The most terrible animals of the distant past (7 photos). The most terrible beast

Great "Park" Jurassic period” taught us two important things: not to rely on zoo security, and definitely not to grow dinosaurs in test tubes. Millions of years ago, when the human race itself was still in the project, the Earth was ruled by great and dangerous predators. Today, many of them have evolved into socially acceptable creatures, but at that time even a giant sloth was capable of tearing a lion in half, and an encounter with a crocodile could cost even a Tyrannosaurus rex's head!

Currently, the largest bears on the planet are considered Polar bear and Alaskan Kodiak. Both animals seem like a sketch of Winnie the Pooh compared to the ancient giant Arctodus, whose weight reached a ton. This incredible bear lived during the times Ice Age, about 11,700 years ago.

Megalodon

The length of a great white shark can reach 9 meters, which makes meeting one in the ocean a very unpleasant surprise for any diver. But megalodon grew to a whopping 20 meters - if it were alive today, sailing would be a very, very dangerous activity.

Elasmotherium

Prehistoric cousin The rhinoceros Elasmotherium weighed four tons and had a horn one and a half meters long. The unicorn from the virgin's worst nightmares disappeared only at the end of the Ice Age, so our distant ancestors had the pleasure of seeing it with their own eyes.

Titanboa

Are you afraid of snakes? Then this Godzilla of the reptile world should just make you shiver. Thirty-meter snakes slithered across the planet about 60 million years ago, remaining unsurpassed hunters of deep jungles and river backwaters.

Gigantopithecus

These primates lived approximately 9 million years ago and could well be the ancestor of modern man. King Kong of the prehistoric era grew to a height of five meters and a weight of several centners: in comparison with this monkey, any stories about the Yeti seem like ridiculous tales.

Deinosuchus

And here is the crocodile's great-grandfather, the great Deinosuchus. It's not the biggest on our list, but it's definitely the most dangerous. Why? Yes, because the main source of food for Deinosuchus was tyrannosaurs!

Megatherium

Modern sloths are nothing more than cute and useless little animals who spend all their time in a sweet slumber. Scientists are still puzzling over how these animals could have originated from a giant megatherium, the length of which from head to tail was 10 meters and its weight reached 4 tons. Paleontologists have found that megatherium walked on two legs and fed on tree leaves.

Of our planet. Animal species are amazing in abundance and indicate that powerful nature is capable of much... A wide variety of inhabitants exist in all corners of the planet, and many of them repel and terrify us. After reading this article, you will find out what the most terrible animals in the world are. We will describe each of them in detail in order to prove that it was no coincidence that they were included in our list. It's called "The most terrible animals in the world: top 10."

Long-horned sabertooth

This predatory fish lives in subtropical and tropical waters of all oceans of the Earth. The weight of an adult is about 120 g, length - 15 cm. The long-horned saber tooth has a terrifying appearance. The color of this fish is jet black. She has a very large head with sculpted ridges. The long-horned sabertooth has many fangs on the lower and upper jaws. Teeth are like nails. When the fish closes its mouth, it hides them in special cavities located in the jaws. The sabertooth has the longest teeth among all other fish. known to science. The skin of the long-horned saber-tooth is rough to the touch.

The fry are very different from the adults. Their color is lighter, their body structure is different, and they have pointed spines on their heads. Adults live at approximately a depth of 500 to 700 meters, and fry - 100-200 m. This species, one of the top most terrible animals in the world, feeds on squid, small fish, and crustaceans. Young animals are food large predators, such as alepisaurs and tunas. Interestingly, the juvenile saber-tooth differs from the adults so much that scientists even named it differently and considered it a different species for 50 years.

Hagfish (or witchfish)

Many of the most terrible animals in the world are inhabitants of the deep sea. The witchfish is one of the most repulsive fish on Earth. It feeds on both small inhabitants of the waters and the dying and dead. In an unusual way it attacks the victim - it makes a hole in the skin of the fish, after which it enters its body and gradually eats all the insides of its victim, of which only the skeleton and skin remain.

