The only poisonous mammal in the world: truth and fiction. Poisonous animals and the role of poison in their lives Poisonous marine animals

Blogger Yakov Oskanov writes:

We somehow got used to being afraid of snakes, insects and arachnids for their poisonousness. It will not surprise anyone if a snake or spider is poisonous. These animals are not entitled to the benefit of the doubt, but rather, they are automatically considered poisonous, unless you are a specialist who can identify the species and know its properties. However, I think I will surprise many of my readers by stating that mammals are also poisonous. Yes Yes! These cute fluffy animals worse than spiders able to carry painful death their victims, acting as gloomy poisoners in their habitat ...

Let's start with shrews

These small, but very mobile and vicious creatures are poisonous. Their saliva contains toxins capable of killing prey comparable in size to the owner of the poison. Fortunately for us, these animals are small - up to 10 cm and up to 15 g. For example, in the United States and Canada there are several species of shrews that have toxic saliva.

American short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda)

Southern short-tailed shrew (Blarina carolinensis)

Haitian flint tooth (Solenodon paradoxus)

If I knew that a poisonous monster lives in Haiti, I would be less careless walking barefoot through the jungle. I was aware that there were no poisonous snakes on the island, and therefore I wandered quite calmly through the thickets of the rainforest. Who would have thought that it is on this island that the mysterious shrimp is hiding, which, unlike the American shrews, reaches a mass of 1 kg, and this is no longer a small poisonous "mimic", but a full-fledged toxic killing machine! It is amazing, but unlike snakes, slit-tooths are not immune to their own poison, and therefore simply die in skirmishes with each other. Despite such original weapon, the animal is rapidly losing the war for survival to the species brought to the island by man: cats, dogs, rats and mongooses. Alas, if measures are not taken quickly, then the days of this amazing creation will be counted soon. :(

Canary shrew (Crocidura canariensis)

On the eastern canary islands there is a relative of American shrews - the Canarian shrew. This small but very proud and agile animal is the most ferocious (because it is the only) predator of the islands it inhabits. His saliva contains a neurotoxin that immobilizes the victim for a day. The places there are harsh, there is little food, so the shrew hunts for the future, and if it finds a victim at a time when it is not hungry, it can bite it and hide it for half a day until it gets hungry, and the paralyzed victim will doomedly wait in the wings.

Shaggy hamster (Lophiomys imhausi)

The further into the forest, the thicker the monsters. What will you do if you are attacked by a poisonous shaggy hamster? Correctly! Run! Fortunately, these animals, more like a skunk or porcupine than a hamster, do not attack people. For a long time it was believed that special glands on the sides of this beast secrete poison that protects it from predators, however, it has recently become clear that this is not entirely true. The shaggy hamster peels off the bark of the Abyssinian acocanthera, which contains poisonous glycosides, and then licks its fur, rubbing toxic chewing gum into it. The ouabain contained in the bark causes cardiac arrest and has long been used by natives to poison arrows. It is not clear how, but this hamster managed to adapt and chew the poisonous bark without harm to itself, but predators, including quite large ones, die if they bit the shaggy inventor.

Platypus

Further, everything is “more wonderful and wonderful” ... Who would have thought that such funny animals as a platypus have a poisonous weapon in the gas holder? Nevertheless, it is! On the hind legs of males there are one and a half centimeter horn spurs, which are connected to special femoral glands that produce a complex poison in mating season. The poison is powerful enough to kill such a formidable opponent as a dingo. So, if you suddenly see this cute animal, do not rush to cuddle it.

Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang)

Well, and completes my little sketch of Lori! Yes, there are poisonous species among primates too. It would seem that what could be more harmless than a fat slow loris? Look at this cutie? How can a slow loris of the genus Slow Loris be dangerous? It turns out it can! A special gland in the elbow bend secretes a secret, which, mixing with saliva, becomes poisonous. Like a shaggy hamster, lorises, while licking themselves, cover their fur with a layer of protective poison. In addition, the poison remains on the incisors of the animal, and he, defending himself, can make a poisonous bite.

Here is a review of poisonous animals. These are not all types, but most. By the way, such animals are found not only beyond the seven seas. We also have them, and literally under our feet. Our ordinary moles also have poisonous saliva, like those shrews that I talked about at the beginning. So, guys, be careful with moles!

