About This Quiz
From the time we were young, we were taught that there are certain animals we should just stay away from. They include big cats like lions and tigers, sea creatures like sharks and others that include but aren't limited to snakes, crocodiles and scorpions. But there are also some that we were never warned about; animals deemed too cute to cause any kind of harm, but boy were our parents wrong!
We've searched the internet for animals that fit that exact bill; animals that were underrated in their deadliness. Not only are we trying to bring the truth to light here, we also want to know if you can name these deadly beasts by looking at a picture. We know you know what dolphins, elephants and deer look like. But could you name a puffer fish, leopard seal, slow loris and Gila monster if we showed you to them?Â
It's time to prove to us whether you only know the big dogs or if you're also aware of all the cuddly creatures that could kill you. Prove to us that you know what they are in this quiz.Â
The cassowary is a large, ostrich-like creature found in the rainforests of Australia and New Guinea. In the wild, these birds keep to themselves but may get aggressive when their territory is invaded, using their powerful claws to disembowel their victims.
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Also known as the ant bear, the giant anteater is a large, insectivorous mammal indigenous to Central and South America. In 2012, a Brazilian hunter was killed by a giant anteater which tore apart his femoral arteries, causing him to bleed to death.
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The box jellyfish is an order of cnidarian invertebrates, of which there are two orders, eight families and fifty-one known species. Venom is delivered through the creature's tentacles, which attacks the heart, nervous system and skin cells, and causes excruciating pain.
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As its name implies, the blue-ringed octopus, found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, is a genus of octopus with blue and black rings on its yellow skin. It is recognized as the most venomous marine animal in the world, producing enough venom to kill 26 adult humans within minutes.
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The cone snail, also known as cone shells or cones, is the common name for a group of venomous sea snails and marine gastropod mollusks. Native to the Indo-Pacific region, this snail delivers venom through a harpoon-like tooth, resulting in instant paralysis, and even death.
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Despite their cute and docile appearance, many species of dolphins are quite dangerous. This includes male bottlenose dolphins, which attack young girls because of the hormones they release.
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Freshwater snails are widely distributed gastropod mollusks which, as its name implies, live in freshwater. These snails transmit for schistosomiasis, the second most parasitic disease in the world, which infects nearly 250 million people and kills 200,000 people every year.
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Native to the Indo-Pacific region, the Pfeffer's flamboyant cuttlefish is a species of cuttlefish known for its vibrant colors which serve as a warning for its poisonous nature. The poison is found in the fish's muscle tissue which is as toxic as the blue-ringed octopus' venom.
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Mosquitoes are small insects which kill nearly 725,000 people every year. This is due to female mosquitoes transmitting vector-borne diseases such as malaria, chikungunya, dengue fever, yellow fever, zika virus, West Nile virus, filariasis and other arboviruses.
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The moose, also known as elk in Eurasia, is the largest and heaviest extant species of the deer family. Though they are generally non-aggressive, moose become violent when threatened or defending a calf, killing more people annually than bears.
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The stingray is a type of cartilaginous fish with a flat, disk-shaped body and a long, barbed tail which delivers mild venom. Stingray deaths are usually the result of infected wounds or, as in the case of Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, being stabbed in vital organs.
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Beavers are large semiaquatic rodents known for building dams, canals and lodges. These furry creatures rarely attack humans due to their docile nature. In 2013, a beaver ripped into the arm of a Belarusian man and, in the process, severed a major artery, resulting in blood loss and death.
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Cows are large domesticated ungulates of the subfamily Bovinae. In the small village of Caratinga, Brazil, a man was crushed to death by a cow in the middle of the night. The 3,000-pound creature climbed to the top of his shanty and crashed through his roof.
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The leopard seal is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic region. This marine mammal is listed as top predator due to its exceptionally strong jaws and unusually long teeth, which makes for a deadly bite.
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Native to Southeast Asia, the slow loris is a poisonous mammal known for its large eyes. This small primate secretes a toxin from its elbows which it takes into its mouth as it gets ready to bite. In humans, exposure to the poison could lead to death due to anaphylactic shock.
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Elephants are large land mammals of which there are three recognized species. When mistreated, elephants display bouts of unexpected aggressive behavior and partake in destructive and violent actions against humans.
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The alligator snapping turtle is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world, with a bite that can crush a pineapple. Despite their reputation, alligator snapping turtles are not very aggressive, but it will attack if it feels threatened and is known to bite off human fingers.
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Swordfish, also called broadbills, are a large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by its long, flat bill. These fishes are known to leap out the water at high speeds and pierce humans with their bills, as was the case of a Hawaiian man who died after being impaled in the chest.