This is a jawless fish. The hagfish has a reputation for being the slimiest creature on Earth. On both sides of its body, pores secrete huge quantities of sticky, viscous mucus, which predators can choke on. It also plays the role of a lubricant, allowing the hagfish to climb out of the body dead fish, where she climbed in order to feast on it. The witch fish, moreover, is the only one that can sneeze. Thanks to this, she frees her nostril from mucus. The hagfish is also the only vertebrate that can curl up into a knot. This allows the fish to crawl out of its victims and cleanse the body of mucus.

Hagfish live in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic in large groups (up to 15 thousand in one territory). Very large eggs are laid by females in small quantities. This suggests that hagfish have a very low mortality rate. Baby fish have both female and male reproductive organs. As they grow older, they choose their own gender. It depends on the demographic situation in the group.

The hagfish lives at approximately depths of 100 to 500 meters, mainly off the coast of East Greenland, Iceland, Europe, and North America. You can sometimes find it in the Adriatic Sea.

The size of this fish is small. In length it reaches 35-40 centimeters, although sometimes specimens of 79-80 cm are found. The color can be different. The predominant colors are gray-red and pinkish.

Hagfishes are very tenacious. They tolerate being without water for a long time, and can also starve for a long time and remain alive, even receiving very serious injuries. One case is described when a hagfish continued to swim 5 hours after it was beheaded.

You will agree, after reading this article to the end, that many of the most terrible animals in the world are significantly inferior to the hagfish! Witchfish are edible. However, people generally refuse to eat them. Well, who would agree to eat a half-meter worm...

"Aye-aye", or Madagascar little hand

This is a primate that has a very repulsive appearance for representatives of its species. The little hand is a cross between a rat and a small monkey. It feeds on insects and larvae, obtained from trees with the help of dexterous fingers.

The Madagascar monkey belongs to the order Prosimians. The animal lives in the bamboo thickets of Madagascar. This species was discovered by Pierre Sonner, a naturalist. Based on all the characteristics, scientists attributed the little arm to lemurs. But outwardly, aye-aye doesn’t look at all like monkeys. It is most likely akin to a squirrel or a cat. And in size this animal resembles a domestic cat. The weight of the animal is only 3 kg. In length, including the head, its size reaches only 40 cm. But it has a fluffy tail, reminiscent of a squirrel, which is much longer than the body. Its size is 60 cm!

The animal's teeth resemble those of a rodent. He has 18 of them. Interestingly, only on the outside are they covered with enamel. The hand bites through the skin of a nut or stem with its front teeth. She then selects the pulp with her long finger to feed on. These animals eat fruits, mangoes, coconuts, as well as various larvae and beetles.

The animal leads night look life. It doesn't tolerate well daylight, which scares the little hand. After sunset, these most terrible animals in the world frolic, grunting merrily...

This is of serious concern exotic look in academia. The danger of its extinction has become urgent not only because of deforestation in the habitats of the bat. People's prejudices also threaten the extinction of the aye-aye. There is a legend according to which a person who meets a little hand in the forest will die soon if he does not kill this animal.

Giant squid, or Architeuthis

Architeuthis is a genus of deep-sea squid that forms an independent family. This is one of the largest invertebrate animals. Many believe that Architeuthis is the most terrible animal in the world. The length of its mantle is about 2.5 meters. In females it is slightly larger than in males. Without taking into account the hunting tentacles, the length of the squid is about 5 meters. Reports of finds of 20-meter squids have not been confirmed by scientific data. Its long tentacles are covered with serrations and suction cups, which allows the squid to attack even very large fish. Architeuthis, like all other squids, has a mantle, as well as 2 hunting tentacles and 8 arms (regular tentacles). Their terrifying appearance suggests that this is the most terrible animal in the world.

Dragon fish or idiot

Idiacanths are deep-sea fish whose body mainly consists of a head and a long body. To this set, females also have monstrous teeth, which prevent the fish from literally closing its mouth. Idiacanths live in the tropics, as well as in temperate zone Indian and Pacific oceans and Atlantic. Outwardly, this most terrible animal in the world looks like a snake - just as thin and long body, almost invisible fins. It has photophores, like most inhabitants of the depths. Photophores are luminous organs. Their location is different for females and males. In the latter, a developed photophore occupies about a third of the head, and in females, luminous spots are “scattered” throughout the body, and in the teeth there are special planes with a luminous substance. There is also a difference in size between females and males. The male grows to a maximum length of 7 cm, while the female can reach half a meter in length. Having completed manipulations to procreate, he dies. In general, the male gives the impression of an extremely absurd creature: he has no teeth, his intestines are underdeveloped (that’s why he cannot eat). All that is available is a giant photophore that lures the female in the deep-sea darkness. But the last one lives several years, having managed to bear offspring several times during this time.

