The animal kingdom is full of shocking surprises, unbelievable beauty, mind-blowing fascination, and bone-chilling fright. While some remarkable creatures merely appear spooky, others truly are dangerous and even life-threatening- truly the scariest animals on the planet.
In the spirit of Halloween, Covenant Wildlife Removal brings you a list of the ten scariest animals on the planet. But beware—the following creepy creatures are sure to send shivers down your spine!
1 | Black Mamba Snake
Sneaky and silent, the black mamba snake is one of the world’s deadliest snakes. This venomous creature can grow up to 14 feet long and is often a stunning black color. However, their color does vary, and you sometimes see black mambas that are an ashy gray like a stormy sky.
One of the most frightening features of this snake slithering in sub-Saharan Africa is its permanent smile. The corners of its mouth curl up slightly, giving the appearance that the black mamba has an evil smirk.
But that’s not all. Black mambas are extremely dangerous and pose a massive threat to any human or animal that crosses their path. It has enough venom in one bite that could kill 12 humans. And black mambas will not hesitate to strike. In fact, in just one attack, they can bite up to 12 times!
2 | Vampire Squid
The vampire squid has eight blood-red limbs connected by thin webbing. Its scientific name, vampyroteuthis infernalis, translates to “vampire squid from hell.” Does it get any spookier than that?
One of the scariest animals swimming in the dark depths of the ocean, the vampire squid is the only living descendent of the ancestor of the octopus and squid that existed 200 million years ago! Unlike most squids, this fascinating creature does not expel ink to confuse predators. Instead, it releases a glowing bioluminescent material.
3 | Cape Buffalo
The massive cape buffalo, also known as the African buffalo, weighs almost a ton and reaches five feet at the shoulder. It has heavy and intimidating curved horns on its head and can launch a lion into the air with one swift and powerful motion.
Cape buffalos are known for being aggressive. However, when wounded, they are considered one of the scariest animals on the planet. Unfortunately, this incredible creature roaming sub-Saharan Africa is near threatened.
4 | Naked Mole Rat
Perhaps you’ve only heard of a cold-blooded mammal as an expression. But the naked mole rat is the only cold-blooded mammal on the face of the earth. Plus, it’s the only mammal to live in a colony similar to a nest of bees.
These aren’t the only laws of nature the naked mole rat defies. It’s a mammal without hair, hence “naked .”And to top it all off, their large and sharp rodent incisors, or teeth, are outside its mouth!
5 | Gharial is one of the Scariest Animals
This unique creature isn’t your typical crocodile. The gharial looks like the other crocodiles it is closely related to. However, its snout is narrow and long. And its teeth are thin and sharp like a row of strong white needles. Perhaps one of the most bone-chilling facts about the gharial is that it doesn’t chew its prey—it swallows it whole!
Unfortunately, there are only 650 adults left in the world. They live in India and spend almost their entire lives in water. Gharials only leave their aquatic habitat for basking in the sun and making their nests. The good news is that these scary-looking animals aren’t typically aggressive. When guarding their young, the gharial may be more protective and defensive. But they are more often timid around humans.
6 | Giant Spitting Cobra
The giant spitting cobra can reach up to six and a half feet long. As its name suggests, it can spit its venom at a distance of over five feet with incredible accuracy. No wonder this snake has made its way onto our list of the scariest animals in the world!
The potent venom of the giant spitting cobra can even cause its prey, whether an animal or a human, to go temporarily blind. In fact, in rare cases, it can cause permanent blindness. This nocturnal snake dwells in sub-Saharan Africa and varies in color. However, it is often black as the midnight sky, only adding to its intimidating appearance.
7 | Brown Coconut Crab
Honestly, just how scary can a crab be? Well, once you’ve encountered a brown coconut crab, you’ll never look at crabs the same way again. What makes this particular species especially frightening is the spooky stories it is linked to and its incredible strength.
The brown coconut crab can grow up to three feet in length and has a powerful grip that can lift prey the size of a 65-pound child! These remarkable crustaceans are found on the Indo-Pacific coasts and even thrive on one of the uninhabited Phoenix islands. According to some theories, brown coconut crabs are responsible for the missing body of Amelia Earhart!
The famous aviator made an emergency landing on Nikumaroro Island and mysteriously disappeared. Her body was never found, and some believe these monstrous crabs could have devoured her remains. Of course, it is unlikely there will ever be a discovery of the truth of what happened to Amelia Earhart. Nevertheless, this theory has been explored by researchers and scientists and is considered a real possibility.
8 | Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox
The fox has a reputation for being sly and cunning. Could you imagine how much more mischievous a fox would be with a pair of wings that allows it to soar through the air? While the giant golden-crowned fox is not at all a fox, perhaps what family it belongs to makes matters worse. Despite its common name, this creature is a massive bat!
The giant golden-crowned flying fox may look terrifying, but they only eat fruit—so we can count ourselves lucky! This fascinating animal lives in the jungles of the Philippines and is the largest bat species on the planet. Even more horrifying, these bats can live in colonies with up to 10,000 members!
9 | Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko
The satanic leaf-tailed gecko has a strangely chilling name. However, they are not a threat to humans. This tiny gecko likely receives such a profound title because of its bright red eyes and two horn-like projections on its head, resembling a devilish creature. Some members even have ghostly pale eyes, making the animal look lifeless and extra spooky!
Satanic leaf-tailed geckos live in Madagascar and are masters of camouflage. Remarkably, their tails look identical to a leaf, and some even have a shape that mocks a damaged leaf. Their bodies also have marks that look like leaf veins and unique coloring, making them almost impossible to spot in a tree or brush.
10 | Vampire Bats
Our list of the world’s scariest animals wouldn’t be complete without mentioning blood-sucking vampire bats! Indeed, these flying mammals consume blood to survive. Luckily, they rarely prey on humans. Vampire bats feed on birds and livestock, including cows and sheep. However, people have reported being bitten by these creepy flying mammals.
Vampire bats are quite small and don’t actually “suck” the blood from their victims. Instead, they make a tiny wound with their sharp teeth and slowly lap at the leaking blood. Vampire bats will consume blood from their prey for about 30 minutes at a time, often when it is sleeping, wounded, or ill. They don’t remove enough blood for the animal to be affected by the meal. However, their bites can cause hellish infections and spread awful diseases.
Scariest Animals Wildlife Removal for the Spooky Season
It’s unlikely you’ll ever cross paths with one of these scary creatures above. They may be intimidating, and some are very dangerous. However, just like any member of the animal kingdom, they deserve our appreciation and, ultimately, our respect.
We may not handle these notoriously spooky animals, but we know very well the importance of humane treatment of all living things. At Covenant Wildlife Removal, we prioritize the humane removal of the critters that may become a pest to humans.
If you ever have an issue with any of the following wildlife, you know who to call:
- Raccoons
- Rats
- Squirrels
- Bats
- Mice
- Moles
- Honey bees
- Birds
- And more.
When wildlife is causing damage to your property or poses a threat to you and your family, reach out to the team you can trust at Covenant Wildlife Removal. In the meantime, have a happy Halloween, and stay safe!
