Ocean predators. The ten most deadly sea creatures for humans. Yellow sea anemone

A fragment of a three-meter fossilized skull was found in sedimentary rocks on the coast of Peru giant sperm whale. The discovery was made in the desert 35 km southwest of the city of Ika (already known to many paleontologists for its artifacts) by paleontologist Klaas Post from the Rotterdam Natural History Museum on the last day of the expedition of a team of paleontologists led by Dr. Christian de Muizon (Christian de Muizon), director of the Natural History Museum in Paris.

The expedition also included paleontologists Olivier Lambert from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels, Giovanni di Bianucci from the University of Pisa in Italy, Rodolfo Salas -Gismondi (Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi) and Mario Urbino (Mario Urbina) from the Natural History Museum National University San Marcos (Lima, Peru) (Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima) and Jelle Reumer from the Rotterdam Natural History Museum.

The fossil was placed in the collection of the Natural History Museum in Lima, Peru.

The researchers, as discoverers, named the newly described species of sperm whale Leviathan melvillei:

- the first component of the name is mythological monster Leviathan, mentioned in Old Testament;

- the second part is given in honor of Herman Melville, the author of the novel about the white whale "Moby Dick".

According to the reconstruction carried out by scientists, Leviathan melvillei had a jaw three meters long, and from the tip of the muzzle to the tail was 16-18 meters.

The most amazing feature of this animal is its huge teeth, up to 30 centimeters long and up to 12 centimeters wide. These are the largest teeth possessed by any terrestrial carnivorous animal.

Absolute record holder teeth

Among modern predators, only sperm whales, reaching 20 meters in length, can compare in size with L. melvillei. However, the modern sperm whale has functional teeth only on lower jaw(on the upper there are practically no protruding rudimentary ones), and in the ancient leviathan sperm whale both the lower and upper jaws are equally developed. The presence of teeth both above and below suggests a predatory hunting strategy: probably Leviathan melvillei attacked its prey, grabbed it with powerful jaws and tore it apart with giant teeth.

Analyzing the details of the skull, and due to the fact that the jaws of the found animal were equipped with large powerful muscles, scientists suggest that Leviathan melvillei could easily deal with even whales up to 7-10 meters long.

At the same time and in the same waters, along with Leviathan melvillei, another monster lived - Carcharocles megalodon - giant shark, reaching 15 meters in. Whether these giants of the predatory world could compete or engage in battles is still unknown to scientists, since there are no facts indicating meetings of these monsters.

In addition, scientists will have to answer the question of the reasons for the disproportionate torso of the animal. This will allow us to study the skeleton of a prehistoric sperm whale.

Initially, it was believed that the large head allowed these marine mammals to dive to considerable depths in search of food. But the latest data disproves this theory, since the animals hunted by giant hunters lived in upper layers ocean.

Based on the size of the skull, researchers claim that the ancient monster whale had a large spermaceti organ, the purpose of which modern sperm whales have no consensus on.

According to modern ideas, this large cavity in the forehead, filled with a waxy substance - spermaceti, helps the whale in several tasks:

- the first (controversial) is the facilitation of diving and ascent due to a consistent change in the density of this substance. It hardens and contracts upon contact with cold water and melts from the heat of the blood;

- this cavity apparently plays some role in echolocation;

- a large head can serve as a striking weapon in the fight of males for a female.

Perhaps she helped the Leviathan in attacking its prey. Such a ram could damage the victim no less than the subsequent capture by strong jaws. At least two 19th-century whaling ships were sunk after being struck on the side by the massive head of large male sperm whales. Similar incidents later formed the basis of the plot of the novel Moby Dick.

Since the Leviathan did not dive deep for its victims, but preferred to feed near the surface of the sea, it did not need “assistance in diving.”

It may follow from this that such a large organ during the evolution of whales appeared precisely as an echolocator and a ram, and long before sperm whales began to make their amazing dives to great depths.

Scientists still cannot answer the question of what led to the extinction Leviathan melvillei, but suggest that this could be due to changes in environment(cooling), as well as in the number and size of available prey.

Lambert is confident: Leviathan melvillei is the largest sperm whale known to science. Its descendants shredded, lost their teeth and, instead of actively hunting mammals, switched to sucking mollusks such as squid.

Sperm whales, which today feed on deep-sea squid, are much less vulnerable to climate change than active predators living near the surface of the water. Modern sperm whales specialize in a completely different food niche: they are excellent divers hunting deep-sea squid. And sperm whales don’t really need teeth to capture squid.

