What sea creature delivers a sting that can stop your heart?
Which fish is called a garbage eater for its ability to eat nearly anything?
Find out these answers and more as we look at the Most Terrifying Ocean Predators!
#1 Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Coral may look like the inanimate, undersea
equivalent to bushes and shrubbery, but in reality these formations are living creatures
and thus become prey to the many carnivorous creatures of the ocean.
And few of coral’s predators are more fearsome than the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish.
Named for its dense layer of thorny protrusions covering its body, this sea star feeds on
coral polyps with up to 21 pliable arms to help anchor itself.
Any creature attempting to interrupt the starfish’s feeding will feel the wrath of their highly
toxic spines.
#10 Blue-Ringed Octopus Equipped with a variety of tools for hunting
and self-defense, the Blue-Ringed Octopus may be one of the most versatile, and dangerous,
predators in the open sea.
Slippery and boneless, this animal has all the typical strengths cephalopods exhibit
with the ability to stretch, squeeze, and contort around obstacles.
But unlike some of its relatives, the blue-ringed octopus has an incredibly toxic bite.
Its venom is strong enough to make the octopus a serious threat to humans as each individual
carries enough to terminate up to 26 adults, despite being just 8 inches in size!
Luckily, it uses its bite as a last resort defense mechanism and will alert an enemy
of its intentions through the illumination of its neon blue rings.
This lethal, paralyzing bite isn’t meant for humans exclusively, though, as the venom
is typically released as the blue-ringed octopus seizes its prey.
Whether that be a small crustacean or an injured fish, this eight-armed hunter is quick to
pounce on and envelop its next meal.
#9 Sea Lions Though they may be called Sea Lions, these
furry torpedo-like carnivores are much more resemblant of oceanic dogs.
Elongated snouts, whiskers, and ear flaps all contribute to a similar look between these
creatures and canines, but their preferred hunting tactics seal the deal.
Like a pack of wild dogs, sea lions will chase down schools of fish, using their numbers
to cut off fleeing prey.
They’ll even join in with other predators to hunt as group, working with dolphins, porpoises
and seabirds to help round up their next meal.
Called a raft rather than a pack while swimming in a group, sea lions can be found across
the Pacific Ocean, ranging from the coasts of California and South America, all the way
to Australia and New Zealand.
Unlike dogs, though, sea lions aren’t exactly man’s best friend.
Reports of territorial sea lions attacking humans is rare, but not unheard of, and it’s
thought that approaching within 8 feet of these animals can be enough to agitate and
evoke a vicious response.
#8 Box Jellyfish Unique among its kind for its cube-shaped
bell, the Box Jellyfish is a surprisingly resilient hunter and easily one of the most
dangerous animals in the ocean.
As a predator, this jellyfish differs from most others in that it actively hunts down
small fish.
To pacify its prey, the box jellyfish employs a painful, stinging venom that paralyzes and
even stops the heart of creatures that get tangled in its frills.
And depending on the species, they can spell trouble for humans too.
Stings from box jellyfish around the coasts of Australia have reportedly caused at least
64 fatalities since 1883.
The species of box jellyfish that reside here have a sting so lethal, victims can suffer
from cardiovascular collapse within as little time as 2 to 5 minutes!
Children are the most likely to suffer a tragic end from one of these semi-translucent sea
monsters as the venom proves to be too much for their size and immune system to handle.
#7 Stingray These sharp-tailed, flat-bodied meat-eaters
come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes as Stingrays aren’t just a species but an
entire suborder of fish!
These beasts are closely related to sharks as noted by their similarly cartilaginous
skeletons and predatory nature.
Stingrays, though differing from one another, share a notable trait that separates them
from other rays: their stinger.
This razor-like barb is located on the underside of their tails and can plunge into the flesh
of an oncoming threat with little resistance.
This puncture wound is painful and can cause sickness thanks to the secretion of venom
into the wound.
But aside from symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and muscle cramps, humans have little to fear
from the sting of these rays...unless they pierce a vital organ, that is.
As was the case for beloved animal enthusiast, zookeeper and media personality Steve Irwin
when his heart was perforated by a thrashing short-tail stingray in 2006.
It was only the second case of a stingray-caused fatality in over 50 years.
#6 Barracuda Notorious for their flesh-shredding fangs
and high-speed strikes, the vicious Barracuda is a volatile threat among humans and fish
alike.
The narrow, serpentine bodies of these predators slice through the water with bursts of speed
to close in on prey when opportunity strikes, reaching speeds of up to 27 miles per hour!
The combination of such speed and their sharp teeth allows the barracuda to tear chunks
of flesh from its target with little struggle before swimming off, picking at its meal with
natural guerilla tactics.
When an adult barracuda or group of smaller barracudas encounter another predator chasing
prey, they won’t back off from the competition, instead taking advantage of the other predator’s
presence to get in, grab a bite, and get out.
