30 Terrifying Animals That Are Actually Friendly

1. Naked mole rat

Image Source - insider.com

What a stunner! The naked mole rat isn't the best-looking of animals and is quite scary with its protruding teeth. However, with the nickname Sand Puppy, they are actually quite friendly. If you want to hang out you will find them around the Horn of Africa and parts of Kenya.

2. Vultures

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For an animal that feeds on the dead, you'd expect the Vulture to be terrifying but you'd be wrong! It has been found under human care they are charismatic, charming, and curious. Native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, their unique characteristic is their bald un-feathered heads.

3. Tarantulas

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This tarantula has been the subject of many horror films, but are they as scary as these films depict? In reality, they are quite docile and rarely bite people. Over 1,040 species have been identified across the world and some are popular in the exotic pet market.

4. Vampire bats

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Fans of Dracula will always associate the character with vampire bats and it is true that live off drinking the blood of other animals. But don't worry they don't like human blood and it has been found they are quite tame and friendly towards humans.

5. Blue-tongued skinks

Image Source - insider.com

The Blue-tongued skink looks like they've just been given a joke lollipop, due to their strange feature. The skink has evolved this tongue to warn off enemies and can even catch prey! Normally found in Australia, surprisingly they are popular pets due to their colour and personalities and tend to seek out human contact.

6. Eels

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Slippery and slimy you wouldn't want to share a bath with an Eel. They generally live in shallow waters and burrow into sand or mud, as they are nocturnal, they are rarely seen in the open water. They are also not known to be aggressive towards humans.

7. Rats

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Normally if a rat is running around, you'll find people screaming and standing on the nearest chair after seeing their long thin tail! But don't judge too quickly, research has shown that this animal is intelligent and if allowed will form a friendly bond with their human carer.

8. Millipedes

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Millipedes mainly feed on decomposing vegetation, feces, or organic matter mixed with soil and are dark in appearance normally black or brown. Even though they look terrifying they are friendly, docile, and slow-moving.  Are you now tempted to get one as a pet?

9. Aye-aye

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The Aye-aye is the world's largest nocturnal primate and is found in Madagascar. It's main features are its rodent like teeth and thin middle finger that is used to find food by tapping on trees. They are totally harmless and will even walk up to passers by.

10. Basking shark

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When the word shark is mentioned, everyone thinks of the Great White, however the Basking shark is the second largest living shark/fish in the world. Adults tend to grow to 7.9 meters and despite their huge size, they are known to be harmless and not threatening to humans.

11. Goliath birdeater

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Goliath birdeater is not a cute name and sounds like something that would appear in your nightmares! Found in South America, despite the name they rarely eat birds and tend to stick to a diet of worms. Even though deadly to small creatures, this spider is harmless to humans and any bite is similar to a wasp sting.

12. Gharial

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Any animal that looks like a crocodile is sure to strike fear in anyone, but what you don't know is that the gharial is a fish eating crocodile and are not normally a danger to humans as they are know to be shy and will hide if approached. They are typically found in India or Pakistan.

13. Capybara

Image Source - en.wikipedia.org

With its heavy, barrel-shaped body and short head, if you come across a Capybara in the wild, we wouldn't blame you if you decided to run away, however, they are not aggressive towards humans or animals and are known to be very intelligent and can even be taught tricks and obey commands.

14. Milk snake

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Most commonly found across America the milk snake tend to live in forest areas or open woodland. They are nocturnal and eat slugs, earthworms and insects. These snakes are not dangerous for humans and are seen as the perfect pet due to their vibrant appearance.

15. Manta ray

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Found in temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans across the globe. The Manta ray which is a close relative to the Stingray has the largest brain-to-body ratio ratio of all fish. They are also super friendly as they will actively approach you, this is most common whilst snorkeling.

16. Daddy long legs

Image Source - southernliving.com

It is estimated that there are over 10,000 different types of Daddy long legs across the world. They are found in all continents apart from Antarctica and are mostly known for their disproportionately long legs compared to their body. But don't worry, they're not venomous and do not bite humans.

17. Ground beetle

Image Source - southernliving.com

The Ground beetle is generally a shiny black or metallic colour and their habitat of choice will be under rocks, logs, or the bark of trees. they're also quite quick and can reach a top speed of 5.6 mph. If not managed correctly they can become a nuisance, however they are not dangerous to humans.

18. Whip scorpion

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Focusing mainly on eating insects, millipedes, and scorpions, the Whip scorpion does not bite humans and is not venomous, they can even be kept as pets. They try to avoid light and prefer dark and humid environments and can be found in States such as Arizona and New Mexico.

19. Scorpionfly

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A close relative to the flea, the scorpionfly does not pose any danger to humans whilst breathing, however, they are likely to be first on the scene on a recently deceased human corpse. There is also a misconception that the males sting with their raised tail, however this is false.

20. Sea pig

Image Source -  wired.com

Only being able to feed on microscopic life forms, the sea pig is totally harmless to everything else. Found in the ocean, they tend to travel in packs of 300-600 and are killed at an alarming rate, in Japan they are a delicacy and are known to taste like chicken.

21. Comb jellies

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science.org

The Comb jellies get their name from the plates made from hairs that look like combs and fossils of this animal have been found from 525 million years ago. Unlike their near-relative, the jellyfish they do not have any stinging tentacles, so are harmless to humans.

22. Beluga whales

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Just like other whales, the Beluga whales are friendly toward humans, they are also known to approach humans in the water and on boats. There has also been an example where a mobile phone has been retrieved back to the owner. They are found in the Arctic Ocean that are continuously lit by sunlight.

23. Whale shark

Image Source -  divemagazine.com

Known to be the gentle giant of the ocean, the whale shark is the third biggest creature in the deep blue sea. They are never aggressive and do not threaten humans, divers are also known to swim next to them. Surprisingly they can live between 80–130 years!

24. Hercules beetle

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Native to the rain forests of southern Mexico, Central America, and, South America, the Hercules beetle is the largest flying insect in the world. Due to this size and their horns, many people think they're dangerous, however, they are not known to bite.

25. European yellow-tailed scorpion

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The European yellow-tailed scorpion is found in warm climates and was accidentally introduced into the UK, back in the 19th century via a shipment of Italian masonry. It can look scary with its yellow tail and even though the sting can be painful, it's harmless.

26. Chinese giant salamander

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Considered to be a living fossil and protected under Chinese law, the Chinese giant salamander population has declined more than 80% since the 1950s. They can grow the size of a fully-grown human, however are not known to be dangerous, even though they have toxins on their skin.

27. Opossum

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Living their life alone, the Opossum is generally nomadic and stays in the same area for their life span. They are timid and don't pose any threat to humans, they will even play dead or play possum when threatened or attacked and this will look like the Opossum has fainted.

28. Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox

Image Source -  mentalfloss.com

Now an endangered species due to deforestation and poaching, the Giant golden-crowned flying fox is nocturnal and sleeps during the day. Found in the Philippines, the flying fox will not attack humans and tend to live 13–30 years when left in the wild.

29. Blobfish

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This animal doesn't even look real due to its appearance, they don't have much bone or muscle, so the pressure of the deep sea provides the blobfish with it's structural support. When taken out of the water their body decompresses and they look like the picture above. They are also very friendly.

30. Japanese spider crab

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Living in waters around Japan, the Japanese spider crab has the greatest leg span of any crab in the world and doesn't swim but walks on the seabed. They also have an armored exoskeleton to help protect against larger predators such as Octopuses. They are also quite friendly!