This was not at all the case with Leviathan melvillei, he knew perfectly well how to use such an impressive weapon. Well, millions of years after the disappearance of the monster, the vacated niche of an aggressive predator was filled by “killer whales” - killer whales, significantly inferior to the Leviathan in size, but using similar hunting tactics.

And two more important finds recent years concerning the evolution of whales.

Last year, the remains of two whales of the Archaeoceti group of the species Maiacetus inuus, about 48 million years old, were found in Pakistan. Analysis of the fossilized skeletons of a male and a pregnant female has revealed that female primordial whales gave birth on land. In addition, their discovery provided new data to determine how whales migrated from land to water. Scientists believe that the first land creatures appeared in the Devonian - about 360-380 million years ago. After 300 million years, some mammal species decided to return to the water. Their paws began to turn back into fins. The discovery in Pakistan reveals an important link in the evolution of whales. The presence of teeth in the fetus suggests that newborn whales of this species were not completely helpless in their first years of life.

In 2007, a group of American scientists found that the ancestors of modern whales were creatures similar to deer without horns and smaller in size. New evidence suggests that the ancestors of whales were artiodactyls, which lived in South Asia about 50 million years ago and hid in the water when danger approached. Previously it was assumed that the closest relatives marine mammals are hippopotamuses.

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Probably, of all the predators living on Earth, they cause the greatest fear in humans. It is difficult to find a more perfect and, at the same time, more ancient organism. Sharks are ideal and ancient predators that appeared 420–450 million years ago, and since then they have not changed much: in the form in which we know them now, they were formed during Jurassic period, when dinosaurs still walked the planet, and the first birds were just taking to the air.

We recently encountered one of these predators in Primorye. On August 17, a 25-year-old guy was attacked by a large White shark and bit off both his hands, and a day later a 16-year-old scuba diver was injured and escaped with severe lacerations to his legs.

There are about 350 different species of sharks in the waters of the World Ocean, and each of them is unique in its own way. Today we will take a closer look at some sharks and find out which of them is among the “big three”, the most dangerous killer sharks for humans.

Sharks are aquatic animals belonging to the superclass fish. All sharks are predators, i.e. for food they use animal food - from the smallest planktonic animals to large inhabitants sea ​​waters

Sharks are very tenacious and do not have the same sensitivity to pain as other vertebrates. Their structure was so successfully honed by evolution that sharks survived the centuries-long struggle for existence with various, often very powerful predators, while changing little in the structure of their organs and body.

For convenience, we will mark in red species of sharks dangerous to humans, and green - relatively safe. However, do not forget that all sharks are predators. If you disturb these huge fish during a hunt, or provoke them consciously or unconsciously, then even harmless species are quite capable of attacking a person.

By the way, what should you do if you are suddenly attacked by a shark? A small infographic on this topic from rian.ru:

This species is distributed in the tropical zone of Indian and Pacific Oceans. These are one of the most common coral reef sharks that inhabit reefs different types, living at depths of several meters. These sharks are small representatives of the family; they do not exceed 2 meters in length and weigh 45 kg. Found at depths of 30 cm or less.

Blacktip reef sharks are sissies. For example, once during transportation, due to a staff error, the water in the container was two degrees below the possible minimum, and the sharks died from hypothermia. In another incident, 35-year-old English comedian Guy Venables, who was taking part in a show in a Brighton nightclub, jumped into a shark tank. The result of this prank was sad: the 12-year-old shark died of fright.

This shark can reach 4 meters in length, but usually does not exceed 2.5-3 meters. Looks a bit like a catfish:

It lives at a depth of 0.5 to 3 meters and can gather in schools of up to 40 individuals.

Slow and inactive nurse sharks feed on crabs, octopuses, sea urchins, and small fish.

Usually, Nurse sharks are safe for humans.

This predator usually reaches 3.5-4 meters in length.

Despite their rather terrifying appearance, sand tigers has a rather peaceful character and attack people only in self-defense. (Photo by David Doubilet):

It should be noted that the original method of maintaining buoyancy used by this type of shark is swallowing air and retaining it in the stomach.

Sand tiger sharks distributed mainly in warm climates climatic zones, there are especially many of them off the Australian coasts. The largest population lives off the coast of North Carolina, near shipwrecks.

Sand Tiger Teeth:

Currently, tiger sand sharks, like many other shark species, are on the verge of extinction. All this led to the inclusion of sand tiger sharks in the list of protected fish and their inclusion in the international Red Book.

