Animals that seem so charming and cute can pose a serious threat to human health and life. When encountering them in the wild, it's important to remember to maintain a safe distance.
Dolphins
They are considered the most intelligent marine mammals. Indeed, few animals in the animal kingdom can match them in intelligence. Everyone has probably heard stories of dolphins saving drowning people.
However, despite all this, these marine mammals can sometimes be very aggressive in the wild. They are capable of severely injuring their prey and leaving it to die without any remorse.
Dolphins often kill their young. Zoologists still cannot find a definitive explanation for this behavior.
Raccoons
They are native to North America, Japan, and Eurasia. Thanks to their natural intelligence and charming appearance, many people keep raccoons as pets.
However, many people don’t know that they are capable of showing aggression towards humans and causing serious injuries with their sharp claws.
Hedgehogs
Despite their spines, hedgehogs look very cute. However, encountering them poses many dangers. Close contact with these animals, especially bites and scratches, can lead to infection:
- rabies virus;
- helminths;
- herpes virus;
- yellow fever virus;
- salmonella;
- dermatophyte fungi.
Caresses
These adorable and charming creatures are capable of killing prey several times their size. Weasels have a very fast metabolism and must consume half their body weight in food daily.
Therefore, they constantly experience a feeling of hunger, which makes them very aggressive.
Foxes
It's hard to believe that this seemingly harmless animal is capable of harming humans. Foxes try to avoid danger, but if cornered, they can display remarkable strength and aggression. There have been cases of these animals attacking small children.
Foxes carry many infectious diseases, including the deadly rabies. Infection can occur not only through a bite from an infected animal, but also through scratches or saliva on the skin and mucous membranes.
Slow loris
The slow loris has a cute face with huge expressive eyes, which makes these animals look like Disney cartoon characters.
Slow lorises have venom glands on their elbows that produce a toxin. They coat their young with the toxin to protect them from predators. Adults also use the toxin for self-defense. When threatened, they suck it from the venom glands and bite their attacker, injecting the venom into the wound.
Monkeys
They attract people's attention with their talent for mimicry and rich facial expressions. However, contact with them can be very dangerous. Monkeys are capable of displaying aggression, causing serious injury, and even killing people. Furthermore, contact with these animals can lead to human infection with a number of infectious diseases. These include:
- Ebola fever;
- monkeypox;
- leptospirosis;
- helminthiasis;
- rabies;
- herpes infection;
- molluscum contagiosum;
- Marburg disease;
- viral hepatitis.
Pandas
Pandas have a very cute appearance and appear lazy, good-natured, and completely harmless. But it's important to remember that these animals are bears. If threatened, they can use their teeth, claws, and enormous muscle power at any moment.
Swans
This graceful and elegant bird has long been a symbol of love, fidelity, and nobility. Few realize that it can be vicious and aggressive.
When a person approaches their nest, swans become fiercely protective of their young. They rise up and attack, knocking them off their feet. When attacking in the water, the strong and powerful birds attempt to drown their prey, holding it underwater and preventing it from surfacing.
Platypus
These cute, distinctive-looking animals possess a sting. A special duct connects them to the femoral glands, which secrete a venomous "cocktail" containing several toxic substances.
Platypus venom can kill small animals, such as the dingo. It is not fatal to healthy adults, but victims require medical attention due to severe pain at the bite site.
Squirrels
While walking in forest parks, many people enjoy hand-feeding squirrels. However, this isn't safe. It's important to remember that squirrels, although small, are still wild animals, and it's simply impossible to predict their actions and behavior.
Their sharp claws and teeth can cause numerous injuries. Furthermore, squirrels can transmit diseases dangerous to humans, such as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and rabies.
Prairie dogs
Prairie dogs are rodents belonging to the squirrel family. They are very similar in appearance to gophers. They got their name from their ability to produce sharp, staccato sounds reminiscent of a dog's bark.
They are quite aggressive towards their "competitors," systematically exterminating other rodents living near them, such as gophers.
They pose an epidemiological danger to humans, as they are a natural reservoir of plague bacteria.