The bats

Many people believe that these animals are vampires. This is only partly true. Many of their species are harmless. However, some do drink the blood of large animals. Sharp fangs allow them to bite through the skin. Bats are a suborder of the order Chiroptera, uniting 700 species, which are distributed into 16 families.

They eat mainly insects, although large bats (giant noctule, for example) can feed on frogs, lizards, birds, and some even fish. Species are known that prey on other bats. There are three types of vampires in South America that feed on the blood of vertebrates - mammals and birds. Some are vegetarians: they eat nuts, pollen, nectar, berries, fruits (for example, these are leaf-noses). In an hour of hunting, an insectivorous bat can eat up to two hundred mosquitoes.

Anaconda

While describing the 10 most terrible animals in the world, we did not forget about the anaconda. This giant snake reaches five meters in length. Thanks to its mass, it can kill even very large prey. There are frequent cases of this species attacking people and then strangling them.

The anaconda is the most massive snake in the world. The weight of the largest female reached 97.5 kg, and its length was 5.2 meters. There are reports of larger individuals, the size of which ranges from 9 to 11 meters, but they are unreliable. Anaconda, purely theoretically, can have a length of up to 6.7 m.

Its color is mainly grayish-green. There are two rows of brown spots of oblong or round shape, alternating in a checkerboard pattern. Row yellow spots somewhat smaller in size, they are surrounded by black rings and run along the sides of the body. The anaconda's coloration effectively hides the snake when it hides in calm water, covered with tufts of algae and brown leaves.

Tasmanian devil

This animal has enormous power bite. The Tasmanian devil, with the help of sharp fangs and strong jaws, can crush even large bones. Due to the stocky body, black color, as well as the huge mouth, increased aggressiveness and terrible taste preferences Europeans called this animal “the devil.” There is something sinister even in his Latin name. Sarcophilus is translated as "lover of flesh." This animal can now be found only on the island of Tasmania, in its western, northern and central parts. Previously, this species also inhabited mainland Australia, but disappeared 400 years before the first Europeans appeared here. However, with the advent western people On the island, a struggle began with the Tasmanian devil, in particular due to the fact that this animal ravaged chicken coops. In addition, its meat, which tasted like veal, was liked by local residents. As a result, the animal's population declined sharply. The population was still restored. In June 1941, a law was passed banning the destruction of this species.

Indiscriminate in food and gluttonous marsupial devil. It feeds on almost everything: medium and small animals, insects, birds, snakes, amphibians, edible roots and tubers of plants. His diet also includes carrion, which is almost the main dish. The animal eats any corpses, preferring rotten, already decomposed meat. These are Tasmanian devils, the most terrible animals in the world. A photo of a representative of this species is below.

Star-nosed

Various "World's Scariest Animals: Top 100" lists invariably include the star-nosed fish. What did he do to deserve such a bad reputation? Although this mole is not dangerous to humans, meeting him can be a whole test for the psyche. On the animal’s face there are many skin growths that will terrify and scare away even the most courageous.

The naked nose of the starfish is surrounded by twenty-two (11 on each side) small processes. Their length ranges from 1 to 4 mm. Their shape on the face resembles a star, which is why the animal got its name. The body length of the starfish varies from 17 to 20 cm, and the weight ranges from 35 to 70 grams. Like other moles, this animal has a cylindrical, thick body with clawed and powerful forelimbs. Its fur is black or dark brown on its sides and back, and its belly is light brown. The tail of the animal is quite long, from 6 to 8 cm. winter period stores fat reserves in it, which is why its tail increases 3-4 times in volume.

