Animal Defenses

The Proboscis Monkey is named for its large protruding nose. When the animal becomes agitated its nose swells with blood, amplifying their warning calls.

Skunks are legendary for their powerful deterrent --a hard-to-remove, foul smelling spray. They simply lift their tail and blast their foe.

elusive
The giant stingray, elusive and understudied, possesses a large whip-like tail armed with a razor-sharp stinger.

Among the most venomous of snakes, the king cobra can deliver enough neurotoxin in a single bite to kill 20 people, or even an elephant!

The Black widow is notorious for its bite, as its venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake.

pounce
The African Assassin Bug hunts by covering itself with the dead body of a past meal. When unsuspecting prey approaches the decoy, the hunter pounces.

A threatened ladybug secretes an unappetizing substance to protect itself.

The Dumbo octopus is quite the spectacle -- looking like a gelatinous ghost with two floppy ‘lil ear-thingies' on top. Mind it doesn't squirt you though, as its ink is toxic.

A 5 cm (2 inch) golden poison dart frog packs enough punch to kill 10 men --more toxic than the king cobra.

The Bullet Ant’s sting causes waves of throbbing, mind-blowing trauma that doesn’t stop for 24 hours.