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Vampire bats are a species of bat whose only food source is the blood of mammals specifically livestock. Although rare, humans bitten by vampire bats can become infected with rabies, as in the case of four Peruvian children who died in 2012.
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Swans are close relatives of geese and ducks of the waterfowl family, Anatidae. Despite their appearance, swans are quite aggressive toward humans. In 2012, an Illinois man drowned when a swan capsized his boat and was unable to stay afloat due to the swan's repeated attacks.
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The red fox is the largest species of true foxes which is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Red foxes are generally fearful toward humans, and will only attack if threatened or protecting their young kits.
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The pufferfish is the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world which, like the blue-ringed octopus, produces a potent neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. Exposure to the fish's poison, for which there is no cure, results in suffocation due to paralysis of the diaphragm.
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Native to sub-Saharan Africa, chimpanzees, along with humans, gorillas and orangutans, are part of the Hominidae family. Chimpanzees are naturally violent, and when provoked will aggressively attack their victims leaving their body mutilated.
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The Gila monster is a large, slow-moving species of venomous lizard characterized by its black and orange bead-like scales. Although not fatal, the Gila monster delivers an extremely painful bite and then latches and chews on its prey to release the venom.
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The hippo, native to sub-Saharan Africa, is a large, mostly herbivorous semiaquatic mammal. Hippopotamuses are considered to be very aggressive and have frequently been reported charging and capsizing boats, injuring or killing people in the process.
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Fire corals are a genus of colonial marine organisms with bright-green and brown skeletal coverings which resemble growths on rocks and corals. Contact with this toxic organism results in pain which lasts from two days to two weeks.
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The Wolverine, also known as skunk bear, quickhatch, glutton or carcajou, is a stocky and muscular carnivore which resembles a small bear. Wolverines are generally scared of humans, but will attack if threatened resulting in severe injuries.
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The platypus, also known as the duck-billed platypus, is a semi-aquatic, egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia and Tasmania. Both the male and female are born with ankle spurs, though only the males inject venom which is powerful enough to kill small animals such as dogs.
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Deer are hoofed ruminant mammals of the Cervidae family which are estimated to kill nearly 120 people yearly. In 2005, a man was attacked by a six-foot-tall buck which tore through his cheek and mouth. He died due to a blood clot in his lung where the deer pierced him.
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Centipedes are elongated metameric anthropods with one pair of legs per body segment. Some species of centipede are venomous, resulting in pain, swelling, fever chills and weakness. The bites of larger centipedes can induce anaphylactic shock in people allergic to bee stings.
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Native to Australia, the dingo is a medium-sized, wolf-like canid with a lean, hard body suited for speed, stamina and agility. Dingos generally avoid humans but can be quite dangerous, as in the case of 2-month old baby (Azaria Chamberlain) who was taken from a campsite in 1980.
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Known for its brightly colored skin, the poison dart frog is one of the most toxic animals. Although they aren't known to kill humans directly, the most deadly of the species is the Golden Poison Frog which produces enough poison to kill 10 to 20 men.
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The goose is a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae along with swans and ducks. Geese are particularly aggressive toward humans during mating season if they believe their eggs or goslings are threatened. Unlike swans, they lose their natural fear of humans if fed regularly.
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Hedgehogs are spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae, of which there are five genera and 17 species. This small and prickly mammal is not usually violent, but when threatened, may bite and risk transmitting non-fatal diseases to humans such as fungal skin infections.
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Giant pandas, also known as panda bear or pandas, is a species of bear indigenous to south-central China. Despite their seemingly docile appearance, giant pandas are known to attack humans out of irritation rather than aggression.
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Native to North America, the raccoon is a medium-sized mammal characterized by its dexterous front paws, ringed tail and facial mask. This nocturnal mammal is normally shy and will only become violent if threatened or infected with rabies.
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Native to the Arctic Circle, the polar bear is a large, hypercarnivorous bear characterized by its snow-white fur. Unlike brown bears, polar bears are cautious in confrontations and will only attack humans if severely provoked or protecting its cubs.
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Kangaroos, indigenous to Australia, are the largest species of the marsupial family Mcropodidae. These mammals are usually shy, though there are cases of unprovoked attacks such as the 1936 incident where a hunter was killed in an attempt to rescue his two dogs from a heated fray.
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Owls are nocturnal and solitary birds of prey of the order Strigiformes. Owls are known to attack humans such as a Scottish man who suffered heavy bleeding and went into shock, or photographer Eric Hosking, who lost his left eye in an attempt to photograph a tawny owl.
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Honeybees are social flying insects which live in colonial nests made of wax. Worker honeybees defend the nest from intruders in the form of painful stings. The Africanized honeybee is one of the deadliest species, having killed approximately 1,000 people.
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