Human

The most terrible animal in the world is man. And now we will prove it. Man is the most terrible species for nature because, for the most part, he does not care at all about the safety of others and brutally destroys representatives of fauna and flora. It is through human labor that the Red Book is filled, which includes not only the most terrible animals on the planet. The human race constantly finds excuses for why it is so ungrateful towards nature. This mammal is insidious - yet many individuals look pleasant and peaceful. This is the most terrible animal in the world, whose name is man.

Incredible facts

Looking at some representatives of the animal world, it is impossible not to be amazed at the imagination and ingenuity of Mother Nature.

Here are some examples of the most unusual and strange animals on our planet:

The most unusual animals

1. Angora rabbit

The Angora rabbit is one of the oldest breeds of rabbits, named after the capital of Turkey - the city of Ankara. These cute animals look like real fluffy clouds with ears, and were popular pets in the 18th century. royal families France.

2. Star-nosed

This unusual mole, living in North America, has a strange, fleshy nose. At the end of its muzzle there are 22 moving pink tentacles, which are very sensitive and are used by it as a kind of antenna. The mole also sports scaly paws and a thick, fluffy, water-repellent tail, where fat reserves are stored.

3. Aye-aye

The aye-aye is a rodent-like animal that lives in Madagascar. With squirrel-like teeth and a slender middle finger, the aye-aye forages for food from trees.

4. Pink Spadefish

Unlike most fish, this pink spadefish uses its fins to literally walk along the bottom of the sea. Strange view was discovered in Tasmania, Australia, but scientists found only four representatives.

5. Striped Tenrec

If you could cross a bumblebee and a hedgehog, they would probably end up with a striped tenrec. Found in Madagascar, this bristly animal is covered in stripes of yellow and brown spines, which they use to attack enemies.

6. Pacu fish

Pacu fish are relatives of piranhas and differ human teeth. Pacu feed mainly on plants and nuts, but there have been cases where they have bitten off the testicles of men.

7. Gerenuk

The gerenuk, also known as the giraffe gazelle, is a species of long-necked antelope that lives in the deserts of eastern Africa. Thin and Long neck helps her reach leaves that other antelopes cannot reach. Moreover, they are able to stand on hind legs and become even taller.

8. Cassowaries

These flightless birds are among the most dangerous creatures in the world. Cassowaries take the defense of their territory very seriously, and in case of danger they will brutally deal with you with their razor-sharp claws. They can reach 2 meters in height.

Unusual animals of the world

9. Giant isopod

The giant isopod, which looks like a woodlice or Colorado potato beetle, grows to 19-37 cm in length and reaches a weight of about 1.7 kg. These incredible creatures They live underwater at depths from 170 to 2000 meters. They lead a solitary life and are scavengers, feeding on dead whales, squid and fish. But they are also adapted to long periods of fasting, going without food for up to 8 weeks.

10. Snakehead

This scary-looking fish is called a snakehead. It has an insatiable appetite, eating almost all the fish in a pond or lake and even its own young. In addition, the snakehead can crawl on the ground and remain on land for up to 3 days in search of new food sources. Once they are on the ground, they are capable of eating any small animals in their path. There have even been cases of snakeheads attacking people.

11. Saiga

Saiga or saiga is one of the oldest mammals in the world, living on Earth together in saber-toothed tigers And woolly mammoths 250,000 years ago. Although at one time they were considered extinct, they are now often referred to as living fossils.

12. Australian snake-necked turtle

Looking at it, it looks like someone passed a snake through a turtle. This species of turtle has a neck so long that they cannot pull it back into its protective shell. However, they have secret weapon, releasing a foul-smelling liquid in case of danger.

13. Dumbo the Octopus

Grimpoteuthis, or as it is also called the octopus Dumbo, looks like the famous Disney character - the flying elephant Dumbo and is distinguished by funny ears. It lives at depths of 900 – 4900 meters below sea level and is considered the deepest-sea octopus ever discovered. There were cases when representatives of grimpoteuthys were found at a depth of 7000 meters.

14. Proboscis

The proboscis monkey is a medium-sized monkey that can only be found in tropical forests Borneo. Male proboscis monkeys are the largest monkeys in Asia, and with their large, fleshy noses, they are probably the most unusual mammals.

15. Scorpion flies

From a distance, these insects look like ordinary dragonflies, but if you look at them under a microscope, you will see a real scorpion tail. Fortunately, it does not sting and is presented to females as a gift.