Scuba divers hold a 3-meter ruler to show the size of the shark:

Hammers are large sharks . This is the most unusual shark. Basic distinctive feature family of hammerhead sharks is the shape of their head - it is completely unusual shape- in the form of a hammer, T-shaped, along the edges of which there are eyes.

According to one theory, the shark's head acquired the hammer shape gradually over millions of years, expanding each generation by a tiny distance. According to another theory, such a hammer did not appear as a result of gradual changes, but was the result of a sudden, bizarre mutation.

These sharks live in warm and temperate waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans at depths of up to 300-400 meters. These aggressive hunters feed on various types of fish, octopuses, squids and crustaceans.

Hammerhead sharks (except giant hammer) have up to 3.5-4.2 meters and weigh about 450 kg.

In searching for food, the hammerhead shark is mainly helped not by its eyes, but by special receptors electromagnetic pulses. The predator can detect electrical discharges of one millionth of a volt!

Due to its large size, many researchers consider the hammerhead shark one of the most dangerous for a person. But she doesn’t specifically attack people. Many attacks that took place in front of numerous spectators are documented. One day, in 1805, three hammerhead sharks were caught in a net on Long Island. A human torso was found in the stomach of the largest of them.

One of the types of hammers - giant hammerhead shark(average length 4-5 meters) - listed in the International Red Book:

The largest species of shark, as well as the largest living representative of fish.

Although, according to some eyewitnesses, they encountered specimens ranging from 18 to 20 m in length, the largest specimen ever measured was 13.7 m in length. Whale sharks can weigh up to 12 tons.

Despite its impressive size, like a giant shark, it feeds exclusively on plankton and other small organisms, which it filters, drawing in water through a huge gullet with a diameter of 10 cm.

Whale sharks prefer water temperatures between 21 and 25 °C and are distributed throughout the world, found in almost all warm tropical and many subtropical seas on and near the equator.

The whale shark is not dangerous to humans and behaves peacefully. She not only does not attack, but even turns away if a swimmer gets in her way.

It has been estimated that whale sharks can live up to 100 - 150 years.

Commonly found in tropical waters near islands in all oceans. Sharks live on the bottom and prefer to stay close to coastline near underwater rocks and coral reefs with strong currents. These sharks reach sizes of 2.5 meters.

Galapagos gray shark- one of the few that demonstrates its intention to attack: before attacking, it arches its back, raises its head, lowers its fins, and while swimming it spins and rolls from side to side. She refers to species dangerous to humans.

Sharks' noses are sensitive to certain odors and can detect the presence of blood at a concentration of 1:1,000,000, which can be compared to a teaspoon of blood poured into a swimming pool.

Another trait they have is curiosity: sharks accompany ships, poke at the side, hit the oars and chase scuba divers.

The lifespan of the Galapagos shark is about 24 years.

It is the brightest representative of the largest species of fish. It is the second largest species of fish after the whale shark. It reaches a length of up to 10 meters and weighs about 4 tons.

Like the whale shark, the basking shark feeds on plankton, but does not suck in water, but simply swims with its mouth open, filtering through its gills everything that gets into it. Thus, a giant shark is able to filter up to 2000 tons of water per hour.

Basking sharks are found in both the eastern and western hemispheres, preferring cool to warm-temperate latitudes and following the presence of plankton.

safe for humans and today it is endangered.

Females reach a length of 4 meters, males - up to 2.5 m. The maximum documented weight of a bull shark caught was 316.5 kg. On average, a bull shark lives 27-28 years.

The bull shark rightfully ranks 3rd place in the list of the most dangerous shark species for humans. This is an extremely aggressive animal that has the right to claim the title of an ideal and all-powerful predator. Escape from an attacking swimmer terrible monster almost impossible.

Feeding a bull shark by scuba divers:

These bloodthirsty predators usually attack in the morning or late twilight, and, often, at a shallow depth - only 0.5m - 1m.

The behavior of bull sharks is impossible to predict. They can swim peacefully nearby for a long time, and then suddenly attack the swimmer. This attack can be a simple exploratory bite or an outright attack.

This is one of the most common shark species on Earth and ranks 2 1st place on the list of the most dangerous shark species for humans.

Sea tigers reach a length of 5 meters, but larger individuals are also found. Weight ranges from 570 to 750 kg. The lifespan of tiger sharks is probably 30-40 years.