Photos and text - Source

Poisonous Mammals May 10th, 2016

We somehow got used to being afraid of snakes, insects and arachnids for their poisonousness. It will not surprise anyone if a snake or spider is poisonous. The presumption of innocence does not apply to these animals, rather the opposite - they are automatically considered poisonous, unless you are an expert who can identify the species and know its properties. However, I think I will surprise many of my readers by stating that mammals are also poisonous. Yes Yes! These cute fluffy animals, no worse than spiders, are capable of bringing a painful death to their victims, acting as gloomy poisoners in their habitat...

Let's start with earthmovers. These small, but very mobile and vicious creatures are poisonous. Their saliva contains toxins capable of killing prey comparable in size to the owner of the poison. Fortunately for us, these animals are small - up to 10 cm and up to 15 g. For example, in the United States and Canada there are several species of shrews that have toxic saliva.

Southern short-tailed shrew (Blarina carolinensis)

If I knew that a poisonous monster lives in Haiti, I would be less careless walking barefoot through the jungle. I was aware that there were no poisonous snakes on the island, and therefore I wandered quite calmly through the thickets of the rainforest. Who would have thought that it is on this island that the mysterious shrimp is hiding, which, unlike American shrews, reaches a mass of 1 kg, and this is no longer a small poisonous "mimishka", but a full-fledged toxic killing machine! It is amazing, but unlike snakes, slit-tooths are not immune to their own poison, and therefore simply die in skirmishes with each other. However, despite such an original weapon, the animal is rapidly losing the war for survival to the species brought to the island by man: cats, dogs, rats and mongooses. Alas, if action is not taken quickly, the days of this amazing creature will soon be numbered. :(

In the eastern Canary Islands, a relative of the American shrews, the Canarian shrew, is found. This small but very proud agile animal is the most ferocious (because the only) predator of the islands it inhabits. His saliva contains a neurotoxin that immobilizes the victim for a day. The places there are harsh, there is little food, so the shrew hunts for the future, and if it finds a victim at a time when it is not hungry, it can bite it and hide it for half a day until it gets hungry, and the paralyzed victim will doomedly wait in the wings.

The further into the forest, the thicker the monsters. What will you do if you are attacked by a poisonous shaggy hamster? Correctly! - Run! Fortunately for humans, these animals, which look more like a skunk or porcupine than a hamster, do not attack us. For a long time it was believed that the special glands of this animal on the sides secrete poison that protects it from predators, however, it has recently become clear that this is not entirely true. The shaggy hamster peels off the bark of the Abyssinian acocanthera, which contains poisonous glycosides, and then licks its fur, rubbing toxic chewing gum into it. The ouabain contained in the bark causes cardiac arrest and has long been used by natives to poison arrows. It is not clear how, but this hamster managed to adapt and chew the poisonous bark without harm to itself, but predators, including quite large ones, die if they bit the shaggy inventor.

Further, everything is more wonderful and wonderful ... Who would have thought that such funny animals as a platypus have a poisonous weapon in the gas holder? Nevertheless, it is! On the hind legs of males there are one and a half centimeter horn spurs, which are connected to special femoral glands that produce a complex poison during the mating season. The poison is powerful enough and enough to kill such a formidable opponent as a dingo. So if you suddenly see this cute animal - do not rush to cuddle it.

Well, and completes my short essay - Lori! Yes, there are poisonous species among primates too. It would seem - what could be more harmless than a fat slow loris? Look at this cutie? How can a slow loris of the genus Slow Loris be dangerous? It turns out it can! A special gland on the elbow produces a secret that, when mixed with saliva, becomes poisonous. Like a shaggy hamster, loris, while licking themselves, cover their hair with a layer of protective poison. In addition, the poison remains on the incisors of the animal, and, defending itself, it can make a poisonous bite.

Here is a review of poisonous animals. These are not all types, but most. By the way, such animals are found not only beyond the seven seas. We also have them, and literally under our feet. Our ordinary moles also have poisonous saliva, like those shrews that I talked about at the beginning. So guys, be careful with moles. Well, that's all I have for now. Until we meet again in my corner of science. :)

Some animals have amazing ability kill with toxic chemical compounds, or poison. This method is considered one of the most cowardly, insidious and effective. In this article, you will discover 11 poisonous animals in the world that can easily kill an adult human.

There are "passively" venomous animals (which transfer their venom when eaten or attacked by other animals) and "actively" venomous animals (which inject venom into their prey using stingers, fangs, or other devices.