Unusual animals (photo)

16. Water deer

This miniature deer resembles a vampire when viewed closely, thanks to its large, curved, saber-shaped fangs that reach up to 8 cm in length. However, there is no need to worry, these deer are quite harmless and there have been no cases of them attacking people.

17. Blue Parrotfish

This one is strange, but amazing fish considered a delicacy in many countries around the world. In Polynesia it is served raw and was once considered a "royal food". They are classified as parrotfish that are able to envelop themselves in clear mucus to protect themselves from predators. Males can grow up to 120 cm in length.

18. Red-lipped damselfish

It looks like this fish has decided to wear bright red lipstick. Red-lipped fish live at a depth of 30 meters in the Galapagos Islands. Interestingly, they are better suited to walking on the seabed rather than swimming. When the fish reaches maturity, it begins to use its dorsal fin to lure prey.

19. Axolotl

Axolotl refers to the larvae of the Mexican Ambistoma or Tiger Ambistoma. The larvae of this species do not undergo metamorphosis, and the adults remain aquatic and have gills. The axolotl is highly valued by scientists for its ability to regrow new limbs and even body parts, including a spine and part of the brain if they are lost.

20. Cyclops Shark

The Cyclops shark is one of the most strange creatures, discovered by scientists in 2011. A large eyeball is the result of a disorder called cyclopia, which also occurs in humans. Researchers have found Cyclops shark embryos several times, but the fact that they have not been found outside the womb suggests that Cyclops sharks do not survive in the wild.

The honor of naming the ten most terrible animals in the world fell to environmentalists. It is often difficult to remember such creatures even on Halloween without shuddering. The presence of a person on this list should not surprise anyone, because we cause the greatest harm to our nature.

Only people kill just for fun or just for no reason. Horror films are made about some of the living creatures mentioned, and some (thank God!) can only be seen on rare photographs, yes in encyclopedic articles.

Sabertooth. Some peoples call this monster “man-eating fish” and for good reason - it looks quite menacing. The monster's habitat is the depths of the ocean. The saber tooth itself is protected from enemies by armor-covered rough skin, and for attack, the fish has four straight and long teeth, similar to nails. Moreover, the teeth are so long that when the sabertooth closes its jaws, the lower pair of jaws must be placed in special sheaths on both sides of the fish brain. Thus, nature took care of its creation so that it would not get cut. Although appearance Quite frightening, the monster is small in length - only 15 centimeters. On a short body there is a large head. At a depth of 5 kilometers, it is quite difficult for a sabertooth to find prey, but if it comes into the hunter’s field of vision, the monster quickly pierces it with its teeth, again and again. And one more interesting fact about these fish - young individuals are so different from adults that scientists considered them different species for almost 50 years!

"Witchfish", or hagfish. This fish is considered one of the most unusual in the world. Today there are not many jawless fish species left, and the hagfish is one of them. The "witch fish" lives in the depths, feeding on small living fish, dead and dying. The hagfish is considered a nocturnal animal. They spend the day in the mud, leaving only part of their head outside. At night, the predator goes hunting. The hagfish slowly swims against the current, with its antennae-tentacles open and nostril widened, looking for the necessary vibrations. When attacking a weakened victim, the hagfish gnaws a hole in it, tearing off skin and meat with its teeth. In this case, the “witch” can tie her body into a knot, clinging to her prey for support. Having got inside its victim through a hole or gills, the hagfish begins to eat the insides - first the liver, and then the muscles. In the end from large fish When attacked by a hagfish, only the skeleton and skin remain. There have even been recorded cases of hagfish attacking sharks. The witch fish is even known for the fact that it can curb its appetite - long time staying alive without food. This monster has also gained a reputation as the slimiest creature on the planet. The pores on the body secrete a huge amount of viscous mucus, which repels predators and helps the hagfish itself as a lubricant for making its deadly moves. In addition, the “witch fish” is the only one of all fish that can sneeze. It is due to this that mucus comes out of the single nostril. Hagfish live in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea in large populations, up to 15 thousand individuals. Usually their size does not exceed 40 centimeters, although a record length of 79 centimeters was recorded near America. Hagfishes range in color from pink to reddish-gray. Surprisingly, these fish have low level mortality, therefore females lay eggs in small quantities. The fry are similar in appearance to adults, but initially have both male and female genital organs. The final choice of sex occurs with maturation, depending on the need in the population.