Tiger shark teeth:

Until the shark reaches two meters in length, transverse stripes similar to those of a tiger are noticeable on its sides - hence the name.

Tiger sharks live in many seas of the World Ocean, preferring to stay in the coastal waters of the seas of tropical and subtropical thermal zones. The deep habitat range of tiger sharks extends from the surface of the sea to significant depths. They were encountered at a depth of almost 1 km.

Brave scuba diver:

This huge predator rightfully occupies 1st place in the list of the most dangerous shark species for humans.

It is officially stated that on August 17-18, 2011 in Primorye, in both cases, swimmers were attacked by the same fish - a white shark at least four meters in length.

"White death"- this is the name by which this exceptionally large shark is known, found in the surface coastal waters of all the major oceans of the Earth. Reaching a length of over 6 meters and a mass of 2,3000 kg, it is the largest modern predatory fish. Great white sharks - they are like torpedoes, with a powerful tail, thanks to which they move in the water at speeds of up to 24 km/h.

Scientists have determined the size of the largest specimen, the length of which has been reliably measured to be 6.4 meters. This great white shark was caught in Cuban waters in 1945, measured by experts and documented. The unconfirmed weight of this Cuban shark is 3,270 kg. (Photo by Epic Hanauer):

Wide mouth and sharp triangular teeth arranged in several rows. Experts advise that when attacked by sharks, “strike in the face, eyes and gills.” It is doubtful that such measures will help repel the attack of a 5-meter predator, which has honed its ability to kill over millions of years of evolution.

The number of teeth in a great white shark, like in a tiger shark, is 280-300.

However, the great white shark is on the verge of extinction - on Earth these beautiful, ancient predators only about 3,500 copies remain.

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photo: John 'K'

Sharks

Perhaps the most dangerous predator Ocean can be called a white shark: this animal strikes great fear in people. Sharks lived in the ocean many years before humans appeared. About 400 species of these animals are known, but the white shark is considered the most dangerous predator. Its powerful teeth, enormous weight - about 3 tons and a length of about 6 meters - can terrify anyone. The predator has a spindle-shaped body, large fins and a crescent-shaped tail, and lives for approximately 27 years. There are 300 sharp teeth in the oral cavity, the upper jaw is equipped with triangular teeth, and on the lower jaw they take on a curved shape.

photo:corwinconnect

However, humans are not a “delicacy” for these animals; they prefer to attack those inhabitants who have good fat reserves, for example, fur seals and lions. People are not very interesting for white sharks: they have a lot of muscle tissue and tendons. Shark attacks on people occur for two reasons:

a person flounders in the water, and a predator mistakes him for easy prey - a sick animal;

the silhouette of a man floating on a surfboard resembles the outlines of other inhabitants of the ocean. Because sharks have poor vision, they may be mistaken and mistake the swimmer for mere prey. To make sure that the prey is edible, the predator makes a test bite or limits itself to a powerful push, but it can also tear the prey into pieces.

photo: Venson Kuchipudi

It is difficult to predict how a white shark will behave. Having caught prey, the shark shakes its head in different directions, which helps it tear the victim into pieces.

Scientists believe that thanks to this animal, the Pacific Ocean is the cleanest, since the shark eats the weakest creatures.

Sea anemones

These organisms belong to the class of cnidarians, distinctive feature which is the presence of stinging cells used for protection from predators and for the purpose of attack. Sea anemones lead sedentary image life, their length reaches 1 meter in height.

photo:Achim

These predators are attached to the bottom with a special leg called the basal disc or sole. The tentacles of sea anemones, the number of which varies from ten to hundreds, contain special cells called cnidocytes. These cells secrete a venom, a mixture of toxins, intended for hunting and self-defense. The poison contains substances that affect the nervous system: they paralyze the victim, which allows the predator to pull it closer to the mouth. With the help of poison, sea anemones immobilize fish and crustaceans, which constitute their main diet.

For humans, the venom of stinging cells is not life-threatening, but can cause pain and burns.

Killer whales

These predators belong to the dolphin family, but do not have all the benevolent features of these animals. Their nickname is the killer whale; they eat almost all the inhabitants of the oceans: shellfish, fish, mammals. If there is enough food for them, then killer whales exist quite peacefully with other cetaceans. But if a killer whale gets hungry, a whale, a penguin, or a penguin can become food for it.

photo: Nick Johnson

The size of the prey does not really matter: if it is a large animal, the killer whales can attack as a whole herd. But when it is not possible to kill the prey in one fell swoop, killer whales can starve it out, biting off small pieces from the body. No one can be protected from the attack of killer whales - neither a small herring nor a large dolphin.