Most Venomous Amphibian: Dread Leaf Climber

Lives only in rain tropical forests western Colombia. The poison of one frog can kill 10 to 20 people. (Only one kind of snake Liophis epinephelus, resistant to the venom of the Dread Leafcreeper, however, when exposed enough a large number toxin, the reptile may die).

Interestingly, the terrible leafcreeper produces poison from its diet of native ants and beetles; individuals kept in captivity and feeding on fruit flies and other common insects are completely harmless.

Most Venomous Spider: Brazilian Wandering Spider

If you suffer from arachnophobia (fear of spiders), there is good and bad news for you about Brazilian wandering spiders. The good news is that these spiders live in the tropics of South America, and do not always inject a full dose of poison during a bite, and also rarely attack people; even better news is that an effective antidote (if administered quickly) avoids death. Bad news is that spider venom contains powerful neurotoxins that slowly paralyze and suffocate their victims, even in microscopic doses.

Men bitten by Brazilian wandering spiders often experience painful erections.

Most Venomous Snake: McCoy's Taipan

The poison of this Australian snake is the most powerful among land snakes. Toxic substances contained in one individual can kill hundreds of adults. (Its venom consists of neurotoxins, hemotoxins, mycotoxins, and nephrotoxins. This means it can dissolve your blood, brain, muscles, and kidneys before you hit the ground.) Luckily, this poisonous snake rarely comes into contact with humans, and even when she does (if you know how to interact with her), she becomes quite meek and easily tamed.

Most Poisonous Fish: Warthog

This fish lives in shallow waters in the South Pacific. It looks ominous, like a stone or a piece of coral (disguise is meant to protect against predators) and if stepped on, the wart injects a powerful dose of toxins into the human foot.

The Australian authorities are actively replenishing stocks of antidotes, so there is a high probability of saving lives (provided that the antidote is administered in a timely manner).

Most Poisonous Insect: Maricopa Ant

Ants Maricopa ( Pogonomyrmex maricopa) enough dangerous insects. About 300 stings of these ants can provoke fatal outcome in an adult. Their venom is much stronger than that of hornets and honey bees. One bite of such an ant causes acute pain, which lasts about 4 hours.

Fortunately, it is nearly impossible to accidentally step on a Maricopa ant colony and receive hundreds of stings; these insects are known to build nests with a diameter of about 9 m and a height of up to 2 m!

Most poisonous jellyfish: Sea wasp

Box jellyfish (jellyfish, characterized by a rectangular bell shape) are by far the most dangerous invertebrates in the world, and the sea wasp ( Chironex fleckeri) is considered the most poisonous species of jellyfish on the planet. tentacles sea ​​wasp covered with nematocytes - stinging cells that, on contact, cause burns.

Most people who come into contact with the tentacles of a sea wasp experience excruciating pain, but a close encounter with a member of this species can kill you in five minutes.

Most venomous mammal: Platypus

Of course, the poison of a platypus will not cause the death of a person, but it will bring severe pain and puffiness. Its venom can kill small animals. On the hind limbs of males there are spurs (about 15 mm long) that contain poison. Most often, males use these spurs to fight each other during the breeding season.

Other poisonous mammals are: 3 species from the shrew family and the Cuban flint tooth ( Solenodon cubanus).

Most Poisonous Clam: Marble Cone

If you have never had to use the phrase "predatory sea snail", then you obviously do not know enough marine animals that can kill you with a single bite. This mollusk is able to paralyze its prey (including other snails of the genus Conus) with a toxic poison that can easily kill a careless person.

Unfortunately, no one has ever calculated how much poison can harm an adult.

Most poisonous bird: Bicolor thrush flycatcher

The two-colored thrush flycatcher from New Guinea contains a powerful poison called batrachotoxin. It is found in the skin and feathers of birds, and can cause human lung numbness and tingling, but much more dangerous for small animals. (Apparently, thrush flycatchers synthesize poison from beetles that are part of their diet (these beetles are also included in the diet of poison dart frogs).

Another well-known poisonous bird is the common quail, whose meat (if the bird has consumed the plant a certain kind), can lead to a non-fatal human disease called cothurnism.

Most poisonous octopus: Blue-ringed octopus

Blue-ringed octopuses live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and have a rather modest size (the largest individuals rarely exceed 20 cm). Their bite is virtually painless, but the venom causes paralysis and can kill an adult human in just a few minutes.

