Buzz
Life is much easier for modern humans. Among those who consume meat, only a few will ever need to hunt their own food, much less risk serious injury or even death in the process. This is not the case for many animal species, who face intense struggles when hunting. For them, securing food involves battling creatures capable of biting, stinging, or poisoning them. The reasons behind their choice of such perilous prey remain a mystery, but many have developed intricate and remarkable techniques to disarm their targets. Here are ten brave (or perhaps reckless) predators that hunt dangerous and venomous creatures.
10. Bee-Eaters
Despite their painful stings and tendency to swarm, bees may seem invulnerable, with no natural enemies. Even without the risk of a sting, they do not appear particularly appetizing—at least not to humans. However, bees do have a number of natural predators, one of which is so reliant on them as a food source that the birds are even named 'bee-eaters.'
There are 22 species of bee-eaters, and they inhabit various environments, from rainforests to deserts. These birds are typically vibrant and equipped with long black beaks that allow them to deftly catch bees mid-flight. Naturally, they aim to avoid being stung. To prevent this, they strike the bee's head against a branch to stun it, then flip it over and scrape the stinger and venom sac off the tail by rubbing it on the branch. Once the bee is safe to consume, they swallow it whole. While the method may seem harsh, bee-eaters help maintain a balance in insect populations.
9. Sharks
Sharks are infamous for their appetite and their tendency to consume nearly any living creature. But there's one particular treat that only adds to their fearsome reputation—pufferfish. These small, slow-moving fish are easy targets for predators. However, they are equipped with one of nature’s most remarkable defense mechanisms.
By rapidly ingesting water and air, pufferfish can inflate themselves into a spiky, balloon-like form that is several times their original size. With sharp spines sticking out upon inflation, they are also filled with tetrodotoxin, a potent toxin that ranks among the deadliest substances in nature. A single pufferfish contains enough tetrodotoxin to kill 30 adult humans. So why would any predator even attempt to consume such a dangerously toxic creature? Very few do, and those who try often do not survive. Remarkably, sharks are among the few creatures that are immune to tetrodotoxin, and they are the only species known to have such resistance. As a result, pufferfish are just another item on the shark's menu, as safe to consume as any other fish.
8. Geckos
These small lizards are commonly seen climbing walls or hiding in dark corners of warm regions across the world. While they may startle some people, they are hardly considered fierce predators. Geckos typically feast on flies and other tiny insects, but in Australia, they sometimes indulge in a more dangerous treat—funnel-web spiders. Funnel-webs are among the most deadly spider species, with mature male funnel-webs containing delta-hexatoxin. This powerful neurotoxin causes nerves to fire uncontrollably, leading to spasms, a drop in blood pressure, organ failure, and death. It is fatal to humans.
This defensive mechanism helps male funnel-web spiders protect themselves from predators if they unknowingly cross paths with one while searching for a mate. Surprisingly, funnel-web spiders have a number of natural enemies in the wild, including reptiles like geckos, marsupials like dunnarts, rats, and even some birds. In 2020, a study on Sydney funnel-web spiders was abruptly halted when one of the study subjects was devoured by a gecko while wearing a tracking device.
7. Orangutans
These mischievous red-haired primates hide a surprising side. While an orangutan's usual diet consists of fruit, leaves, bark, and insects, a troubling new addition was discovered in 2012. The slow loris, a small and rare primate with large eyes and a fuzzy body, might look adorable to humans, but to some Sumatran and Bornean orangutans, it’s a tempting, protein-rich meal. There’s just one catch: Slow lorises are poisonous.
Indeed, they are the only venomous mammals, and their bites can cause flesh to rot. Why orangutans would choose to eat these seemingly harmless creatures is still a subject of debate. Some researchers suggest that it’s a backup food option when the usual plant-based diet is unavailable.
However, the absence of plant food is not always the case when orangutans have been observed consuming slow lorises. It’s possible that scientists simply haven’t gathered sufficient evidence because they haven’t been specifically looking for such behavior. As for the poison, the orangutans' size likely helps them subdue the small creatures and avoid being bitten.