A pack of these animals works in a strictly regulated mode: when they notice the prey, they become very “silent”.

photo:Sean

They move in even ranks, like soldiers, and each individual has its own task. If a school of killer whales leads a sedentary lifestyle, then fish or crustaceans are quite suitable for food. A migrating pod of killer whales may use it as food. large mammals such as seals and sea ​​lions. They fully justify their nickname – “killer whales”.

These are representatives of the order of cephalopods. Octopuses have an excellent sense of smell, vision and touch, but they do not hear very well. Octopuses are agile animals that use their tentacles to capture prey and immobilize it with paralyzing poison. Their prey most often are crabs and lobsters: with the help of their tools, they split their shells and reach the body of the victim. Octopus venom is also dangerous for humans, causing problems with speech, breathing and swallowing. If help does not arrive in time, this can lead to death.

Photo: Neptune Canada

Octopuses are quite cunning creatures: when an enemy attacks, they seem to throw away their tentacles. The folded organ wriggles desperately, and the predator focuses directly on it. At this time, the octopus crawls away safely.

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Covering 70% of our planet, the sea is home to some of the most unusual, mysterious and deadly animals on the planet. Since humans are not born or live in the ocean, this makes us easy prey for many of these creatures, although fortunately we are not on their main menu...

As a man who has spent too much time floating on the surface of the sea, he has often tried to get closer and experience what lies below sea level. Fortunately, the statistics are not that scary and it seems to be quite rare for a person to be eaten alive in the open ocean. However, we should not think that the ocean waters are so welcoming to us; we should always be on our guard.

When selecting the most dangerous sea ​​creatures in the world, we will take into account the attack statistics, killing potential and aggression of these animals. This list contains a huge number of species from tropical jellyfish to arctic killers.

10. Sea urchin

Photo. Toxopneustes (lat. Toxopneustes pileolus), sea urchin

Many of you have encountered sea urchins in your life, and some have learned how sharp their spines are and how painful it is to feel them in your skin. However, Toxopneustes pileolus does very well when it comes to defensive tactics. Described by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the most dangerous sea urchin in the world," it's one echinoderm you definitely shouldn't step on.

What makes this sea urchin so dangerous is the powerful venom it is equipped with. This venom contains at least two dangerous toxins: contractin A, a neurotoxin that causes smooth muscle spasms, and peditoxin, a protein toxin that can cause convulsions, anaphylactic shock and death. The venom is delivered through the pedicellariae, the flower-like structures that give this hedgehog its name. Once skin contact has occurred, pedicellaria often continue to pump venom into the prey. It is obvious that the size of these pedicellariae is directly related to the effectiveness of the venom.

Toxopneustes is responsible for many deaths that have occurred to people over the years. A hedgehog's sting is very painful and can result in paralysis, breathing problems and disorientation, all of which can contribute to a person's drowning. As for the pain, here is an account of a bite recorded by a Japanese marine biologist in the 1930s:

“Then 7 or 8 pedicellariae stuck tightly into inner side middle finger right hand, separated from the stalk, they remained on the skin of my finger. I instantly felt severe pain, reminiscent of the pain caused by cnidoplasts of coelenterates, and I felt as if the toxin was beginning to quickly move through the blood vessel from the stung area to my heart. After some time I experienced difficulty breathing, mild dizziness, paralysis of the lips, tongue and eyelids, relaxation of the muscles in the limbs, it is unlikely that in this state I could speak or control my facial expression, I felt almost as if I was going to die." .

9. Barracuda

Photo. Great barracuda (lat. Sphyraena barracuda)

The photo above should be enough to understand why the barracuda is on our list. Reaching up to 1.8m (6ft) in length and armed with terrifyingly massive, super-sharp teeth, the torpedo-shaped barracuda is more than capable of causing serious injury to humans. In fact, there are 22 species of barracuda, but only the Greater Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) is known to attack humans.

The barracuda's diet consists mainly of small to medium-sized fish. She uses her lightning speed and ambush tactics to catch her. In many reported attacks on people, people were in possession of shiny objects, such as jewelry and even diving knives. Apparently the barracuda is attracted to this and confuses them for a fish and strikes.

Such attacks can result in deep cuts, often leading to nerve and tendon damage or, in worst cases, ruptured blood vessels. These wounds may require hundreds of stitches.