Currently, there is no antidote for the bite of the blue-ringed octopus.

Most poisonous turtle: Bissa

Unlike some of the other animals on this list, the hawksbill turtle is not miniature: adults weigh around 80kg, about the same as the average human. These turtles are distributed throughout the world, and individuals from South-East Asia, eating toxic algae, have poisonous meat that can cause poisoning in humans (poisoning symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other intestinal ailments).

These turtles are endangered and protected by law.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Wise mother nature endowed some animals with significant physical strength and sharp teeth, which serve as a means of protection from enemies (or are used to obtain food). Others use the strongest poisons as weapons when attacking prey or for defense. A striking example- a platypus that lives in Eastern Australia and on the island of Tasmania. This animal is often called the only venomous mammal in the world. Is it really? Let's find out!

The very fact that the platypus is dangerous already seems incredible. After all, he looks surprisingly harmless. It has a soft, duck-like beak and a beaver-like tail. The body is covered with thick fur. Interestingly, the platypus lays and incubates eggs like a bird, but feeds its young with milk.

However, no matter how cute the platypus is, it is still worth fearing. This applies mainly to male platypuses. These creatures have special glands that secrete poison, and they are located near the thighs. Through the tubes, the poison comes from the glands to a special process on the hind legs. During the mating season, male platypuses use it to fight rivals. Platypus venom can kill small animals.

Is the platypus the only venomous mammal in the world? The answer is definitely no! Poisonous mammals, in addition to the platypus, are, of course, extremely few on Earth, nevertheless they exist. Among them are some types of shrews: short-tailed shrew and water (common) shrew. The latter, by the way, lives on the banks of Russian reservoirs.

There is also another animal on Earth that secretes poison and is periodically erroneously referred to as the only poisonous mammal in the world. The name of this creature is not familiar to many. This is a sand tooth - the owner of toxic saliva, which, paradoxically, is capable of killing him. Such incidents occur, as a rule, during fights between relatives. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to meet this animal, as the sand tooth is in the lead in the lists of endangered species.

As you can see, the platypus is not the only venomous mammal in the world, although it is undeniably very interesting. Speaking of interesting things - get to know these representatives of the terrestrial fauna, which are recognized as the most poisonous!

The most poisonous animals in the world - who are they?

The rock fish will never compete in a beauty pageant, but it still gained worldwide fame as the most poisonous fish. It contains its venom in spikes on its back. Toxic substances are a means of defense against predators. The stone fish lives in tropical climate Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The box jellyfish secretes the most deadly venom in the world, which affects the cardiovascular and nervous system, skin. It causes hellish pain. The box jellyfish lives in the seas of Asia and Australia.

The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world, measuring over five meters in length. She eats other snakes. One bite from a cobra can kill a person. This snake can destroy even an elephant. can release a lot of poison at a time, 5-6 times more than other poisonous snakes. It is often found in Asian mountain forests.

Leirus scorpions - the most dangerous view scorpions, as their deadly poison has a strong paralyzing effect. Leiruses live in and in the Middle East.

The genus Taipan includes two species, the coastal taipan and cruel snake. A single bite from a coastal taipan contains poison that can kill over a hundred people or over two hundred thousand mice. It is extremely neurotoxic, but there is an antidote. Taipans are mostly found in Australia.

Tree climber, or lives in Central and South America. It is very bright and attractive, but in no case should you take it in your hands. Previously, the Indians smeared arrowheads with frog poison.

He was included in the list of champions, because he died through his fault more people than due to other representatives of arachnids. These spiders are also dangerous in their behavior, as they are constantly on the move and do not weave a web, but travel on the ground. They can be found everywhere: in buildings and cars, on clothes and shoes, so the risk of being bitten unexpectedly increases.

The blue ringed octopus is a small but highly venomous animal that lives off the coast of Australia. If no immediate action is taken after the bite, then the person will have problems with breathing, speech and vision. After that, paralysis and death can occur.

The ball fish, or fugu, ranks second among the most poisonous vertebrates on earth after the poison dart frog. An interesting fact is that puffer meat is considered a delicacy in countries rising sun, but it is important to remember that the skin of the fish and some of it internal organs contain poison. The most poisonous animals in Russia live in the south of the country. It is also necessary to beware of gyurza, their bite is deadly. The most common venomous snake in Russia is the viper.