The Cutest Animals That Could Kill You

1. Slow Loris

Image Source / Reddit.com

You may have seen that viral video of the adorable slow loris being tickled by a human.  It was cute looking but the sad truth is that the Slow Loris was actually putting her arms over her head as a defense mechanism.  Interestingly, when they lick the oil glands in their armpits, the oil, which is full of chemicals, mixes with their saliva and creates a powerful and deadly venom.  Yep - Slow Lorises are insanely poisonous!

2. Blue-Ringed Octopus

Image Source / Reddit.com

The Blue-Ringed Octopus is truly an amazing animal and is characterized by its stunning electric blue rings all over it.  But this tiny creature is said to be one of the most dangerous creatures in the world with venom that's supposed to be 1,000 times stronger than cyanide!  And, big news, there's no anti-venom!

3. Pandas

Image Source / Reddit.com

When you see a Panda, you probably just want to give it a huge hug.  And you're probably thinking that because these beautiful, cuddly creatures are herbivores who like to munch on bamboo, you're probably fine to snuggle up with one.  But you're not.  In fact, the bite force of a Panda is super strong because they have to bite through all of that tough bamboo, and although they won't eat you, they will probably attack you!

4. Puffer Fish

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The famously inflatable Pufferfish is definitely not a fish you'd like to catch and eat.  In fact, these deadly animals are so toxic they are more poisonous than the Blue-Ringed Octopus.  And if they're prepared in the wrong way and eaten, their toxicity can kill a human in less than half an hour!  But people do take that risk and specially-trained chefs in Japan will actually prepare one for you if you're willing to pay!

5. Deer

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You probably didn't think that you'd see the majestic Deer on this list but The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in their data that these beautiful mammals kill 120 people every year, and this is not because of their ticks that carry diseases - no - it's the sheer number of car crashes they cause each year!

6. Dolphins

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Dolphins are often portrayed as loyal and playful friends to humans in the movies.  But people seem to forget that these intelligent creatures are actually one of the ocean's many apex predators and have no qualms about targeting humans in terrifying and deadly attacks.  In fact, they also attack each other, are capable of bludgeoning their own young to death, and they even harm themselves.

7. Lions

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Lions are responsible for around 100 human deaths each year in the wild and despite being cute to look at, their hunting skills are second to none and you certainly wouldn't want to get too close to one.  Especially whilst they are hunting in their pride, you can see how these sublime creatures can do some damage to animal groups, including humans!

8. Domestic Cats

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Many of us in the US share our homes with one of the deadliest small animals in the whole world: The Domestic Cat.  But no, we are not saying that your cat is going to murder you but a study found that cats are responsible for over 15 billion bird and small mammalian deaths each year in the US alone!  If that's not deadly, we don't know what is!

9. Polar Bears

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Most of the 7 billion people in the world will never ever make any contact with a Polar Bear, but even so, there is data to suggest that in the last century and a half, there have actually been over 70 attacks on humans!  And despite being really cute to look at, they will stalk you and eat you if you get close...

10. Dogs

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Attacks from Dogs are relatively rare, but they can be fatal.  And usually, this behavior can be influenced by their upbringing and training, and how they've been treated, and they may bite if they're protecting something like their puppies, their owners, or even a toy.  And the bacteria from their mouths can cause some nasty infections too.

11. Elephants

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Fully-grown Elephants are absolutely enormous, and although they're not predators, they can be quite deadly to humans and other animals.  You see, they can get really easily agitated and tends to trample on anything that bothers or mistreats them.  In fact, they're responsible for over 500 human deaths a year in captivity.

12. Poison Dart Frogs

Image Source / Reddit.com

Although tiny, the Poison Dart Frog is mighty!  It has been described as one of the most poisonous creatures in the world.  These stunning amphibians come in many different colors and they are not all completely poisonous.  However, their poison is on their skin to deter predators so we don't recommend handling one!

13. Cone Snails

Image Source / Reddit.com

Cone snails live and hide in shallow reefs in tropical and sub-tropical waters and can be identified by their distinctive and uniquely patterned shells.  But you wouldn't want to pick one up as they have this harpoon-like tooth that injects a poisonous neurotoxin which might be dangerous to people.

14. Box Jellyfish

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The stings from Box Jellyfish are particularly nasty and can leave a distinctive scar where their tentacles touched the skin.  So you'd definitely want to avoid them whilst paddling in the shallows of the sea because their tentacles contain tiny darts of poison that can send a person into cardiac arrest, and even death before they've left the water.

