Injected directly into the flesh by long fangs, needle-sharp harpoons, by tentacles, or even
by spitting, venom is the weaponized chemistry used in the animal kingdom.
In any list of the world's most venomous animals, snakes often get top billing, but venom is
used by many other species and though it may not be intended for humans, we often fall
afoul of these nasty toxins by strolling or swimming in the wrong place.
Which are they most dangerous of all?
That’s what we’ll find out today, in this episode of The Infographics Show: Deadliest
Animal Venom.
10.
The fugu fish The fugu Fish is a puffer fish eaten as a
delicacy in a number of Asian countries, mostly notably in Japan.
But this fish also comes with a nasty toxin known as tetrodotoxin, which is removed during
preparation.
The restaurant preparation of fugu is strictly controlled by law in Japan and several other
countries, and only chefs who have qualified after three or more years of rigorous training
are allowed to prepare the fish.
And for good reason.
The puffer fish poison produces a rapid and violent death.
If you ingest this nasty concoction, it causes deadening of the tongue and lips, vomiting,
dizziness, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and muscle paralysis.
Victims eventually die from suffocation as muscles in the diaphragm are paralyzed.
Statistics from the Tokyo Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health indicate 20 to 44
incidents of fugu poisoning per year between 1996 and 2006 in Japan.
9.
Poison Dart Frog Poison dart frogs have some of the most vibrant
skin colors on Earth.
Depending on individual habitats, which extend from the tropical forests of Costa Rica to
Brazil, their coloring can be red, green, blue, yellow, gold, copper, or black.
But their colors are deliberately striking to warn potential predators of their nasty
taste, and this Frog is one of the most poisonous animals on earth.
The 2-inch (5 cm) long golden poison dart frog has enough venom to kill 10 adult humans
or 20,000 mice.
As little as 2 micrograms of this lethal toxin, which is the amount that fits on the head
of a pin, is capable of killing a human or other large mammal.
They are called dart frogs because Central and South American Indians use the venom on
the darts they use for hunting animals.
Poison dart frogs keep their poison in their skins and will sicken or kill anybody who
touches or eats them.
Luckily it lives off the beaten track, so human contact and known deaths are rare.
8.
The inland taipan The prize for he world’s most venomous snake
goes to the Inland Taipan of Australia.
The inland taipan, also known as the western taipan, the small-scaled snake, or the fierce
snake, is an extremely venomous creature.
Just a single bite contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults or an army of 250,000
mice, which make it 200 to 400 times more toxic than a common cobra.
The Inland Taipan’s extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little
as 45 minutes.
But it’s not at number one in the list as, fortunately, this snake is very shy and all
known bites were treated with anti-venom, with no record of a human ever being killed.
7.
The Brazilian Wandering Spider The Brazilian Wandering Spider is an aggressive
and highly venomous spider that was first discovered in Brazil, hence its name.
It is also known to exist elsewhere in South and Central America.
This spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 for the most venomous spider,
and it is the spider responsible for most human deaths.
Only 0.00000021oz (0.006mg) of its venom is required to kill a mouse.
They often hide during daytime in highly populated areas inside houses, clothes, boots, and cars,
which make it particularly dangerous to humans.
Its venomous bite causes not only intense pain, but also what is known as priapism,
a condition of uncomfortable erections lasting for many hours that lead to impotence.
6.
The Stonefish The stonefish is the most poisonous fish in
the sea and one of the most dangerous in the world.
It can easily kill you if you step on it, injecting its venom deep inside your foot.
Its dorsal area is lined with 13 spines that release the venom from two sacs attached to
each spine.
This nasty stuff causes severe pain with paralysis, tissue death, and possible shock leading to
death.
Stonefish are bottom-dwelling fish that live among rocks and coral in tropical waters,
so take care, as they are not easy to spot.
5.
Deathstalker Scorpion Scorpions have been living on earth long before
the birth of dinosaurs.
