From aggressive fish with a mouthful of teeth, to the most venomous marine animal, here are 8 sea creatures you should watch out for!
8. Titan Triggerfish
There's a misconception when swimming in the ocean that it's "obvious" which creatures will attack you and which ones won't. Like the Titan Triggerfish. Take a look at it. What do you think? Looks like a pretty regular fish right? Exactly! Plus, if you do a little research on Triggerfish as a species, they're actually pretty friendly fish, but this one is in a league of its own, and not in a good way. The Titan Triggerfish are wired to be very territorial, and as such, they'll go to great lengths in order to protect what is theirs. So you have to be careful if they’re in a bad mood!! They can grow to about a foot in length, and use their teeth to attack anyone or anything that they think is an “intruder". And they can be quite vicious too, because their teeth are incredibly sharp, and their jaws can clamp down with a ton of force. They can be found in most of the Indo-Pacific and usually are shy around divers. But if its reproductive season and divers are lurking around their nests, all bets are off. They're so territorial and protective that they've been known to attack divers who come anywhere close to their homes. And experienced divers look out for these fish whenever they go close to their reefs because their bite can be toxic and cause paralysis. Good news is, they like to attack the colorful parts like fins, which helps reduce the risk of personal injury. However, some unlucky divers have been knocked out cold!
7. Flower Urchin
While some creatures might look like harmless plants, be careful because appearances can be deceiving!! The flower urchin looks like a nice little bouquet of flowers, and it is one of the most frequently encountered sea urchins. Which is not that great because these echinoderms know how to attack when the time is right! There are spines sticking out of their “flowers" which are anything but decorative. The flower urchin is the “World’s Most Venomous” sea urchin and if their venom gets into your body, you're in for a very rough ride. The venom is known to causes spasms in humans, and that's just the beginning. You can also get convulsions, suffer from drowning, go through shock, get paralyzed, and yes, you can also die. And it doesn't take much to get the venom in you, all it takes is the tiniest contact with your bare skin. Flower Urchins have caused many deaths over the years, and this has made them infamous among divers. Good news is that sea urchins are defensive creatures, they aren’t trying to hurt you on purpose so if you do get jabbed, it’s most likely your fault. Just trust me, and don't go near this thing. And now for number 6, but first can you name the most venomous marine animal? Let us know your answer in the comments below! The answer is coming up! And if you are new here, welcome, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on the latest videos!!
6. Eels
Eels are special creatures, and there are many different types of them living underneath the waters. And many you need to be careful of. Some just like to strike, but others, like the Electric Eel, like to just send a shock through your system. The Electric Eel is a creature that can well and truly charge itself up for an attack, and given that you're most likely underwater when you meet this creature, it means the attack is all the more potent. The cells within their bodies build up electrolytes, and when they build up about 6000 of them, they can release a 600-volt charge into an enemy. They also emit a low-level charge that they use like radar. Plus they can grow up to 8 feet long! Eels can be very hostile, and they have been known to attack humans at times. And 600 volts to a human can do some serious damage, not the least of which is stopping your heart flat. So if you see an eel, swim the other way! Just in case!
5. Barracuda
Barracuda are pretty recognizable fish. Not only does it get a bad rap because it killed Nemo’s family, but also because of it’s razor sharp teeth and long shiny body. Of all the different types of Barracuda, the Great Barracuda is the most impressive. After all, it has the name "Great" in it. This creature can be up to six feet long, which is pretty menacing on its own, but its trademark is its speed. It cuts through water like a bullet does through air. It'll race towards anything and either slam into it, or bite it with its teeth, which as you can see are numerous, and razor sharp! In reality barracudas are not the most dangerous creature you will encounter but they have a very bad reputation. There have been about 25 reported attacks in the last 100 years, so why are they so scary? Because they are dangerous by design! They are often accused of attacking humans, even when they're not provoked. They are attracted to shiny objects because it looks like the reflection of a fish belly. Always avoid wearing any jewelry while diving!! Some divers and snorkelers have been attacked around their head as the barracuda tries to get to the object. They'll strike at them like they stole something. They might also mistake white, pale skin for fish skin. They will often get into fights with people fishing with spears as they try to get to the kill. There are even reports of Barracudas jumping out of the ocean to attack people on boats. They’re not scared of anything! And they’re kind of mean.