6. Chacma Baboons
Similar to orangutans, baboons primarily follow a plant-based diet. Chacma baboons of southern Africa typically consume fruit, bulbs, and roots but are also known to enjoy certain animal foods, such as bird eggs, spiders, centipedes, and lizards. One of their favorite treats, however, is scorpions.
These fast-moving, stinging arachnids make an appetizing snack for the baboons, who hover their hands over the scorpions until they get the perfect moment to strike from above, stunning them with a powerful slap. The baboons then rub the scorpion along the ground under their hands before removing the stinger and tossing it aside. Once this is done, the scorpion is ready to be devoured.
In 1919, an observer noted that baboons eat scorpions with ‘every appearance of satisfaction.’ Since they discard the stinger, it seems the baboons aren't harmed by the sting. However, the same observer observed that while raiding bee nests, baboons seemed to endure bee stings with far less pain than humans, though they still tried to avoid being stung.
5. Centipede-Eaters
Centipedes come in many sizes, and while they may be unsettling and quick, they can deliver a painful bite. These traits typically don't make them appealing, yet they serve as the only food source for a specific type of South African snake, the aptly named black-headed centipede-eater. Also called the Cape centipede-eater, these slender snakes pose no threat to humans, but their venom is deadly to centipedes.
The snake strikes the centipede and injects venom into its spine, patiently waiting for the poison to take effect before consuming the now-lifeless creature, starting with its head. They are strictly nocturnal and can often be found in abandoned termite mounds or beneath objects like rocks and logs.
4. Tiger Keelback Snakes
Newborn tiger keelback snakes are not venomous. If they don’t consume the right diet, they will remain venom-free throughout their lives, making these Japanese snakes quite unique. However, wild adults defend themselves from threats by secreting bufadienolides, toxins that impact the heart and respiratory system.
Since tiger keelbacks aren't born with bufadienolides and cannot produce them naturally, they obtain this poison through a common practice in nature: poison theft. These snakes eat toxic toads, stealing the poison to use as their own and even increasing its potency. Mothers pass the poison onto their offspring, who then hunt toads, continuing the cycle.
3. Orcas
Orcas truly live up to their nickname, 'killer' whales. They hunt a wide array of marine creatures, but one key part of their diet requires them to face significant risk: the stingray. These rays have tails equipped with barbs that can seriously injure a careless or inexperienced orca. Though this danger might seem like a last-resort meal choice, orcas have been seen attacking stingrays even when there is no apparent need for food.
It’s also possible that the orcas were aware humans were observing them, which could explain why they did not consume the ray. Similar to many other predators, they might kill for practice or for sport. In one recorded instance, a group of young orcas killed a stingray, and divers speculated that the orcas might have been putting on a display to appear threatening or show off.
2. Leatherback Turtles
When it comes to sheer consumption, leatherback turtles may be the most formidable predators on Earth. These massive sea creatures can weigh as much as 1,415 pounds (640 kilograms) and can eat up to 73% of their body weight each day. With a 100% success rate—far exceeding that of famous hunters like lions and sharks—their diet consists of creatures that only provide a mere 5 kcal each. So, what are they feasting on?
Leatherbacks require prey that is abundant, slow, and defenseless. But not exactly. They feed on jellyfish, which, while slow and plentiful, are far from defenseless. Many unlucky swimmers have learned that jellyfish can sting viciously, and sometimes fatally. However, sea turtles are immune to these stings, thanks to their protective reptilian scales. Leatherbacks are specifically adapted for hunting jellyfish, with powerful, scissor-like jaws ideal for catching them and lined with terrifying papillae—spikes in their throat that break down their prey and prevent it from escaping.
1. Mongooses
Despite their deadly venom, the king cobra, named for its size and ferocity, is not at the top of the food chain. A small, fierce predator—the mongoose—preys on cobras and many other snake species. Mongooses possess a unique ability: they can withstand cobra venom thanks to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that blocks toxins from binding to their nervous system. This allows mongooses to kill and consume cobras, making snakes a regular part of their diet.
However, this predator-prey relationship goes both ways. Some snakes also hunt mongooses. Mongooses, with their sharp claws, excellent vision, speed, and agility, are highly effective at hunting and defending themselves. They are so skilled that they can take down snakes larger than themselves, and in various parts of the world, humans have employed them to control both snake and rat populations.