Constantly searching for wounded prey to scavenge or the shiny twinkle of a lesser fish’s
scales, barracudas may mistake a swimmer for food if they resemble either.
Barracuda-inflicted injuries are rare, though not unheard of, and interaction with and near
these fish is highly advised against.
#5 Eels Long, slippery, and adept at swimming, Eels
are nightmarish in appearance and perhaps just as horrifying in behavior as well.
Ranging in length from two inches to thirteen feet, eels slither throughout shallow waters,
or murky depths depending on the species, at night.
Here they will sometimes gather in small, hole-based communities called “eel pits”.
However, while some may live together, not all eels are created equal.
Those eels which belong to the family Muraenidae are considered to be “true eels,” and
the most ferocious of that bunch is the Moray Eel.
These large-jawed hunters prey on crustaceans, cuttlefish, and other smaller aquatic creatures
with very few threats above them on the food chain, making them apex predators in their
communities.
Their ability to search tighter quarters for hard to reach inhabitants makes them even
more fearsome for their would-be prey, as well as a valuable asset to coral groupers
who actively recruit morays to hunt with them!
Another monstrous eel isn’t actually an eel, despite its name.
Biologically a knifefish, the Electric Eel is called such for its physical resemblance
to species like the moray.
This fish possesses a set of special organs that produce an electric discharge to stun
prey, knock out threats, or give an uncomfortable close human a jolt equating to a shock from
a stun gun.
#4 Tiger Shark Tiger Sharks are a ravenous species at the
top of the food chain in the tropical waters they patrol.
Nomadic by nature, these sharks will cruise through warm waters searching for anything
it can fit in its maw for nutrience, earning it the designation of a “garbage eater”
given its lax standard for consumption.
These undersea prowlers stalk their targets with incredible stealth thanks to its highly
evolved camouflage.
Once an individual homes in on its prey, the tiger shark will let loose a burst of speed,
torpedoing towards its mark with surprising speed.
Though it doesn’t happen often, tiger sharks are believed to share a good percentage of
the blame for fatal shark attacks on humans and as such are considered one of the most
dangerous shark species.
Still, not all humans are without fault as some fishermen capture these creatures for
their valuable fins, flesh and livers.
This has led to a decline in tiger shark populations, shifting the species to the label of “near
threatened” among conservation groups.
#3 Killer Whale The hit 1993 film Free Willy saw Killer Whales,
also known as Orcas, enter the mainstream as beloved aquatic mammals and friends of
people.
Art imitates life, but unfortunately, it’s not alway an accurate imitation.
In reality, these whales are among the most elite hunters in the sea.
If sea lions are like the dogs of the ocean, then orcas are the wolves.
Pursuing prey in pack formations, killer whales hunt down everything from fish and sea turtles
to seals or even seabirds.
But their choice of food largely relies on what’s available.
The orcas around New Zealand, for example, will have a diet mostly composed of rays and
sharks, with some accounts even telling of orcas eating Great White Sharks as the average
orca dwarfs them in size!
Even with this level of ferocity, there are very few accounts of humans being attacked
by the underwater giants, the majority of which occurred with whales kept in captivity.
Killer whales are apex predators in their ecosystem, but not all of these creatures
are the same.
A recently discovered species called Type D killer whales were found at the southern
tip of South America, showing alternate physical features.
Their predatory habits are still unknown.
#2 Saltwater Crocodile Freshwater bodies like marshes, swamps and
rivers typically come to mind when considering the tough leathery monsters known as crocodiles.
But one species of these reptilian tyrants, the Saltwater Crocodile, actually roams the
beaches of Southeast Asia and Australia.
On average, these creatures can grow around 17 feet long and weigh near a thousand pounds,
but some specimens have been known to reach 23 feet in length weigh more than a ton!
These crocodiles prefer brackish waters and can even survive in freshwater regions.
However, individuals have been recorded making long migrations far out at sea and ending
up in foreign areas like the islands of Japan and Oceania east of Australia.
Not necessarily requiring food often, saltwater crocodiles are able to subsist on scarce food
for prolonged periods.
But when these aquatic behemoths get hungry, they won’t discriminate.
Being able to walk on land widens their diet more than most predators on this list and
you might find anything from crabs, turtles, dugongs and sharks to monkeys, boars, kangaroos
and tigers in a saltwater crocodile’s stomach.
#1 Great White Shark There is no sea creature that strikes fear
into the hearts of swimmers like the Great White Shark.
While pop culture has certainly done its part to amplify fears regarding the fish, this
shark deserves caution with a potential maximum size of 20 feet in length and 4,200 pounds
in weight.
Factor in rows of regenerating, serrated teeth and a crushing bite of more than 18 thousand
pounds of force and you get one of the most ferocious apex predators on the planet!
Which of these Ocean Predators scare you the most and why?
Let us know in the comments below.