“Darn Nature You Scary”: 41 Times Nature Made People Go “Nope”

So, Pandas, want to find out more about the scary nature in these pics? Let's delve in!

If you ever see a maned wolf, you might get a bit creeped out. They look like giant foxes, but aren't actually that dangerous. The WWF describes them as looking like a fox, walking like a deer, and barking like a dog. Maned wolves live primarily in South America, Brazil's Cerrado grasslands.

They're usually nocturnal, although they also roam during dawn and dusk. They're omnivores, but fruits and vegetables are their favorites, especially lobeira (the "fruit of the wolf"). They also hunt rodents, rabbits, insects, and sometimes even birds. Their very long legs help them see their prey in the tall grass of the savannah in which they live.

The Antarctic scale worm is really the stuff of nightmares. This terrifying creature looks like the xenomorph from Alien, but is actually found in the polar deep sea, 1,640 feet deep in Antarctica's Southern Ocean. Scientists aren't really sure what this worm snacks on, but they guess it's probably other animals and organic debris.

Their bodies are covered in scales that look like human teeth, giving them a nightmarish look. They grow up to eight inches in size, and their golden, shimmery bristles help them crawl or swim through water and defend themselves. We're only learning about them because they were discovered in 1939, but let's hope we don't find out anything more terrifying!

Cane toads are pretty gnarly animals that can be dangerous to other animals and even to us humans. In the U.S., cane toads are considered an invasive species from Central America, the Amazon Basin more particularly. It's hard to bite or eat a cane toad because they p****n their attacker pretty instantly. 

Interestingly, Australia introduced cane toads as a measure to control the population of the beetles that were destroying sugar cane roots in Queensland. However, at the moment, they're considered pests and pose some unwanted risks to the most vulnerable native species. They're omnivores and they're not picky, so, in 1950, the Australian government declared them to be a problem species.

We know wild animals are strong, but when we see a tiger flexing its biceps, we can't help but think: "How strong is it really?" A tiger's strength isn't measured by how much it can bench or if it can throw hard punches; scientists often point to a tiger's bite force. Bengal tigers have a bite force of 1,050 PSI (pounds per square inch). In comparison, a human's bite force is around 120-160 PSI, so the tiger's force is almost 10 times stronger.

The mouth of the Emerald Tree Boa is pretty impressive. They have the longest teeth of any non-venomous snake in the world, and they need those chompers to get through the plumage of birds that are their main food source. These boas are from the Amazon Basin as well, and animal experts call them constrictors. They don't crush their prey, but wrap around them and suffocate them.

Living in Sicily near Mt Etna seems pretty wild. The still-active volcano is the biggest and most active in the whole of Europe; it erupts every few years and makes international news. Yet the locals never seem to be phased by it. Its last eruption was just on 2nd June this year, but it didn't cause any injuries or evacuations. In the past, however, the lava has buried the city of Catania in 1669, and an eruption in 1928 cut off the rail route around the mountain's base.

The Dracula parrot definitely has a spooky name. But this New Guinea bird whose actual name is Pesquet's parrot, got the moniker because of its appearance. With a slicked-back 'hairstyle' and bright red plumage, it almost looks like a long-coated Transylvanian count.

Yet they're no vampires. Pesquet's parrots have an interesting diet: they only eat several kinds of figs. Conservationists list them as a vulnerable species because they're hunted for their beautiful, bright red feathers.

It almost seems fake, but most baby owls, not just Snowy Owls, sleep on their tummies. Veterinarian and TV host Dr. Chris Brown explains that it's because they can't hold their heads yet. "Their huge head is all about detecting sound and vision making them incredibly cute but also making a practical sleeping position a necessity," he clarifies.

We wouldn't want to meet a bear while alone in the forest, but what if it were hairless and looked like a giant rat? It looks pretty unpleasant, but the cause is quite serious. Biologists say that it's a skin condition that's caused by microscopic mites – mange. The mites attack the poor bear's skin and cause the hair to fall out.

Which of these nature pics spooked you the most, Pandas? Let us know and share your own scariest nature facts and images with us in the comments! In the meantime, if you're looking for more proof that nature is as terrifying as it is awesome, check out our previous posts here and here!

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