We’ve all heard of deadly snake bites and scorpion stings, but while the animal kingdom is brimming with venomous critters, it’s quite unusual to come across species that can kill from a distance.
This list explores those rare species that do not need to touch us to kill us. From beautiful birds, to jewel-like amphibians, to an innocuous-looking snail, some of these creatures can cause human fatalities even when they have long left the crime scene…
5 animals that can kill you without touching you
5. Spitting cobras
These spitting snakes, native to Africa and Asia, have evolved to spit venom at animals that threaten them. This venom is specifically formulated to cause maximum pain when it gets in the recipient’s eyes, which the snake manages to hit with a whopping 90% accuracy.
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While this venom causes a huge amount of pain, and may lead to corneal burns and even permanent blindness, it is actually very unlikely to kill you. Indeed, killing is not the point. When a cobra spits, it is merely saying ‘please go away!’ using a rather extreme method.
If the spitting cobra were to bite you, though, that would be another story. Their venom can be fatal if it enters the bloodstream, and medical assistance should be sought immediately.
Geography cone (Conus geographus)
A species of sea snail, the geography cone – native to the Indo-Pacific – has a weapon capable of causing serious damage, and even death.
When a geography cone goes hunting for its dinner in its coral reef habitat, it fires a long-range harpoon – made of modified tooth – using its extendable proboscis. This harpoon delivers a deadly cocktail of toxins into its prey , which is usually a small fish. But, sometimes, the harpoon is fired at humans, and the venom is so potent that it can quickly kill an adult.
There is no antivenom for geography cone stings. This is a wild weapon you really want to avoid.
Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis)
Closely related to jellyfish, the Portuguese man o’ war – usually found in tropical and subtropical waters – is a siphonophore. It is not actually one animal, but a colony of polyps all working together to form what looks like a single organism.
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With a purple-blue sail that floats above the surface of the ocean, the Portuguese man o’ war hides its deadly weapons below: tentacles that can be as long as 165 feet (50 metres).
Within these tentacles are venom-filled cells – known as nematocysts – that fire tiny harpoons when they are touched. These harpoons then release toxins into the bloodstream of their target.
To get stung, you don’t even need to be near a Portuguese man o’ war. Because the harpoon is released in response to pressure, a piece of broken-off tentacle in the water or on the beach can still sting.
The poison from these harpoons is incredibly painful. It is not usually deadly, but it can cause extreme muscle cramping – which is very dangerous if somebody is stung while swimming. The stings can also occasionally cause fatal anaphylactic shock.
Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri)
Like the Portuguese man o’war, the Australian box jellyfish (a true jellyfish, this time) has been known to sting with just a detached segment of tentacle. This is, also like the Portuguese man o’war, because its stinging cells are activated by pressure.
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Australian box jellyfish venom is extremely dangerous and the deadliest animal in the ocean. It is one of the most potent venoms in the animal kingdom – attacking the heart, nervous system and skin – and it can kill within minutes.
Indeed, the Australian box jellyfish was first discovered because a scientist (Dr. Hugo Flecker) decided to investigate why multiple swimmers had died while swimming in the sea.
Golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
The poison that this South American frog produces is so potent that one 6cm adult can kill between 10 and 20 fully grown humans.
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The frogs exude the poison from glands in their skin when they feel threatened. If a threatened frog brushes past something in its environment – a leaf or a twig, for example – it can leave traces of poison behind.
The poison lasts a long time on these surfaces, and if you were to accidentally touch a trace of poison and then touch your mouth, or if you had a cut on your fingertip, you could potentially get very sick, and you might even die. There are anecdotal reports of this happening in humans and other animals, such as dogs – although there are no official cases.
To say these beautiful little amphibians pack a punch is an understatement. Of all the animals on this list, they are quite possibly the deadliest, and most passive, of killers.
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