Stingrays belong to a group of fish called Dasyatidae, which includes rays, sharks and skates, and all have skeletons made of cartilage. Rays often lie on the seabed, where their flat shape and coloring make them difficult to see. Some rays are harmless, but others will quickly attack if stepped on or disturbed. Stingrays are found in tropical, warm waters around the world. They get their name from the sharp spines that grow near the base of their long, thin tails, in which both are very dangerous weapons. If an enemy gets too close, the stingray whips its tail around and drives its spine into its victim's body. The spine is coated with poison and imposes a tremendously painful, though rarely fatal, wound. Several swimmers have died after being stung in the stomach or chest by stingrays. Stingray spines were once used by local people as weapons and sometimes unfortunately sold as letter openers to tourists.
Also known as the Bluebottle, this “jellyfish” is actually a siphonophore, an organism that is made up of hundreds of small marine organisms, mainly polyps. They mainly live in warm oceans all around the world. Their tentacles can trail up to 165 feet behind their bodies, but average length is about 50 feet. Their powerful sting causes a sharp burning pain to humans, but the Man O'War is rarely fatal. Some side effects from the organism may include fever, shock, and circulatory and respiratory problems. Seek first aid quickly and to help neutralize the venom, pour vinegar over the area of the sting. In certain cases, an allergic reaction may occur and they may need medical treatment at a hospital to treat the side effects and pain. There have been deaths of humans from this species, so be careful next time you go to the beach.
Also known as the box jellyfish, they are one of the deadliest creatures in the world. They have a large transparent body shaped like a box, which can weigh as much as two kilograms. Under the large body, millions of stinging capsules cover the 120-inch transparent tentacles that are deadly to humans. These creatures mainly live in the Australian seas and as they move to creeks and rivers, many swimmers can be stung. Children who are stung die within minutes of being stung. Symptoms includes a shock in the heart, complete circulatory failure, and the respiratory system paralyzes. If these symptoms are not treated quickly, the victim can die in two or three minutes, even if they are an adult.
This species is considered one of the world's most dangerous scorpions. It mainly lives in dry habitats and deserts. It is found on rocks in the deserts, arid highlands, and high plateaus; it avoids coastal humidity. It does not dig a large burrow, but will hide under rocks and in cracks. It also is unfortunately found near residential areas (cracks in walls, between bricks.) Since there is no anti-venom available in the United States, there will be a short chance of survival if stung. An adult can die within 2 hours of being stung by a yellow fattail scorpion.
Measuring to the size of a paper clip, the golden poison dart frog is considered one of the most toxic animals in the world. These frogs mainly live on the pacific coasts of Colombia, in the dense rainforests. The adults are in bright colors of yellow, light green, and orange to give a warning to predators that they are dangerous to the touch. In fact, one milligram of their batrachotoxin can kill ten to twenty adults. What makes them poisonous is what they eat, which are toxic ants and beetles, which transfers the toxicity to the frog's glands. These frogs are not venomous in captivity.
A snake that is able to flare its hood, face a human eye to eye, and become the longest venomous snake in the world would be the famous King Cobra. It can reach 18 feet in length, but average length is 13 feet. It is able to raise one-third of its body off the ground and still be able to move forward to attack. King cobras are mainly found in the dense forests of South-east Asia, around lakes and rivers. A single bite from this serpent is enough to kill a full-grown elephant in 3 hours. The venom from the king cobra attacks the central nervous system, causing severe pain, blurred vision, and paralysis. Death occurs because of respiratory failure. Fortunately, these reptiles are shy and usually avoid humans whenever possible. However, once cornered, the serpents are extremely aggressive.
One of the most feared spiders, the female black widow, is easily identified by its hourglass under its abdomen. This particular species are found near homes in Mexico, southwestern Canada, and the western United States. The venom from the widow is highly potent, 15 times more venomous than the rattlesnake. The black widow is capable of killing a person in a single bite. It is a shy creature and will only attack in self-defense or when it is disturbed.
The Australian funnel-web spider is another spider that is considered one of the most dangerous. This species lives in Australia. The male spider's venom is more toxic than the female, and both genders are extremely aggressive. Males are usually encountered more frequently than females because females hardly leave their burrows. Once disturbed, the spider will attack anything, regardless of their size, and once attacking, they will strike repeatedly. Deaths from these spiders can occur from 15 minutes, for a small child, to 3 days, for an adult.
There are three well-known species of blue-ringed octopus, and all can be found along the coast of Australia and some Pacific Islands. They are small and beautiful, as their blue rings become highly visible when it is about to attack. Their bite causes not much more than a scratch, but the poison in the saliva is so toxic to humans that it can kill them in just five minutes. After three minutes of being bit, the victim's nervous system stops working, paralysis occurs, and respiration begins to fail. They may appear dead, but if medical treatment comes in quickly, the victim may survive.