Aye-aye. This primate lives in Madagascar and is somewhat reminiscent of Dobby the house elf from Potter. Nature has endowed the animal with teeth similar to rodents and long middle finger, which he can obtain food for himself, like a woodpecker with its beak. The aye-aye is the largest of the nocturnal primates, choosing forest canopies for its habitat, its length reaches 1 meter. This primate’s method of obtaining food is quite unusual: it knocks on wood, and to search for larvae in in the right place the animal gnaws a hole, reaching for the insect prey with its long middle finger. The aye-aye has a fluffy tail, like a squirrel, and its muzzle resembles a rodent, helped by its beady black eyes. The primate has large incisors that grow throughout its life. The aye-aye is an omnivore whose diet also includes nuts, fruits, mushrooms, seeds and nectar. The animal knows how to pick fruits from trees on the move. At one time, scientists disappointingly stated that the aye-aye had already become extinct, but in 1961 the animals were discovered again in Madagascar. Nevertheless, today these primates are under threat of extinction. This is due to deforestation, their native environment, and the prejudices of local residents. The natives believe that aye-aye is a symbol of death, and those who meet it are in danger of imminent death. Today, there are only a few hundred individuals left on the planet, which they are trying to preserve by creating reserves specifically for them in Madagascar.

Giant squid. These animals can reach truly enormous sizes. Although science notes a maximum length of 13 meters, according to eyewitnesses, squids can be up to 20 meters long. These animals can float to the surface due to the presence of ammonium chloride solution in the body. The usual food for squids is deep sea fish and their own relatives, smaller ones. For hunting, monsters use jagged suckers on their two longest limbs. There have long been legends among sailors about giant squids that are capable of grasping and sinking any ship; the prototype of the myth was the Norwegian legends about sea ​​monster, "kraken".

Some peoples also call the idiot the black dragon fish. This long and unusually flexible fish lives at a depth of about 2 kilometers. The creature is a striking example of sexual dimorphism. Females reach a length of about 40 centimeters, they have small eyes and long teeth necessary for hunting. At the same time, the threatening fangs do not allow the mouth to close. The menacing appearance is complemented by the glow of the teeth. A special chin barbel, which is 2-3 times longer than the head, is responsible for coordinating movements. Males look completely different. Their length does not exceed 6 centimeters, they lack both teeth and antennae, and their intestines simply do not function. Nature has decided that the males have no need to feed - they float passively in the water column, attracting females with the light of their lights. The larval development of idiacants is also curious. In juveniles, the eyes hang on long stalks, which will become smaller as they mature. As a result, the organs of vision will be located in the eye sockets. Females are known for their ability to capture large prey. The fact is that the skull of these fish can tilt up and back thanks to the flexible vertebra and muscle work. In this case, the lower jaw of the fish not only goes down, but also sharply moves forward. In such cases, in order to accommodate abundant prey, the heart, gills and aorta move away from the mouth into the body.

A vampire. This creature is endowed with mystical properties, perhaps more than others. Numerous legends and myths are dedicated to them, which tell about blood-sucking demons. In fact, vampire bats exist, and are not the product of only legends. There are three species of such animals in Central and South America. The bats themselves have a wing span of 20 centimeters, and their body is small - the size of an adult's finger. It is unlikely that these “terrible” mammals would interest people so much if not for the fact that their main diet is blood. True, people have nothing to fear; the main objects for hunting are large cattle, big birds, horses and pigs. Incisors bats sharp, like incisors. With their help, vampires make small cuts in the skin of a sleeping animal. At the same time, blood constantly flows from the wound without clotting, as this is facilitated by substances contained in the saliva of mice. Saliva also contributes to numbness of the skin, as a result the animal does not wake up, as it simply does not feel the bite. A vampire, without regularly receiving the required portion of blood, quickly loses strength and can die of starvation in 2-3 days. These bats search for their victims using scents, sounds and echolocation. Few people know that vampires can not only fly, but also run quite quickly and deftly. They cover up to 2.2 meters per second.