IN in rare cases barracudas have been known to leap out of the water, causing serious injuries to people in the boat. In one recent case in Florida in 2015, a female canoeist was injured and had to really fight for her life after suffering several broken ribs and a punctured lung during a barracuda attack.

If this information still does not convince you that barracuda should be on this list, then there is one more thing. Barracudas have one final argument: their flesh sometimes contains ciguatoxin, which can cause severe symptoms that last for months.

8. Textile cone

Photo. Textile cone

Cones have been a favorite among collectors for centuries for their shells, but don't be fooled by their beauty. appearance, these shellfish are killers! Equipped with tiny harpoons made from modified teeth, these creatures can fire a hollow harpoon filled with deadly neurotoxins in any direction. Some people have a harpoon large species The cones are very large and strong enough to not only pierce human flesh, but also gloves and even a wetsuit.

One drop of cone venom is enough to kill 20 people, making it one of the most poisonous creatures on earth. Known as conotoxin, the poison can only have a very strong effect on certain types nerves. On the medical side, a cone sting usually causes intense, localized pain with life-threatening symptoms that lasts for several days. On the other hand, from the moment this mollusk stings you, paralysis can occur very quickly respiratory system and subsequent death. In fact, one type of cone is very well known as the "cigarette snail" because before you die you won't even have time to smoke a cigarette!

Despite their deadly poison, cones have only been responsible for a few deaths over the years, which is why they come in at just number 8 on our list.

7. Leopard seal

Photo. Leopard seal

The leopard seal (lat. Hydrurga leptonyx) is actually named after its spotted skin, although this may explain his cruel nature. Being on top the food chain in Antarctica, this leopard is one of the largest seals in southern waters. Reaching up to 4 m (13 ft) in length and weighing up to 600 kg (1,320 lb), the leopard seal is a formidable predator. In addition to its size and speed, these seals are also armed with a huge mouth (big enough to fit your head!) lined with large, pointed teeth, making it look more like a reptile than a seal.

The leopard seal's menu includes other species of seal, seabirds, penguins and fish, although they are also known to sift through krill and small crustaceans. These seals usually hunt from ambush, just below the ice level, when the seals or penguins jump into the water, it is at this moment that they pounce on their prey.

Considering that the leopard seal is found only in the cold waters of distant southern oceans, they do not often come into contact with people at all. However, because the leopard seal has already killed people, this makes it very terrible in our eyes.

Back in 1914, during Ernest Shackleton's expedition, a leopard seal had to be shot as it was pursuing crew member Thomas Ord-Lees. The seal first chased Ord Fox on the ice, then dived under the ice cover and watched him from below. After the leopard seal jumped out in front of Ord Fox, another member of the team managed to kill it.

In 2003, a British scientist was less fortunate. Kirsty Brown, a 28-year-old marine biologist working with the British Antarctic Survey, was snorkeling off the Antarctic Peninsula when she was attacked by a large leopard seal. The seal dragged the woman deep underwater, where she suffocated.

While there are many stories of leopard seals harassing people in boats, this incident is the first reported fatality.

6. Wart

Photo. Wart

This grumpy-looking fellow doesn't seem too happy to be the most poisonous fish on the planet. Armed with 13 needle-like sharp spines running along its back, the stone fish blends in perfectly with the surrounding background, it simply waits for an unfortunate person to step on it. Another feature of the wart that is always worth mentioning is that it can survive outside the sea for up to 24 hours. It is really very difficult to notice on the seabed. The neurotoxic venom of warts is not only dangerous, but also incredibly painful. In fact, the fish's sting is reportedly so painful that victims have asked for their limbs to be cut off. The quote below clearly shows how painful this is:

“In Australia I got my finger pricked by a stonefish... not to mention bee venom. ... Imagine every wrist, knuckle, elbow and shoulder being hit with a sledgehammer for about an hour. About an hour later, you were allegedly kicked in both kidneys for about 45 minutes, so much so that you could not stand or straighten up. I was in my early 20s, very fit, and still have a small scar. My finger remained painful for the next few days, but I also had periodic pain in my kidneys for several years after that.”

For obvious reasons, many people have gotten a wart shot in the leg. Although such cases may simply redefine pain, such cases have nevertheless led to a lot of trouble. Such venom injections are potentially fatal, causing respiratory paralysis and possibly heart failure. In serious cases, immediate attention is required health care and the victim must be treated with an antidote. In fact, it is the second most commonly administered antivenom in Australia and has resulted in no one dying from a wart injection there for almost 100 years.

