Can You Identify These Killer Beasts from a Black and White Photo?

By: Monica Lee
Image: shutterstock

About This Quiz

If natural disasters like hurricanes and volcanoes aren't enough for you to be fearful of ... if man-made disasters like pollution and overpopulation are still just a shrug of your shoulders, then fear this. Deadly animals with a taste for ... you. And, they are out there waiting. From the swamps of Florida to the deserts of Arizona and the Californian coast, you need to know there are creatures that can kill you with a tiny bite or dismember you with powerful jaws. Sound fun? Then you'll love this quiz. From great white sharks to deathstalker scorpions, you'll learn all about these killer beasts. 

Sure, you may not end up traveling to the countries where you'll find many of these deadly creatures. For instance, you won't need to worry about 10-foot-long pythons that crush you to death if you're not in India. But considering vacationing in the Indo-Pacific region and northern Australia? Then you may want to know about the box jellyfish that can kill you within two minutes if stung by its tentacles. Either way, it's fascinating to know the creepy creatures out there and how they devour their prey. Find out now by taking this quiz. You're sure to be a slithering success. 



Heading to North Africa or the Middle East? Then beware of this highly venomous scorpion that is responsible for over 75% of scorpion-related deaths every year.

In 1957 a Brazilian bee keeper trying to interbreed European and African honeybees accidentally let some get away. Due to their swarming, stinging and aggressive behavior, these "killer bees" are feared.

Rhinos are more dangerous than you may believe. Once they have you in their sights you will need to outrun them, and at 40 mph, you can understand why there are so many deaths by rhinoceros.

Thinking of taking a walk on the beach? Maybe dip a toe or two into the water? Be careful if there is a cone snail that inhabits the water. One drop of venom from this minute creature is enough to kill 20 people.

Snorkeling? Watch where you put your feet. Lying camouflaged on the ocean floor, the “world's most venomous fish” can kill you if you step on its poisonous spines.

The great whites like to sample whatever is floating, to see if it is edible or not. So they'll bite you, but because people are too bony, they'll usually leave you to bleed out in the water. Isn't that sweet?

Don't be at the wrong place at the wrong time in Africa. Known as “death incarnate,” the black mamba is highly aggressive, very fast, and attacks without provocation.

This animal is so highly unpredictable, it is known as the “widowmaker” or “black death” in Africa. It is also responsible for more fatalities every year than any other large animal on the continent!

This small amphibian has enough poison on its skin to kill an army of 20,000 mice, so think of what brushing up against it would do to you.

This killer mammal will eat anything that is even slightly meaty, including other polar bears. Although they generally don’t kill humans, it’s probably because there aren’t many of us around their neighborhood to kill. But don't test this theory.

The venom of this jellyfish is so potent, it kills more people every year than sharks, crocodiles and stonefish combined!

It is unusual for a lion to kill humans. However, the lions known as the Tsavo man-eaters, mauled and killed 28 railway workers in Kenya over a nine-month period in 1898.

Although they are relatively shy, don't mess with a boomslang. Their venom disables blood clotting so its victims slowly die as they bleed out from every pore in their body. Lovely.

Considered one of the most poisonous vertebrates in the world, the poison of the puffer fish will paralyze your diaphragm and stop your breathing.

Hyenas have been known to hunt humans throughout history. Since they are attracted to human corpses, they increase their human-hunting during wartime and disease outbreaks.

Komodo dragons will eat anything from birds to water buffaloes to humans, even dig up bodies from shallow graves. They are skilled hunters and will charge their prey, rip out its throat, and retreat while the poison from their bite finishes its life.

This large blood-sucking fly is known to carry the African sleeping sickness. This disease is responsible for killing up to a quarter of a million people every year.

When leopards are wounded they become even more dangerous. So be alert. They are stronger than you think. They drag dead antelopes up trees.

Please don't get bitten by this viper. It has a poison similar to the boomslang, so if you don't get medical assistance, you'll slowly bleed to death.

The most venomous spider in the world is often found hiding in houses and cars of densely populated areas, especially during daytime. It's not the surprise you want inside your cereal.

This golf-ball size octopus has enough venom to kill 26 full-grown adults, and there is no antidote.

Are you surprised that hippos are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa? These highly-aggressive animals have been known to attack humans without provocation even to the point of destroying entire vehicles.

The saltwater crocodile has been known to eat everything from water buffalo to sharks. It uses a technique called the “death roll” to kill its prey.

As the world’s largest land animal, you don't want to get in its way when it's on a rampage. Elephants can be fiercely aggressive and have been known to raze entire villages.

It is hard to think of mosquitoes as deadly, however, they transmit diseases to almost 700 million people annually resulting in 2 to 3 million deaths every year.

Assassin bugs can transmit serious diseases, such as Chaga's disease, to humans. Assassin bugs (or kissing bugs) get their names from their habit of biting humans on the face near the lips.

The larvae of botflies live beneath a human’s skin and cause horrible effects. You don't want to know.

The giant Japanese hornet is the largest species of hornet in the world. These aggressive creatures claim up to 40 deaths each year from their poisonous sting.

The bullet ant is the largest of all ants in the world and their sting is so painful it feels as if you've been shot. Thankfully they are mostly found in rain forests of Nicaragua and Paraguay.

Don't disturb any of the 285 different species of fire ants, because once disturbed, they will swarm the intruder and use their painful bites repeatedly.

Electric eels can produce a maximum electric shock of 600 volts, which can result in heart failure in humans.

When piranhas hunt in groups, it is almost impossible to escape. With their taste for meat and razor-sharp teeth, be wary where you swim. There have been a number of reported attacks on humans in the Amazon basin.

While the red lionfish only grows up to about 12 inches long, it packs enough toxins within its spiny fins to kill a human.

Steve Irwin, the legendary wildlife enthusiast, was killed by a small ocean stingray. The Giant Freshwater Stingray has an eight-inch stinger and a powerful sting that goes with it.

With 22 million in a colony, even elephants would run away from an attack of driver ants. Be forewarned, they will try to overwhelm and eat any animal that comes across their path.

If you have six-inch long fangs, your nickname might be "Vampire", too. The payara, or vampire characin, prowl the Amazon River and are incredibly aggressive, leading to numerous human deaths.

With over 120 reported attacks on people in total, the bull shark is not a shark to aggravate. The bull sharks are very fast and aggressive predators. Since they can be found in rivers and lakes, the likelihood of attacking humans are much higher than from other sharks.

Listed on the top 10 killer animals in India you'll find the Indian or spectacled cobra. The venom of a spectacled cobra attacks the nervous system and causes paralysis and cardiac and respiratory failure.

Here is another on the list of top 10 killers in India, the common krait or Indian krait can be found anywhere from jungles to inside hidden nooks in homes. Their bite causes paralysis and suffocation.

The Indian rock python or black-tailed python can grow to almost 10 feet long! This is one of the biggest python species found in India. The Indian rock python is one of the most dangerous animals in India, as it is known to crush its victims.

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