Buzz
The animal kingdom boasts an astonishing variety of forms, ranging from tiny ants to enormous elephants and blue whales—the largest creatures to ever roam Earth [PDF]. With an estimated 8.7 million species of plants and animals sharing our world, it's no surprise that some of them can be downright frightening, bizarre, or unsettling. Here’s a list of a few horrifying creatures that may appear in your nightmares.
1. Basking Shark
Rebecca-Belleni-Photography / Via Getty ImagesThe basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) may appear intimidating, but it's actually the perfect embodiment of Finding Nemo’s motto: 'Fish are friends, not food.' According to Oceana, these giants are the second-largest fish species on Earth, surpassed only by the whale shark; they can weigh up to 10,000 pounds and reach lengths of 45 feet. That’s longer than a telephone pole, a London bus, or six Shaquille O'Neals stacked on top of each other. Thankfully, they pose no threat. Basking sharks feed primarily on zooplankton by swimming with their mouths wide open, and they enjoy basking in the sun on the ocean’s surface. So, if you ever spot a shark with its mouth agape heading your way, and it turns out to be a basking shark, there's no need for concern.
2. Aye-aye
javarman3 / Via Getty ImagesThe aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a mix of adorable and eerie. With large, glowing eyes, elongated fingers, and bat-like ears, this lemur, native to Madagascar, is the world’s largest nocturnal primate. According to the World Wildlife Fund, it is the only species in its taxonomic family, meaning there are no close relatives. Much like bats, they use echolocation to hunt for food: employing a technique known as percussive foraging, they tap on hollow trees with their long fingers to locate insect larvae. Sadly, aye-ayes are critically endangered. Some local legends associate them with death, and as a result, they are often killed.
3. Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox
Gregg Yan, WikiMedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0Native to the Philippines, the giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) is the largest bat species in the world, boasting a wingspan of around 5 feet 6 inches. That’s broader than the average height of an American adult. Fortunately, these bats aren't like the notorious vampire bats that feast on mammal (and occasionally bird) blood. The giant golden-crowned flying fox is a herbivore and poses no threat to humans. However, they are endangered due to poaching and habitat destruction, which has a negative impact on the environment. These fruit-eating bats contribute to plant growth by dispersing seeds in their droppings. Organizations such as
4. Shoebill Stork
Kesu01 / Via Getty ImagesPicture yourself on a peaceful stroll through east-central Africa, when suddenly, a massive bird glares at you as though it’s ready to attack. The shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) isn’t technically a stork—it's actually more closely related to pelicans. These impressive birds grow as tall as 5 feet and have a wingspan stretching up to 8 feet. Their plumage is typically a blue-gray color, with a white belly, and their powerful bills are capable of decapitating their prey (lungfish). They also make a chattering sound when they encounter other shoebills. Despite their intimidating appearance, they’re harmless unless you're a fish or crocodile, according to the National Audubon Society. These solitary birds face threats from poaching and the black market, and that unnerving gaze? It's how they engage their binocular vision.
5. Southern Cassowary
BirdImages / Via Getty ImagesSpeaking of unsettling birds, how about one that looks like it belongs to the age of dinosaurs? The southern cassowary, native to northern Australia, sports long, sharp claws and a helmet-like structure on its head. Adult southern cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius) typically weigh between 121 and 157 pounds, making their flightless nature unsurprising. Despite this, they can leap as high as 7 feet and run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. When they feel threatened, they try to appear larger, and if that fails to deter the danger, they respond with powerful kicks and stabs using their huge claws. In 2019, a man in Florida tragically lost his life after falling into his pet cassowary’s enclosure.
You’re likely to hear the southern cassowary before you even spot it; they let out deep, rumbling roars when they sense danger.
6. Star-Nosed Mole
Myrrha / Via Getty ImagesWhile the babies might be a bit cute, adult star-nosed moles (Condylura cristata) resemble extraterrestrial beings with tentacles on their faces. The 22 'arms' of their star-shaped noses are packed with sensory receptors far more sensitive than the human fingertip, allowing these almost-blind creatures to navigate their surroundings. Most of their time is spent burrowing underground using their massive claws while feeding on insects. According to National Geographic, they're the fastest eaters in the animal kingdom, devouring a bug in just a quarter of a second. Found throughout eastern North America, they help maintain their habitat's health by aerating soil and plant roots. They're also semi-aquatic and have been spotted playing in the snow. Keep doing your thing, star-nosed mole!
7. Crocodile Monitor
Cursed Senses / Via Getty ImagesWeighing an average of 44 pounds, crocodile monitors (Varanus salvadorii) are massive lizards native to New Guinea who enjoy lounging in trees. Often considered one of the longest lizards in the world, some of them can grow up to 8 feet long, with a few measuring over 10 feet. Their bodies are mostly black with either green or yellow spots. Though some people keep them as pets, their enormous size means they require gigantic enclosures, which sometimes can't contain them (in 2017, one escaped its home in California). Crocodile monitors reign as the top predators in their ecosystem, preying on a wide range of small mammals, birds, eggs, reptiles, and amphibians.
8. Portuguese Man O' War
Darieus / Via Getty ImagesThe Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalis) looks like something straight out of an alien invasion movie, serving as a stern reminder of the ocean's power. These marine creatures aren't technically jellyfish, but siphonophores—a type of colonial organism made up of multiple smaller organisms. According to Oceana, they are highly venomous, with some tentacles reaching lengths of up to 160 feet. They often form massive groups of up to 1000 individuals, which led to a warning in 2020 from a North Carolina beach town advising vacationers to be cautious as hundreds washed ashore. While the sting of a Portuguese man o' war—used to paralyze the small fish they feed on—rarely proves fatal to humans, it certainly packs a painful punch.
9. Giant Hatchetfish
SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain"Giant" is a bit of an exaggeration here: Measuring just around 4 inches, the giant hatchetfish (Argyropelecus gigas) is significantly smaller than most of the creatures on this list. With a shape resembling a hatchet, they primarily feast on small fish. Like other residents of the bathypelagic zone, where no light from the sun reaches, hatchetfish create their own illumination through bioluminescence. Their bodies are equipped with light-producing organs known as photophores, turning them into underwater fireflies. They use their light to attract prey while the rest of their body remains hidden in the dark depths, striking swiftly before their food even realizes what's happening.
10. Goliath Bird-Eating Spider
Sheri, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0Some might find all spiders unsettling, but this massive tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) undoubtedly stands out. The Goliath bird-eating spider has a dark brown, hairy body that can grow beyond 4 inches, with legs that can reach 11 inches in length. Hailing from northern South American rainforests, these are not only the largest tarantulas on Earth but also capable of eating anything smaller than themselves, including birds, lizards, frogs, and even bats. They patiently wait beneath rocks to ambush their prey. If threatened, the Goliath bird-eater produces a sharp hissing sound by rubbing their front legs together. Let’s hope a few tarantula hawks are around to keep them at bay.