5. Blue-ringed octopus

Photo. Blue-ringed octopus

Instantly recognizable by their iridescent blue rings, these small octopuses spend much of their time hiding in cracks or camouflaging themselves in coral reefs Pacific and Indian oceans.

It is only when they feel threatened that blue-ringed octopuses truly live up to their name and show their true colors. At that moment, his skin turns bright yellow, and his blue rings become even brighter, almost shimmering. This beautiful display can also be a warning as it is one of the most dangerous animals in the ocean.

What makes this octopus especially dangerous is its venom. Not all octopuses have venom, but the blue-ringed octopus is in the big league. Known as TDT (tetrodotoxin), it is an incredibly potent neurotoxin, the same one found in dart frogs and wart frogs. It is approximately 1200 times stronger than cyanide, and one small injection can be enough to kill. In fact, many victims claim they didn't even feel the sting.

The average sample, weighing about 30 grams, reportedly contains enough poison to kill more than 10 adults.

Video. Why is the blue-ringed octopus dangerous?

There is no effective antidote for blue-ringed octopus venom; its neurotoxin is designed to paralyze the victim. Its effect is similar to medical curare, which is used to immobilize patients during surgery; under its influence, a person is unable to speak or move. The main danger is that it paralyzes the lungs, causing the victim to suffocate. IN severe cases fast treatment is important and involves keeping the victim on life support until the effect of the poison wears off and breathing is restored.

4. Box jellyfish

Photo. sea ​​wasp

There are many species of box jellyfish, which get their name from their cuboid bodies. Many box jellyfish are especially poisonous, like the large sea wasp (lat. Chironex fleckeri), which has the most powerful poison. Found along the northern coasts of Australia and tropical Southeast Asia, the sea wasp is often regarded as the "world's deadliest jellyfish", having killed more than 60 people in Australia alone. The death toll appears to be significantly higher in other regions of the world, especially where antivenom is not readily available.

The venom of the sea wasp is second in strength among all creatures on Earth, more poisonous only at the geographic cone. Calculations show that each animal contains enough poison to kill 60 adult humans and very few animals can kill so quickly. In extreme cases, death occurs from cardiac arrest, which is known to occur in less than five minutes after the person has been stung. The bite itself causes excruciating pain along with a burning sensation that is similar to the touch of a hot iron. Good news is that, contrary to popular belief, urinating on the bite site will not cause any noticeable effect! In most cases, the tentacles remain on the victim's body and they can continue to sting even after you have left the sea, often resulting in scarring.

Video. Box jellyfish - Sea wasp

But there are also tiny jellyfish, irukandji. They are widespread and this small jellyfish has a strong venom that can lead to Irukandji syndrome, which gradually appears after the bite itself. It is also reported that the bite of the Irukandji is potentially fatal, as well as incredibly painful. One of the victims said that it was even worse than childbirth and more intense.

3. Sea snakes

Photo. Sea snake

There are many species of sea snakes, which are mainly found in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. They are thought to have evolved from land snakes in Australia and adapted to life in shallow coastal waters by developing a huge left lung and elongation. They are closely related to land-dwelling cobras and kraits, which is a bit surprising since many sea snakes are highly venomous. What's actually surprising is that their venom is much stronger than that of their land-based relatives. The reason for this venomous nature is that they eat fish and this means that they must immobilize their prey as quickly as possible to prevent it from escaping and preventing themselves from being injured.

Apparently, most of you have heard that despite their deadly venom, sea snakes are harmless because they have tiny mouths. This is complete nonsense! True sea snakes have small fangs and do not have huge mouths, but they are capable of swallowing fish whole and can easily bite a person, even through a wetsuit.

There are actually two reasons why sea snakes are considered much less dangerous than land snakes: Firstly, they tend to be shy and much less aggressive. In addition, they tend to perform a “dry” bite, i.e. no poison is injected. It is very unlikely that a person can be injected with poison and the good news is that there are certain antidotes.

Of all the species of sea snakes, there are two species that deserve mention. Nosed enhydrina (lat. Enhydrina schistosa) is one of the most poisonous snakes on the ground. Its venom is almost 8 times stronger than that of a cobra, one drop is enough to kill three people. It is also considered more aggressive than most other sea snakes. The venom of the Nose Enhydrina contains both neurotoxins and myotoxins, while the former will kill you thanks to respiratory paralysis, the latter will begin to break down your muscles, causing excruciating pain.

