The Pre-eminent Mamba’s less-known Rivals

This list has 6 unique animals that are potentially more dangerous than the Black Mamba. Read it till the end to see what they are and how lethal they can be. If you can think of any other creature that deserves to be mentioned here, feel free to leave a comment…

1. Boomslang

The Boomslang is a rear-fanged arboreal snake. They are shy and seldom slither out of trees. They are sexually dimorphic, the males are greenish and the females tend to be a brownish colour.

For starters, the Black Mamba is not the most venomous snake in Sub-Saharan Africa. The venom of a Boomslang is drop for drop more potent than that of a Black Mamba. The Black Mamba venom kills quickly but the Boomslangs bite is something that’s straight out of a horror film. It contains hemotoxins that makes you bleed from your eyes, nose and basically all the orifices in your body that includes your hair pores! The antivenin is available but fortunately, Boomslangs don’t bite first and ask questions later like the Mamba.

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2. Blue Ringed Octopus

The Blue Ringed Octopus inhabits the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are relatively smaller than the other animals on the list (about 5-8 inches) and are pretty docile.

When provoked they display their vibrant iridescent blue rings as a threat signal. It has a potent tetrodotoxin (the same toxin that is present in the Pufferfish and the Poison Dart Frog) that makes quick work of it’s prey.

It’s bite is painless and victims don’t realise that they have been envenomated untill they experience respiratory depression and paralysis. It has enough venom to kill 26 adult humans and to make matters worse there is no antivenin to the bite!

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3. Geographic Cone Snail

These rather innocent looking snails are commonly found in the Indo-Pacific waters. They are encountered by divers and snorkelers on a regular basis. Their venom is designed to stun prey items but it is also used for defence.

Their venom is a complex cocktail of about a 100 toxins which is delivered through their harpoon that contains a hypodermic needle. There exists no known antivenom to the sting. Research shows that certain protiens in the venom can be 10,000 times more potent than morphine but, whithout the addictive properties and side-effects!

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4. Reef Stonefish

The Reef stonefish is found in the warm and tropical beaches of  Indo-Pacific regions. These perfectly camouflaged, ambush predators can be found in shallow waters waiting for their prey. 

Accidentally stepping on these creatures might just be the last thing you do. They have about 13 dorsal spines, each of which is equipped with 2 venom glands and are sharp enough to pierce boot soles.

It’s venom is lethal to humans, but it’s not the venom that generally kills the victims but, it’s the excruciating pain that follows. The pain caused is capable of giving an adult human a stroke! The antivenin can save your life but you might be left with permanent tissue damage and other chronic issues.

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5. Box Jellyfish

Recognised by their distinct cube shaped medusae, The Box Jellyfish is almost completely transparent making it impossible to spot them in the water. Their purplish tentacles near their medusae can be seen if observed keenly.

Box Jellyfish are found in all the tropical and subtropical oceans of the world. The ones found in Australia are the largest of Box Jellyfishes and are also the world’s most lethal Jellyfish.

The sting causes excruciating pain and scars, if left untreated it can kill you in 2-5 minutes depending on the amount of venom injected. Speaking of amount, one Jellyfish has enough venom to kill 60 people! It’s not very surprising that most people die before reaching the antivenin.

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6. Inland Taipan

It is endemic to the semi-arid regions of Australia and is the world’s most toxic snake. It can grow upto 6 feet in length.

One bite from this snake has enough venom to kill atleast a 100 fully grown humans. It is an extremely fast and agile snake, capable of sticking at the blink of an eye with extreme accuracy. The venom predominantly contains neurotoxins that lead to muscle paralysis and heart failure. Like all other snakes even the deadly Inland Taipan tends to keep away from humans, but it’s really not a snake you wanna mess with.

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Writer’s thoughts:

The animal kingdom is full of fascinating, unique and at times deadly creatures. They are not man-hunters in any way and don’t deserve that reputation. They see humans as a potential predator and they only attack when threatened with the sole purpose of defending themselves. These creatures deserve to be respected for our own good…

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Image credits: Pinterest & Wikipedia