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Friday, March 28, 2014

5 Deceptively Dangerous Members of the Animal Kingdom

Just another way Mother Nature is trying to kill you...

Cassowaries

 The animal above looks to be nothing more than a slightly fabulous emu/turkey hybrid. Peculiar and hilarious, yes. Dangerous? No. What may not be immediately apparent is the monstrous 5-inch long, razor sharpmiddle toe that all cassowaries wield. Combine that with their powerful legs and territorial attitude, and suddenly you have a natural killer. These animals' toe daggers have been proven to fatally sever human veins and arteries.

Cone Snails

 What appears to be just an ordinary cone-shaped seashell may actually be harboring the potentially deadly cone snail. These molluscs actually sport a harpoon-like appendage with jagged edges, which is used to neutralize prey with a paralyzing venom so that they are more easily consumed. Though the smaller cone snails have a sting that hurts no worse than that of a bee, the larger varieties have proven fatal to humans. Keep that one in mind next time you're walking down the beach.

Mantis Shrimp

 A general rule of thumb about nature seems to be that the more colorful something is, the more it wants to see you suffer. The mantis shrimp is no exception. Thankfully, because of their fairly small size, they can only really hurt humans via deep gashes to the skin. Were they any bigger than a few inches however, we could have a serious problem. The strike created by the snapping motion of these animal's claws is so powerful that the surrounding temperature can reach surface of the sun levels. They've also been known to break and shatter improperly reinforced aquariums just by striking the walls. They also have some of the most advanced eyes in the animalkingdom, so don't plan on running from one for too long when it backs you into a corner.

Platypuses

 With a duck bill, a beaver tail, otter feet, and an egg laying reproductive system, the platypus is universally known as nature's mistake. Just make sure you don't say that to a male platypus' face. Otherwise you may be on the receiving end of a vicious scratch from their venomous hind claws. Though the venom hasn't been shown to kill a human (yet), it will still cause nearly unbearable pain. It almost makes up for the appearance that evolution granted them.

Slow Lorises

Look at those adorably buggy eyes. Wide, innocent, and perpetually inviting you over for a hug, the slow loris seems to have nothing but love to give. That is, of course, if you consider a potentially lethal toxin love. Many types of slow loris have what is known as a "brachial gland" on the inner side of it's elbow. This gland can secrete a clear substance that, when mixed with the slow loris' salilva, forms a potent toxin. Being on the receiving end of one of these toxic bites from the world's only poisonous primate may spell disaster. We're sure you can now see why they're quickly becoming one of the most popular pets in some Asian countries.

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