By Shreesha Ghosh
April 29, 2022
Almost all pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a substance that makes them taste foul and is often lethal. To humans, tetrodotoxin is up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote yet.
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One of the most poisonous creatures on Earth, the box jellyfish, named for their body shape, have tentacles covered in biological traps that resemble real-life booby traps known as nematocysts - tiny darts loaded with poison. The unfortunate ones after being stung experience paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death, all within a few minutes.
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Just two drops of potent black mamba venom can kill a human. Like cobras and coral snakes, the venom of a black mamba contains neurotoxins, which shut down the nervous system and paralyse victims. Without antivenom, the fatality rate from a black mamba bite is 100 percent. It is the longest known species of venomous snake in Africa and the second-longest in the world.
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Salties are known for the ‘death roll’ – a hunting behaviour reserved for larger prey. After drowning its victim, the crocodile rapidly rolls it in the water to remove the limbs, as its teeth are designed for gripping rather than tearing flesh. They are very short-tempered and aggressive towards anything that comes in their path.
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The Tsetse Fly spreads protozoan parasites known as Trypanosomes that cause irritation, disturbance in the sleeping cycle, and poor coordination. Unfortunately, no vaccines are available yet, but some precautions one can take include wearing neutral-coloured clothes (because bright colours attract the flies) and avoiding going into the bushes.
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Their venom is primarily haemotoxic and cytotoxic, which prevents blood clotting and causes significant cell and tissue damage. The venom of these snakes has metalloproteinases, an enzyme that leads to haemorrhage and makes victims bleed to death. Saw-scaled vipers can hide under a single leaf; people walking barefoot are at risk of stepping on one and getting bitten.
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The male spider venom contains a unique component called Robustoxin that severely affects only the nervous systems of humans and monkeys. Their venom is lethal because it also contains a type of neurotoxin called delta-hexatoxin that can kill humans by attacking their nervous system.
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