15. Hooded Pitohui

Image Source / Reddit.com

The Hooded Pithoui are stunning birds but they're actually one of the world's most toxic birds.  And it's their feathers that are particularly toxic because they contain a neurotoxin called Batrachotoxins that, when touched by humans, can have similar effects to a Box Jellyfish sting, including paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death.

16. Sloth Bear

Image Source / Reddit.com

Sloth Bears might look sweet, and their name might suggest that they're probably too slow to catch you if you get too near but don't underestimate these fierce but stunning creatures.  In fact, although there are less than 20,000 of them left in the wild, they are particularly aggressive to humans and their attacks can prove fatal.

17. Hippos

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Like the Elephant, the Hippopotamus is said to be responsible for around 500 deaths each year, according to National Geographic.  These enormous animals will actually attack anything if it can't predict their pattern, including humans, and with their large size, sharp teeth, and surprisingly fast speed, we don't stand a chance!

18. Bullet Ants

Image Source / Businessinsider.com

Bullet Ants have often been described as The Amazon's Most Lethal Pest, according to the Western Exterminator, and there's certainly a reason for this label!  In fact, the sting of a bullet any can leave you in complete agony with burning pain for a whole day, up to eight hours, in fact!

19. Owls

Image Source / Howstuffworks.com

Owls are stunning birds and are responsible for many mammalian deaths because these are their choice of prey.  They usually keep out of humans' way in the wild but when they feel threatened, they have been known to dive-bomb people's heads.  And they're pretty strong too, causing blunt force trauma to the heads of their victims, which can sometimes prove fatal.

20. Kangaroos

Image Source / LiveScience.com

Kangaroos are known for boxing each other and they train for this as soon as they emerge from their mother's pouch.  But funnily enough, Kangaroos don't usually attack humans.  They seem to be threatened by dogs and tend to attacks them as they're being walked by their owners.

21. Bees

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Bees aren't usually deadly to humans and only tend to cause localized discomfort and slight swelling to their victim's skin.  But if you are allergic to their venom, severe reactions can occur, causing cells to swell, asphyxiation, and sometimes even death.

22. CatFish

Image Source / Chesapeakebay.com

If you Google Catfish (the fish not the phenomenon), usually you'll see many photographs of proud fishers holding one up they've just caught.  But the spin of a Catfish is so poisonous and can cause severe pain if it comes into contact with the skin.  And sometimes, in rare cases, this can cause necrosis.

23. Leopard Seals

Image Source / Coolantarctica.com

As humans, Leopard Seals are not usually interested in us as prey - they usually go for penguins.  But there has been one report of a fatality, according to New Zealand's Department for Conservation.  Studies have found though that, usually, Leopard Seals are more curious about humans than anything.

24. Chimps

Image Source / Scientificamerican.com

You may think about Chimpanzees and immediately think about the many reported fatal and near-fatal attacks they've carried out on humans.  But the thing is, these reports are about Chimps that have been kept as pets in a domesticated setting whereas, in the wild, they tend to be afraid of humans and avoid them rather than attack.

25. Swans

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Swans can be very aggressive during breeding season and if you get too close to their nests, they WILL attack you.  Usually, they warn you off by hissing at you and flapping their wings to startle you, but in some very rare cases, there have been reports of humans being attacked by Swans and being quite severely injured.

26. Platypuses

Image Source / Today.com

Like the Slow Loris, Platypuses are one of the very few mammals left that are able to produce venom!  This might come as a surprise because there have never been any human fatalities, but if your skin comes into contact with the Platypus's hind legs, where the venom is produced, you're in for some really severe and long-lasting pain!

27. Giant Anteaters

Image Source / Worldanimalprotection.org.uk

Giant Anteater might look harmless from afar but if you get close enough to make one feel threatened their attack might be fatal.  This is because they have razor-sharp claws that can cause really nasty wounds and these could either give you life-changing and severe injuries or even kill you.

28. Moose

Image Source / Reddit.com

Usually, Moose won't attack humans unless they're provoked or they're protecting their young but they can still pose a threat because of how huge they are.  If they do attack, they usually chase humans and can trample, stomp and kick.  If this does happen, the advice is to try to hide behind something solid like a tree or go into a fetal position because they usually stop attacking when the threat to them has reduced.

29. Gila Monsters

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Gila Monsters are characterized by their distinctive and beautiful marking and they usually avoid humans at all costs in the wild.  But sometimes, they can bite and this has been described as extremely painful.  It won't kill you but it can be really difficult to get the reptile to loosen its grip!

30. Cassowaries

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Cassowaries are usually very shy and hard to spot in the wild as they tend to avoid any human contact.  But don't be fooled by their beauty and shyness!  This is because this stunning bird, like ostriches, is one of the only birds in the world to have actually killed humans.