Buzz
It seems that every day brings a new animal fact to light, whether from the web or the news, and that’s because new discoveries about animals are made constantly. There are thousands of ethologists—biologists specializing in animal behavior—conducting countless studies and experiments, continuously expanding our understanding of the natural world. Some of their findings are truly spine-chilling. With millions of species competing for survival in a harsh world, many have developed ruthless strategies to thrive. Some tactics are for hunting, others for defense, and some remain utterly baffling. But whatever the reason, these behaviors are enough to make you view nature with more caution. Here are ten of the creepiest animal behaviors caught on camera… so far.
10. Mass Self-Destruction
As unbelievable as it sounds, this phenomenon isn’t confined to just one species. A variety of creatures are known to commit mass suicide (not including the myth about lemmings). The list of species that engage in mass self-destruction is mind-blowing—from insects to birds to amphibians to mammals and beyond. Yet, we often have no clear explanation for why it happens.
When asked about the frequent beaching of cetaceans—whales and dolphins—ethologist Darlene Ketten once compared it to a car crash: ‘A lot of things can go wrong, but you end up with the same result. Statistically, we can only pinpoint the cause of a stranding in about 50 percent of the cases worldwide.’ The common causes of beaching include disease, red tides, injuries, and human interference with their habitat, but definitive answers are scarce. What remains are piles of animal carcasses and lingering questions.
9. Torture Your Prey
Speaking of cetaceans, they don’t just harm themselves—they also take pleasure in tormenting their prey before the kill. Orcas, for instance, are known for ‘playing’ with their prey, grabbing and releasing them repeatedly. There are also records of orcas submerging their prey—often helpless, air-breathing seals—in their jaws, only to bring them up and down, again and again. While they could easily drown their prey or devour them swiftly, some seem to enjoy watching the desperate hope flicker in their prey's eyes.
Dolphins, too, have been witnessed causing unnecessary suffering to their prey. Like orcas, they’ve been seen using their tails to smack injured prey back and forth in a grim, aquatic game of badminton.
8. Spartan Eagles
Golden eagles are among the largest of eagle species, and eagles themselves are some of the most formidable birds of prey. Unlike the few larger species, mostly vultures and condors, which rely on scavenging, golden eagles primarily hunt for their food. Their prey usually includes rabbits and mid-sized rodents, but they are capable of taking down almost anything they can overpower—including mountain goats, which they sometimes kill by tossing them off cliffs.
There have been rare instances where researchers have observed golden eagles targeting mountain goats—much heavier than the eagles—by employing the clever strategy of simply knocking them off the cliff they are perched on. Since the goats are too heavy to lift, the eagles have adapted to this strategy, which is both ingenious and terrifying.
7. Storm Stalker
It may be more accurate to describe this behavior as more ‘metal’ than creepy. But if you're a wild deer caught in this scenario, there's little distinction. Tigers have been observed using thunderstorms as cover for their hunts.
As dark grey clouds that herald a thunderstorm gather, tigers begin to hunt. The thick clouds conceal their form as they sneak through the tall grass, and the rumbling thunder masks the otherwise muted sound of their movements. With tigers already positioning themselves downwind, their prey’s senses are rendered incapable of detecting the predator before the strike. (And if you’re close enough to a tiger to feel or taste it, it’s already too late).
6. Toxic Armpits
Slow lorises have captured the internet's heart with their adorable, somewhat clumsy look. One particular behavior, in particular, has made them viral stars in countless videos: when 'tickled,' lorises often raise their arms straight up, which many people interpret as enjoyment. However, the truth is that lorises are actually feeling threatened and are revealing deadly venom glands located in their armpits.
It’s true: lorises are among the few mammals—and the only primates—that can produce venom. The venom is produced in glands located in their armpits, and it is deadly to humans. Interestingly, this venom seems to have evolved as a defense mechanism by which lorises mimic venomous cobras. When threatened, lorises raise their arms, sometimes clasping them over their heads while hissing, possibly imitating the posture of a cobra. They go even further by licking venom from their armpits, making their bite as deadly as a cobra’s.
5. The Craving for Human Flesh
Herbivores consuming meat is a rare but horrifying occurrence. It is often attributed to nutritional deficiencies, and many herbivores are sometimes seen turning carnivorous. This behavior is most commonly observed in deer. While they usually feed on small woodland creatures, one particular incident at a body farm in Texas saw a deer filmed 'gnawing on a (human) rib bone.'
I’ve witnessed this firsthand, and it still haunts me. I once saw a deer in my parents' backyard hunched over the body of a rabbit. The deer bit into the body, crushing the bones, and when it raised its head to chew, its muzzle was drenched in blood. It looked absolutely demonic.
4. Stronger Than Steel
You’ve probably come across the often-questioned claim that some spider silk is stronger than steel. Well, believe it or not, that’s true. While not all spiders weave webs, all of them produce silk, which they use in various ways (or sometimes don’t use at all). As a result, there are multiple types of silk, and certain ones—like 'dragline silk'—are astonishingly strong.
When it comes to tensile strength, dragline silk outperforms most steels and rivals the rest. In terms of extensibility, however, the difference is staggering. Some types of silk can stretch up to five times their original length without snapping. Combine tensile strength and extensibility, and you have the concept of toughness—where silk truly excels. Its performance is unbeaten except by the most advanced (and expensive) synthetic materials. Considering some spiders used to grow up to two feet long, you can imagine the chilling 'what-if' scenarios.
3. Dead Body Camouflage
Assassin bugs are already disturbing creatures. They paralyze their prey with a stab from their proboscis, inject a dissolving agent that breaks down their prey from the inside, and then suck out the liquefied remains. But one species, *Acanthaspis petax*, takes it to an even more horrifying level.
The creepy crawly uses the bodies of its victims as a disguise. After it kills its prey—usually ants—it coats them with an adhesive and attaches them to its back. The bug continues this gruesome process, stacking body after body, until it forms a massive mound of dead ants. This gruesome pile potentially masks the assassin bug's own scent with that of the ants, while also making it appear larger than it actually is—offering a defense against predators that may be discouraged by its intimidating form.
2. Organ Bombs
A behavior known as autotomy is observed when an animal intentionally discards part of its body as a defense mechanism. The most commonly known example is lizards shedding their tails to escape predators. However, sea cucumbers take this to an entirely different, and more extreme, level.
When threatened, some sea cucumbers contract their body walls and forcefully expel their internal organs. This includes their anus, intestines, tentacles, muscles, parts of their respiratory system, and even sections of their reproductive organs. The result is a sticky, tangled mess of organs that can ensnare and confuse any predator unfortunate enough to get too close.
1. Power Punch
Mantis shrimps are often described as otherworldly, almost alien creatures. For one thing, they possess 16 photoreceptors, far surpassing our three, allowing them to see an entirely different spectrum of colors—potentially millions more than what we can perceive. But the real jaw-dropper about these creatures is the power of their punch.
The mantis shrimp’s front limbs can strike with an astonishing speed of 75 feet per second—about the same speed as a .22 caliber bullet. This force is capable of shattering the hard shells of clams, crabs, and many other animals they face. In fact, it’s the most powerful strike in the animal kingdom. Those unfortunate enough to experience it firsthand can attest to its overwhelming strength.
