A recent blog looked at animals that like to wear a mantel of disguise; but what about those who like to be loud and proud?
What’s the world’s boldest creature? Lion? Elephant? Gorilla?
Nope – it might surprise you that’s it’s the lesser-known honey badger. These guys have even made it into the Guinness Book of Records for being the most fearless animal. They will courageously fight off much larger predators – even big cats! How do they do it? Well, it takes, strength, ferocity and rather incredible skin, which is extremely tough – sharp objects just won’t penetrate it and it has a degree of looseness, allowing them to twist their way out of danger – their predators just can’t get a grip!
Of course, fearless felines are some of the biggest and boldest of them all and top spot here goes to the tiger – with powerful paws and strong jaws, these guys don’t really have anything to fear. They’re adaptable and will hunt a variety of prey – they’re even prepared to take on crocodiles – now that’s brave!
Bet we’ve all had a teddy bear to hug when we were young (or older even!) but the truth is that, despite appearances, bears in the wild are far from cuddly!
They’re extremely powerful, strong, agile and intelligent. Unlike your toy furry friends, these awesome top predators are anything but embraceable!
As well as these fearsome mammals, there’s also a big, brave bird out there too! Enter the ostrich – you might think of these guys as cowardly, putting their heads in the sand to avoid danger – but the truth is, they’re afraid of nothing – they could kill the likes of a hyena (or possibly human) with a swift kick from those massively powerful legs of theirs – that’s why they’re classed as the most dangerous bird in the world…
It’s not just on dry land that the brave roam, there’s also steely resolve to be found in the water. You might think of hippos as relatively placid souls, munching their veggies and wallowing in that mud, but they can be moody and volatile – worth bearing in mind, as you wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of a 3 ton unhappy one charging your way!
Another snappy self-assured water dweller is, of course, the crocodile. These ancient animals have incredibly powerful jaws, lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth, coupled with a body measuring up to 6m (20ft), they are one petrifying predator. Swimming is off limits with these guys around, as they like to hide beneath the water, waiting to dash out and take their dinner by surprise!
Size isn’t everything when it comes to confidence – you don’t have to be big to be bold. The Brazilian wandering spider definitely knows how to pack a punch for its size. There’s nothing phoney about these plucky phoneutria* (*their family name says it all – it means murderer in Greek!!) These arachnids have a highly toxic venom and a reputation for aggression – they won’t hesitate to deliver a bite if they feel threatened – back away slowly!
Slithering along to represent snakes is the black mamba – this 4m (14ft) serpent has an extremely poisonous venom (lethal to humans without treatment with an antivenom). As well as that, it’s got a can-do attitude, together with a willingness to attack, giving several bites at a time and a good turn of speed too! Run as fast as you can!
I guess we could go on and on – just think of such formidable creatures as great white sharks, wolves, buffalos, Komodo dragons, piranha fish, wasps, etc.
I’m starting to feel a little uneasy about all those scary dudes out there! But, honestly, most animals aren’t typically aggressive – it’s probably only if they’re provoked or if they have an accidental and unfortunate encounter – wrong place, wrong time. So, whilst there are undoubtedly those who can be a little tetchy at times (me included!!) the old adage of – if you leave us along, we’ll leave you alone – is probably true.
So don’t have nightmares…
Just a little respect….
Candy Hunter 