Anaconda. This snake has quite a scary reputation. So, in Tamil, the name of the anaconda sounds like “anaikolra”, which literally means “killer of elephants”. When the first Spanish settlers saw this snake, they dubbed it “matatoro,” or “bull killer.” The anaconda is the heaviest in the world, reaching a weight of 250 kilograms. The snake's eyes and nostrils are located on the top of its head. This structure of the anaconda allows it to breathe and observe potential victims, while being almost completely located in the water. The gigantic strength of anacondas is known, which, despite their slowness, can defeat quite large animals, including small deer and crocodiles. To strangle their prey, anacondas wrap themselves around their body and begin to strangle them.

Wolf. Gray Predators for most of us are not as exotic as some of those mentioned above. The length of wolves from the nose to the tip of the tail is usually from 1.3 to 2 meters, while the tail itself makes up a quarter of the entire length. The wolf is built in such a way that it can easily endure the longest journeys and transitions. He has a narrow chest, strong legs and back, which prevent fatigue from accumulating quickly. Wolves can move at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour over quite a long distance. During their pursuit of game, predators can accelerate up to 65 kilometers per hour. The main food of wolves is deer, elk, yaks and other ungulates. There are known cases when a pack of wolves killed a bison weighing more than a ton. Animals are scary strong jaws with sharp fangs and carnivorous teeth, which are specially created by nature for tearing meat and chewing it. The predator's jaws are so strong that it takes 6-8 bites to bite through an elk's thigh.

Tasmanian devil. Such a proportion of jaws to body length, and their strength, is not found in any other animal. The animal's bite force is the highest among mammals, even surpassing the lion in this indicator. The mammal from the marsupial family today lives only on the island of Tasmania, although it once lived on the Australian mainland. This is the largest of the marsupial predators. The body length is from 50 to 80 centimeters, and the weight is up to 12 kilograms. Another name for the animal is “marsupial devil”. The animal's frightening fame was given by its capabilities - with its huge jaws it can easily bite through the largest bones. The Tasmanian devil prefers to dine among his own kind - on public event up to 12 animals are collected at once. During the feast, active communication also takes place. Scientists were even able to identify 11 different poses and 8 sounds with which these terrible animals communicate. An outsider hears ominous screams. The Tasmanian is quite voracious, eating about 15% of its body weight per day. The main diet consists of small animals and birds, insects, snakes and even tubers and roots. It is known that the most voracious individuals can also attack gullible tourists who naively accept dangerous predators for cute puppies.

Human. Human activity is the most dangerous for all living things around. We cut down forests and cultivate land, build dams, our factories pollute the atmosphere with greenhouse gases and water with waste. Basically, we just consume, without thinking about whether nature will have time to restore the damage caused to it. Over time, people turn into environmental debtors, spending far more resources than we are allotted. Today, 70% of the world's fish stocks are used by humanity, which casts doubt on the possibility of its natural restoration. 7 million tons of garbage end up in the seas and oceans every year. Industrial leaders, which include Russia, annually produce 400 million tons of toxic waste. Today people have already exterminated 65% virgin forests, this process continues - every second 1.5 hectares of forest disappear under our influence. Is it any wonder that man is the most terrible creature for our blue and green planet?

Sometimes among the animals you come across quite strange specimens, which perhaps especially impressionable people should not look at.

Purple frog - a species of large ground frog, which opened in 2003. It looks like a piece of purple jelly-like mass. The frog is notable for its small head and trunk. It is often found in the Western Ghats.

The goblin shark got its name for its bizarre appearance: the muzzle of this shark ends in a long beak-like outgrowth, and its long jaws can extend far. The largest known specimen reached a length of 3.8 meters and weighed 210 kg.

Hawaiian Ash bat is an animal with short rounded ears, a yellow-brown mouth that resembles a cow's. She lives on the islands of Hawaii, in humid and places at an altitude of 4 thousand m above sea level.

New sucker-footed bat - the new kind, discovered by scientists from Madagascar. It has suckers that are located on its hind legs, and thumbs, which the mouse uses to grab onto smooth and shiny surfaces.