Despite these signs, there have been a few known deaths involving this snake, which is more common in deeper waters. Most of the bites were caught by fishermen while checking their nets.

The second sea snake that is worthy of mention is the Belcher's sea snake (lat. Hydrophis belcheri), only because it is often referred to as the snake with the most strong poison. It is often claimed that its venom is 100 times stronger than even that of the inland taipan. This is a bit of an exaggeration, but the poison is certainly like that of the taipan. The good news is that the Belcher's sea snake is often described as having a "friendly" nature!

2. Saltwater crocodile

Photo. Saltwater crocodile

The saltwater or saltwater crocodile is no stranger to the pages of “In the Jaws of Animals.” This animal is deadly on both land and water, and this crocodile is the most large reptile which has come down to us since the time of the dinosaurs. The largest specimens that have been recorded and described were about 7 meters (25 ft) long and weighed about 2 tons, although in the 1950s one crocodile reached a length of 8.5 meters (30 ft) and was allegedly caught around city ​​of Darwin in Australia.

Along with its size, it also has incredible strength, the saltwater crocodile has the most powerful bite on Earth, 10 times stronger than that of a great white shark. They are also fast swimmers in water, reaching speeds of 27 km/h (18 mph). They're not that fast on land, but urban legends tell us they're capable of explosive action, supposedly faster than you can react.

Although most people associate the saltwater crocodile with Australia, it is widespread and causes more havoc in its other habitats. Saltwater crocodile can be found throughout Southeast Asia and even as far west as India. These crocodiles are also known to be able to swim long distances alone and have been seen as far away as Fiji and New Caledonia.

In Australia, there are an average of two fatal saltwater crocodile attacks per year. In other places, the number of attacks is difficult to estimate, but research suggests there are many more, up to 30 per year.

Perhaps the most notorious attack by saltwater crocodiles occurred on Ramree Island (Myanmar) during World War II. After a fierce battle, the Japanese soldiers refused to surrender and retreated into a crocodile-infested swamp, which was surrounded by British marines. An estimated 400 Japanese soldiers were reportedly killed by crocodiles that night. Witness Bruce Stanley Wright wrote about the events of that night:

Video. Crocodile massacre. Crocodile attacks on Ramri Island

“Scattered rifle shots in the black darkness of the swamp were interrupted by the cries of wounded men being eaten by the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred, alarming sound of spinning crocodiles was like a sound from hell, which is rarely heard on earth...

Of about a thousand Japanese soldiers who entered the Ramree swamps, only about twenty were found alive."

1. Sharks

Photo. Great white shark

Not too many surprises here, right? As predators, sharks are the apex predators of the ocean, they are very well equipped to cause serious injury: large, fast and powerful jaws Armed with rows of razor-sharp teeth, these fish are polished killing machines. However, despite the existence of about 400 species, it is possible to select only a few that pose any real danger to humans. We have already described in another article, but we still believe that it is worth choosing only four of them.

On the one hand, the great white shark is the most capable killer of all living sharks. Reaching a length of almost 8 meters (25 feet) and weighing 3 tons, great white sharks earned their name during their lifetime. Their favorite tactic is to swim under their prey and then maximum speed(55 km/h, 35 mph) rise up with open mouth, sink its teeth into unsuspecting prey.

Statistics provide some support for the great white shark's status as a deadly ocean creature, with approximately 20% of the approximately 400 reported unprovoked attacks being fatal. However, when you take a closer look at some other species of sharks, you can understand that great white sharks are not as dangerous to humans as compared to other species.

The bull shark has a slightly higher kill rate, around 25%, and it is believed that many attacks were either misattributed or not recorded. The bull shark's trump card is its ability to survive in fresh water. These sharks have been found all over the world thousands of miles from the ocean in estuaries where no one would expect to see them. They have even been found in lakes that only have seasonal access to the sea.

Additionally, bull sharks, like tiger sharks, are much less picky about what they eat. While most great white shark attacks appear to involve misidentification of their prey, bull sharks deliberately attack humans.

Another species of shark worth mentioning is the longtip shark. Although statistics do not indicate their danger, legendary naturalist Jacques Cousteau described them as “the most dangerous of all sharks.” These sharks are blamed for hundreds of deaths in air and sea disasters. The most famous cases date back to the Second World War, when the Nova Scotia sank off the coast of South Africa and "Indianapolis" in the Philippines. Although there are no exact figures, the estimated death toll from shark attacks between the two disasters is around 1,000.