Can These Intimidating Animals Be Our Friends?
What do you think about when you say the word ‘scary’? Most people would say they imagine creatures like spiders, snakes, bats, or even sharks. As we all know, these kinds of animals have been subject to countless horror stories, being one of the reasons we are super scared of them.
Do you cringe when you hear about snakes or spiders? Well, you are not alone. Many people have a natural fear of certain animals. It usually comes from their aspect and reputation. Their eight legs. hairy bodies and too-rapid movements send chills to our spines. Each time we see spiders we tend to be paralyzed with fear, being unable to act normally. This article can be a simple start to the beginning of your journey to understand and appreciate these fascinating creatures. They are not going to harm you!
Bats are another animals that evoke fear, mainly because they are associated with vampires. In reality, these nocturnal creatures are misunderstood, because they are incredibly beneficial, being natural pest controllers. Understanding their role might help you get over those overwhelming feelings.
Before we get to the entire list of scary animals that are mostly harmless, we should also mention jellyfish. There are a lot of people terrified of these unique creatures with gelatinous bodies and tentacles. Even though their appearance can scare us, jellyfish play a role in marine food webs, serving as a food source for other marine animals.
Top 3 scariest animals according to… you
Also, let us know in the comment section found below, which are the top 3 animals you are most afraid of and why. Are you afraid of marine creatures? Or are those snakes and lizards the ones that make you go crazy?
Remember that it’s normal to experience these feelings, especially because we were taught as kids which animals are dangerous and which are not. So, forgetting all that information is nearly impossible. What can we do? Well, we can work with ourselves and learn more about the importance of these animals. Let’s talk about our fears and become brave enough to overcome them!
If you are one of those courageous individuals, congratulations! But don’t leave before you write us about your tips and tricks for being so brave. We clearly need them!
The good news is that most of the information is exaggerated. A lot of animals appear frightening but are not as dangerous as we believe. What would be your reaction if I told you that many of these so-called scary animals are actually mostly harmless? Would they be less scary? Let’s take a closer look at some of the most interesting and misunderstood creatures.
5 not-so-scary animals
1. Vampire bat
The problem with vampire bats is that they appear strange and only come out at night. The idea of an animal that can’t usually be seen during the day is scary. So, simply thinking about the way it looks, his way of living in the dark and eating blood, can be terrifying. They prefer to feed on goats, cattle, and sometimes birds and live in caves and hollow trees.
Did you know that their victims can be peacefully asleep why do these bats suck their blood? We are sorry for offering you another scary information; it’s interesting how they can sometimes drink blood for up to 30 minutes without waking up the victim. How is that even possible? Well, they use their teeth to make a very little incision in the skin.
They don’t seem friendly at all, but the good news is that they are not interested in humans. A researcher from National Geographic Kids said that he had the opportunity to work with bats that would come to him when he called their names. Even though these are mostly harmless for humans, their bites should be avoided, considering all the infections and diseases they can deliver.
2. Goliath birdeater
This is a spice of gigantic hairy spiders, being a tarantula native to the rain forests of South America. This spice earned its name in 1705 as one of the largest spiders in the world. When you first look at it in a picture, you simply tend to hide your eyes and protect yourself from seeing how scary it can look. However, in reality, these spiders are not attracted by humans at all. They prefer lizards, snakes, and insects.
Despite their intimidating appearance which can be terrifying at first, they are mostly harmless, with venom that is only strong enough to paralyze its prey, which includes insects, small amphibians, and usually small birds. When confronted, this tarantula is more likely to scurry away than launching an attack.
Goliath birdeaters can grow up to 12 inches in leg span and weigh over 5 ounces.
3. The basking shark
It’s the second-largest living fish on Earth and even though it looks scary, especially when it opens its massive mouth, it is harmless to humans. The basking shark is not a predator in the sense that many people assume. It usually eats small fish. Its mouth is capable of opening nearly 3 feet wide and its sharp teeth can create a frightening visual. However, these teeth are not used to capture humans! It’s interesting that the large mouth helps the shark filter volumes of water and collect tiny planktonic organisms. The number of basking sharks is decreasing, being protected in several countries.
When we think of sharks we tend to immediately panic, but in reality, these creatures are friendlier than we can even imagine.
4. Python
In the world of reptiles, the python snake is very famous, being known for its massive size. However, it’s a non-venomous snake, is found primarily in Asia, Africa, and Australia. The pythons are often associated with both fear and fascination due to their size. Did you know that some species can reach lengths of up to 30 feet? That’s incredible! Considering that they are non-venomous, in order to kill their prey, pythons coil around and squeeze until the animal suffocates.
Pythons are often beautifully colored with interesting patters and shades of brown, green, and gold, making them unique among other snake species.
5. The slow loris
The slow loris is a very small animal found in Southeast Asia. It’s characterized by big eyes and slow movements and even though it’s not usually dangerous for humans, the slow loris has a developed defense mechanism. Whenever it feels attacked or threatened, it licks or rubs the toxin onto its fur or bites an intruder, delivering a painful venomous bite. This information led many to believe that this creature is dangerous for humans, but in reality, slow loris bites are very rare and occur only when the animals feel attacked.
Their appearance is cute and they seem very innocent. They really are, except for the moments they feel the need to defense themselves. The toxin they secrete is intended for self-defense against larger predators, not for attacking humans.
Before leaving, check out this book that can be found on Amazon. It contains 500 fascinating facts about animals and it’s a great gift for our grandkids. We should encourage the younger generations to read and learn more about animals because, as you can see, not everything is what it seems! Every creature has its own role on this world and most of the times our fears are generated by wrong information. So, help the kids from your life discover an unknown part of the world and introduce them into the fascinating world of animals.
Are you interested in learning more about snakes? You should also read this article: Slithery Snakes! Do You Know These 5 Facts About Them?