A hairless mouse has very thin, one might say, translucent skin, and its entire body is covered with wrinkled folds. Only big ears remain smooth.

Frogfish reaches maximum length 40 cm. This creature can survive in different conditions, because NASA in 1997 chose among other animals to send into space. There, the influence of microgravity was studied on a frog fish.

The almiqui - a black, brown or dark brown nocturnal animal - has short legs, an elongated head, tiny eyes, a mobile nose, and its skin glands secrete a smell reminiscent of a goat.

The ancient Japanese shark lives at depths of more than 600-1000 meters. Reminds me of a huge eel with needles in its mouth. It has practically not changed over many millennia of its existence.

Rattails or Grenadiers - and this is something from the realm of “horror films”...

Drop fish - very unusual creature, which can be seen at least from her photograph. She lives on great depths off the coast of Australia and Tasmania.

This turtle's name Matamata means "I kill" in Spanish. And indeed, it seems that she can kill with just her appearance - a creature with a flat head and a neck covered with numerous bulges, warts, and humps...

The armadillo (armadillo) has short legs with sharp claws, with the help of which it obtains food for itself: ants, beetles, caterpillars. It also feeds on carrion and plants.

The larva of the coridal, or vislocryl, has a truly terrible appearance under an electron microscope. The coridal lives in northern and central America, Australia and Africa. And men's and women's individuals can be up to 12.5 cm long.

Monkfish is also known as the "poor man's lobster", anglerfish, angelfish. This fish species lives in the northwestern Atlantic coastal zone.

The echidna looks like a hedgehog. Like another “Australian”, the platypus, lays eggs, but feeds its offspring with milk. The echidna has two layers of fur - one for warmth and the other for protection.

An elephant seal can gain weight up to 4 tons. Its diet consists of fish, squid and other marine life. It is called elephantine because during the mating season the seal inflates its nose, and it becomes like a trunk.

The aer-aer, or Madagascar bat, is the world's largest nocturnal primate, native to Madagascar and living primarily in the tropical forest.

The Russian wheat aphid has very short, rounded horns and is pale green in color. This aphid is found in all seasons in western Kansas and within 50 miles of the Colorado border. The length of the aphid is only 2 mm.

The hatchet fish got its name because of its body shape. The eyes of the hatchet fish are located on the top of the head, its length does not exceed 15 centimeters.

These unusual warthogs have a barrel-shaped body, big head, decorated with six facial warts, and huge crooked dog fangs... Reach 150 kilograms in weight...

The Muscovy duck is a large native bird of Mexico, Central and South America. She has dark brown or black plumage, with white spots on the head and wings.

The naked mole rat resembles a tiny walrus. It has a tubular body, covered with wrinkles, and hairless. It feeds on roots and root crops, seeds and small plants.

The common proboscis monkey has a large nose and a large belly. It feeds on seeds, leaves and green fruits. Unlike other primates, it does not use its tail for grasping, but only for balance.

The hagfish is a fish that has a long, eel-like body with a paddle-like tail. Color varies from pink to pale gray, sometimes with dark spots.

The frilled lizard belongs to the family of lizards called "dragons." Lives mainly in dry forests in the northwestern and northern parts of Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The nose of a soft-shelled turtle serves as a kind of breathing tube. It helps her breathe while underwater or buried in the ground. Its shell is soft, leathery, and its paws are webbed.

The food of the star-nosed mole is aquatic insects, worms and mollusks. The mole swims well, and most of its habitat is under water. It has waterproof fur, scaly paws and a thick, long tail.

Yeti crab. This is a new species of crab discovered in the southern part Pacific Ocean in 2005. Its claws are covered with long, pale yellow hair. This crab is unusually large, with specimens reaching 15 cm in length. Lives at a depth of 2 thousand meters.

The tarsier's eyes are large and motionless, but its head can rotate almost unlimitedly. The tarsier's arms and legs are longer than those of most primates. It feeds on insects, birds, lizards and bats.

The Komondor is a rather unusual breed of dog. Belongs to the Hungarian Shepherd Dogs. Her body is covered with thick white fur, which curls and resembles dreadlocks. The height of dogs at the withers is 70-80 cm and more. Weight 35-60 kg.