- Cassowaries: Cassowaries are beautiful, majestic birds. They are mainly found in Australia and the rainforests of New Guinea. They are one of the few flightless bird species on earth — the heaviest in Australia and the second heaviest after the ostrich. They are also capable of reaching impressive speeds, like their cousins. Male cassowaries have a characteristic coloured neck with red and blue colours, a crested head and a body covered in black feathers, making them relatively brightly coloured compared to their female counterparts, a feature common in the avian world.
Cassowaries are wary of humans but can be quite violent if provoked. They are labelled the most dangerous birds on earth, and here is why:
Cassowaries sport a dagger-like claw on the middle digit of each foot, capable of inflicting fatal slashes on victims. How does this claw do its dirty work?
Well, the cassowary is endowed with supreme agility. When threatened, it jumps and strikes its victim with its dagger-like claw like a seasoned martial artist. If it lacerates a vital organ in the victim, death is imminent.
Despite the infamous reputation of the cassowary, the last recorded death from a cassowary was in the 1920s. Nonetheless, it’s best to steer clear of these guys. The last thing you want to know is to awaken the “slumbering” Bruce Lee in them.
- Honey badger: The honey badger is often regarded as the toughest animal in Africa. Why? It has a body well-equipped for both offence and defence against assaults that would ordinarily incapacitate other animals. First is its tough loose skin resistant to bee stings and porcupine quills. It enables the honey badger to “turn on” the enemy to inflict damage if it’s grabbed by the loose skin. It also has razor-sharp teeth that would give foes something to think about if they latch on to their target. And also, there are skunk-like scent glands to ward off threats and predators.
Another interesting fact about them is that they often include animals like scorpions and snakes in their diet. They seem to be well-built for the latter, as they are capable of dealing with snake venom in their system just by sleeping it off for some hours or so if they ever get bitten. Honey badgers have been seen eating snakes like black mambas and puff adders.
Lastly, they are tireless fighters. If triggered, a honey badger would fight to the death. So, it’d continue until its opponent backs down or until it dies in the process. These are qualities that make them formidable foes in the African savannah, such that larger predators avoid them as much as possible. This isn’t to say they don’t hunt these badgers once in a while, but they usually have a hard time doing so. They’d rather direct that time into something more productive and yielding — like an Impala.
- Wolverines: The wolverine, a mustelid and a close relative of the honey badger is perhaps the only animal that can match the honey badger’s toughness and fearlessness. To be honest, a duel between the two would be interesting. The two mustelids are both forces to be reckoned with in their respective turfs. Wolverines are slightly larger than honey badgers, but they are just as tough and can be just as aggressive if provoked, so much that they can stand their ground against much larger predators like bears. They are mainly found in North America.
- Tasmanian devils: The Tasmanian devil often comes off as shy at first contact, but if one chooses not to respect boundaries and decide to go looking for trouble, such that the animal feels threatened, they may indeed live up to their name. The largest carnivorous marsupials in Australia are not to be messed with, and why? Well, you do not want to be a victim of their terrible jaws. The Tasmanian devil’s bite force is the highest relative to the body size of any mammal, strong enough to cut through metal cages. This, they put to good use in food consumption. They are too small to see humans as prey, but you do not want to be bitten by those terrible teeth! Trust me.
- Wild pigs: The wild relatives of domesticated pigs are as unpredictable as they come, and therein lies how dangerous they are. They can sprint at really high speeds in short bursts, such that they can inflict serious damage on unsuspecting victims. The male ones are often the culprits as they’ve been known to attack hikers travelling alone in the woods, and once in a while, fatalities are recorded.
- Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis): There’s nothing gentle about these guys, people. Do not let that name fool you. Northern goshawks are fearsome and intimidating powerful raptors. Their inherent ferociousness is put on display when they hunt, and most especially, when they guard their nests against intruders. They have been tagged the fiercest nest defenders by a lot of people. Goshawks will attack anything, even humans, that seem to pose a threat to their chicks.
- Saltwater crocodiles: The largest living crocodile species are as aggressive as they come. Their aggression appears to be hardwired, as very young crocs tend to display the same level of aggression as adults. They are opportunistic hunters that have earned a reputation as being man-eaters. Unlike most on this list, saltwater crocs will not hesitate to attack adult humans if they have the chance. They are, by far, the most aggressive crocodilians on the planet.
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