4. Pufferfish
There are many fish in the oceans that scare people away, but for entirely different reasons. While an eel or a barracuda is a physical threat, a Pufferfish is a threat inside and out. On the outside, the Puffer Fish has plenty of spines, and if threatened, such as when a human approaches it, it'll fill itself with water and even air, to make it look much larger than before. It’s more of a death sentence if you try to swallow it, but actually I think it’s kind of cute. Then, there's what's on the inside. Mainly, poison, lots of it. While many creatures have poison in them, it's usually located to a central area, like how snakes have venom in their fangs and can have them milked without harming the meat inside. For Pufferfish though, some species have poison all over their entire bodies. Tetrodotoxin to be exact which is 1200 times more poisonous than cyanide. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans. And there is no known antidote. Selling Pufferfish meat is outlawed in most countries, for our own good. Why? Well, it's because though you can get rid of poison in meat, the Pufferfish has it so completely intertwined with its being that if you fail in any way to get the poison all out, you will die. Currently, the only places that serve Puffer Fish are Japan, China, and Korea. Known as fugu, it is only prepared by licensed chefs who are specifically trained to handle Pufferfish. Even so, there are several deaths annually.
3. Stingray
The Stingray is one creature that everyone should fear and respect. While their attacks are rare, they do happen, and like some other creatures on this list, they’re not afraid of attacking when they feel provoked. The most famous case of a Stingray attack was the strike and killing of beloved zookeeper and animal conservationist Steve Irwin, aka the Crocodile Hunter. Irwin was underwater doing some filming for a show that was going to be called "Ocean's Deadliest", he was also going to film some footage for his daughter Bindi, who had a show herself. Irwin was famous for his ability to read a situation and interact with animals, and according to his crew, he gave the Stingray in question plenty of room. Irwin was just trying to get a shot of the Stingray swimming away from the camera. However, as he did so, the Stingray became defensive, and started flailing its tail around, and when it did, one strike caught Irwin in the heart. He quickly pulled it out, which was maybe the worst thing he could do. Despite the quick actions of his crew, Irwin passed away. It was very much a freak accident because you can be struck by a stingray barb and survive. But the barb slipped in between Irwin's rib cage. It’s hard to survive a direct hit to the heart. Rays also have venom in their barbs, which is not necessarily fatal, but it hurts a lot. It has enzymes and seratonin which make your muscles severly contract. Heat breaks down the venom and can limit the amount of damage. But if you are stung by an internal organ, your chances of survival will plummet.
2. Sharks
You don’t need me to tell you about sharks! While you can argue that sharks have always been feared, it was "Jaws" that helped bring the hysteria of sharks attacking humans to life. Which is actually kind of ironic, as most shark species DON'T attack humans, even when provoked. Shark attacks are actually pretty low when you look at statistics from around the world. But still, just because they don't attack a lot, doesn't mean they don't attack at all. And when they do attack, it makes worldwide news. Once one attack happens, everyone seems to freak out! Others get scared of the water, and I’m sure you’ve likely heard of one shark bite story or another. So the question is, what shark species attack humans the most? Well, that would be Great White Sharks, Tiger Sharks, and Bull Sharks. But that doesn't mean that's the order of most attacks animal. Great White Sharks are the most infamous sharks on the planet, thanks to Jaws, but the Tiger and Bull are just as fearsome, and arguably more aggressive than their Great White brethren. In fact, more people are killed by dogs than by Great White Sharks every year. Still though, these sharks are known to attack people, whether it be for territory, for food, or just basic animal instinct. As always though, we are way more of a threat to them, then they are to us.
1. Box Jellyfish
Surprised? I know it may seem like sharks are the obvious answer for dangerous sea creatures, but when it comes to the Box Jellyfish, it's a whole other story. Answer: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Australian box jellyfish is the most venomous marine animal. The Box Jellyfish lives in the Indo-Pacific region and northern Australia. As such, more people are killed in Australia by the Jellyfish than snakes, sharks and crocodiles...combined! How is this possible? Well, one part is the location. As noted, they live in the coastal waters of Australia and many people are out and about swimming. The Box Jellyfish have about 60 tentacles on their body, and each of them can extend to about 15 feet long. Which means you don't even have to be close to the head of it for the creature to kill you. Each tentacle! 60 times 50, you do the math! (Also watch out for the Irukandji jellyfish!) Many people also die in the Philippines from box jellyfish stings, as well as Indonesia but they are not required to have death certificates so data is hard to get. No matter what way you look at it, these creatures are deadly, and their toxins can wreak havoc on the toughest of creatures. Also I have bad news for you, they are are starting to be found in other parts of the ocean, including the coast of the US. While it might not be something we need to worry about, you never know what the consequences will be as the ocean waters get warmer.
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