats as well as other smaller
mammals. Number 9 Asian Giant Hornet
The Asian giant hornet is the bane of western honeybees found in its natural habitat. One
or a few scouts will typically go out to locate a hive. They release pheromones that let the
others know where the ambush is to take place. Once the attack unfolds, there’s little
that the honeybees can do to oppose the mighty hornets. These creatures are heavily armored
and significantly larger. They’ll use their massive mandibles to decapitate honey bees,
with a single hornet capable of killing dozens of honeybees per minute. Within a few hours,
less than 50 hornets can exterminate a colony numbering tens of thousands of bees. They’ll
use the adults, larvae and pupae as food for their own larvae.
Number 8 Assassin Bug Assassin bugs have several features that make
them outstanding predators, even when taking on much larger prey. Through their long rostrum,
they’ll inject saliva into their victims. The saliva contains enzymes that liquefy the
prey’s insides, enabling the assassin bug to suck out and digest nutritional material.
Some species have areas covered in minuscule hairs that allow them to hold onto their victims
during the feeding process. Younger bugs, called nymphs, are known to actively camouflage
themselves in the remains of dead prey insects. An assassin bug species, commonly referred
to as the masked hunter, is known to use dust as camouflage. In some regions, humans regard
their hunting as beneficial because assassin bugs will feed on bedbugs or cockroaches.
Number 7 Shrew Shrews bare some resemblance to mice, but
these insectivores are actually much closer relatives of hedgehogs and moles. One species,
the Etruscan shrew, is the world’s smallest terrestrial mammal. Even though they have
poor vision, the shrews’ senses of hearing and smell are very well developed. They own
an incredibly high metabolism, which perhaps explains their rather vicious disposition.
These creatures constantly have to feed. It’s what sometimes leads them to pursue animals
almost twice their size, like frogs or mice. They normally kill by crushing the base of
the skull but some species are also known to deliver venom. This, however, isn’t done
through fangs but via grooves in their teeth. The venom is surprisingly potent, considering
its mammalian origin. In a laboratory setting, contents extracted from the venom glands of
the American short-tailed shrew were strong enough to kill 200 mice.
Number 6 Snapping Shrimp It sounds rather counterintuitive that a creature
which only grows to be about 2 inches long can be as loud as a sperm whale, but that
is true of the snapping shrimp. In fact, these animals are an active competitor for the title
of loudest animal in the sea. When grouped in colonies, they can tamper with sonar and
underwater communication. The largest of the shrimp’s asymmetrical claws is capable of
producing a loud, snapping sound. It’s correspondent to 218 decibels, which is louder than both
a space shuttle launch and the eruption of the Krakatoa Volcano. The sudden snap creates
a cavitation bubble, released at speeds of up to 67 mph. The pressure of the collapsing
bubble is strong enough to kill small fish. This is actually one of the shrimp’s preferred
hunting techniques. It will lie in an obscured spot, with its antennae sticking out to detect
movement. The shrimp will then snap its claw and release a shot that stuns prey, a reason
why this species is also known as the “pistol shrimp”. Another incredible aspect is the
sonoluminescence, a short burst of light, produced by the cavitation bubble as it collapses.
The temperature it generates is over 8,540 degrees Fahrenheit. To compare, the temperature
on the surface of the sun is about 9980 degrees Fahrenheit.
Number 5 Least Weasel In spite of its small size, the least weasel
is a ferocious hunter that’s capable of taking on rabbits, which outweigh it by up
to 10 times. The weasel’s long and extremely flexible body is adapted for chasing prey
down tunnels but the creature won’t refrain from killing its victims in the open as well.
Still, the weasel prefers to hunt under cover, as this keeps it safe from foxes and predatory
birds. Number 4 Tasmanian Devil
Even though the Tasmanian devil is the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, it’s still
only about the size of a small dog. Regardless, this animal possesses an outstanding bite
that is, proportionately, among the strongest of all land predatory mammals. These animals
have even been observed using their jaw power to chew through metal traps. They can take
on prey up to the size of a small kangaroo. The devils might have even hastened the extinction
of the Tasmanian tiger by frequently preying on their joeys, left alone in their dens while
the parents were away hunting. The Tasmanian devil will also readily feed on carrion and
will dig to forage the corpses of buried animals. Number 3 Honey Badger
The honey badger is often described as nature’s most fearless animal. It’s the only species
in the Mellivora genus, notorious for taking on any and all challengers, despite weighing
only slightly more than a gold bar. The honey badger has the fighting conspecifics to go
with its ferocious disposition. Its skin is remarkably strong and loose, particularly
around the neck, enabling the animal to twist freely out of predatory jaws. Both its eyes
and ears are small, which is likely an adaptation that allows them to avoid taking damage while
fighting. Their feet are short, powerful and armed with very strong claws. The honey badger
has been observed repelling attacks from lions or hyenas. Bites, porcupine quills or bee
stings rarely penetrate their skin. They’re immune to black mamba or king cobra venom
and will readily prey on a number of venomous snakes. In fact, because of their remarkable
adaptations, honey badgers will prey on virtually anything, having one of the least specialized
diets in the animal kingdom. Aside from bulbs, berries, honey and roots, they’ll eat lizards,
turtles, tortoises, birds, eggs, termites and basically any kind of mammalian meat.
Number 2 Black-footed Cat The black-footed cat, Africa’s smallest
wild feline, is a more effective hunter than lions, leopards or cheetahs. Males rarely
exceed 6 pounds, meaning they’re lighter than the average brick. Even so, this animal
is a prolific nocturnal predator that mainly goes after birds or rodents but which may
also take on the heavier Cape hare. In 1993, a male and female black-footed cat, were followed
for 622 hours and the observations revealed their outstanding hunting efficiency. They’d
catch a vertebrate every hour and would kill more than a dozen small animals every night.
Shrews and rodents were killed with a swift bite to the neck or head and consumed in their
entirety. Birds were stalked, pounced on and brought to the ground. Some researchers have
placed the black-footed cat’s successful hunting rate at 60%, more than double than
that of lions. Number 1 Dragonfly
The dragonfly is, by all accounts, the most effective hunter on the planet. Researchers
at Harvard University have found that these creatures catch up to 95% of the prey they
chase. Their complex eyes are adapted to detect black spots against the sky while their wings,
powered by individual muscles that work together, allow for extreme agility and acceleration.
They can fly in any direction and are also deft at changing direction suddenly. However,
the true secret of the dragonfly’s hunting prowess is its brain, which employs a highly
optimized hunting technique. The insect can actually predict where prey is going to be
and thus commands the appropriate muscles to make the interception. It’s a strategy
successfully applied to hunting flies, moths, bees, mosquitoes and even other dragonflies.
Thanks for watching! Would you rather wake up to find a tarantula on your chest or a
honey badger in your bathroom? Let us know in the comments section below!