These extraordinary hunters have been around for 400 million years and they have evolved
to be pretty good at what they do.
There are more than 1,500 species of scorpions, and though most are relatively harmless to
humans, as stings produce only local effects, the Deathstalker Scorpion is one dangerous
critter.
Its venom is a powerful cocktail of neurotoxins, which causes unbearable pain, followed by
fever, convulsions, paralysis, coma, and death.
But deaths are rare, and it’s unlikely it would kill a healthy adult, with young children
and the old being more at risk.
Deathstalker scorpions are found in North Africa and the Middle East.
4.
The Blue-Ringed Octopus The Blue-Ringed Octopus is very small, only
the size of a golf ball, but despite its small and squishy stature, it is one of the ocean’s
most venomous creatures, and it’s venom is powerful enough to kill a human.
The saliva of this little octopus contains tetrodotoxin, a powerful nerve toxin that
can cause muscular weakness, numbness, and possible respiratory failure leading to death.
It carries enough poison to kill 26 adult humans and unfortunately there is no antidote.
At least 3 deaths in Australia have been attributed to blue-ringed octopuses.
They can be found in tide pools in the Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Australia.
3.
Cone snail Who would ever think an innocent looking snail
could be deadly?
Well this cute looking Cone snail is just that.
One drop of its venom is powerful enough to kill more than 20 humans.
There are about 600 different species, all of which are poisonous.
Cone snails live in shallow reefs buried under sandy sediments, rocks, or corals in tropical
and subtropical waters.
Its venom is used to catch prey, but if you accidentally step on one or pick it up, the
consequences can be nasty.
Symptoms of a cone snail sting can start immediately, but can also be delayed for days.
If you are victim of a cone snail, you’ll feel intense pain, swelling, and numbness.
Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, vision changes, and breathing failure.
There have been roughly 30 known human deaths from Cone snails and there is no antivenom.
2.
The King Cobra The King Cobra is the world’s longest venomous
snake and they can grow to a frightening 18.5 ft (5.6 m) in length.
When confronted, they can rise up to one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and
still move forward to attack.
So a large one would be face to face with a human.
Their head flairs out and they make a bone-chilling hiss that sounds like a growling dog.
One bite can cause the death of a healthy adult human within 15 minutes.
The venom is so powerful they are even capable of killing a full-grown Asian Elephant.
King cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast
Asia.
They are perhaps best known as the snake that is used by snake charmers in South Asia, who
coax them to dance from a basket.
The charmer's flute entices the cobra by its shape and movement, not by the music it emits.
It’s hard to get exact statistics on deaths from Cobras, but we do know that 46,000 people
in India alone die each year from snakebites, many of which are by Cobras.
And the top prize for deadliest animal venom goes to the Box Jellyfish.
It has caused at least 5,567 recorded deaths since 1954.
It’s toxins attack the heart, nervous system, and the skin cells.
It can kill you within 5 minutes unless the sting is treated.
And it is so painful that victims go straight in to shock, which can cause heart failure
or drowning if it happens in deeper water.
Survivors will experience pain for weeks after being stung.
Box jellies can be found in the waters around Asia and Australia, and if you are unfortunate
enough to come in to contact with one of these nasty squidgy monsters, you need to apply
the following treatment immediately…First, rinse the area with vinegar; Vinegar contains
acetic acid, which disables the box jelly’s nematocysts.
Then, carefully pluck visible tentacles with a fine tweezers.
And finally, soak the skin in hot water for at least 20 minutes; Use water that's 110
to 113 F (43 to 45 C).
If a thermometer isn't available, test the water on an uninjured person's hand or elbow.
It should feel hot, not scalding.
So, that’s our top 10.
Do you know of any other venomous animals or insects we didn’t mention?
Let us know in the comments.
Also be sure to check out our other video called Things You Should Do if you are attacked
by wild animals.
Thanks for watching, and as always, don’t forget to like, share and subscribe.
See you next time!