The ocean is one of the most beautiful places in the world! But it’s not all flowers and glitter down there. It’s home to some dangerous animals that you do NOT want to mess with. It’s festering with animals with venomous bites to poisonous skin to those with over-territorial tendencies. See below for the top 10 most dangerous marine animals that you could meet underwater.
But fear not! These animals shouldn’t pose a threat to you or me. Scuba diving and snorkeling are perfectly safe activities when you respect the ocean and the marine animals who live there. As a general rule when you’re in the ocean, always respect the creatures who call it home. Keep your distance and respect their space. Look but don’t touch! You may want to admire the following dangerous animals from a distance. So let’s have a look at the top 10 most dangerous marine animals that you might come across!
Top 10 Most Dangerous Marine Animals
Portuguese man-of-war
These harmless-looking blueish blobs are secretly dangerous animals! Their bodies are only as long as a ruler, but their tentacles can be up to 50 meters long. That’s over 25 really, really tall humans head to toe. And they’re covered in venom-filled cells. They won’t kill you but their sting packs a punch and can paralyze most of its prey. They’re sometimes found washed up on shore – but beware! They still sting from their graves.
Titan triggerfish
Ask any scuba diver what’s more dangerous – a shark or a titan triggerfish? They’ll say triggerfish every time. These fiery fish are found in coral reefs all the way from Australia to Thailand.
On a normal day, they’re territorial but friendly enough. But during their mating season, they’re a fair match for any human! They can bite through fins and flesh and cause a decent bruising. They’ll only attack if you are unfortunate enough to stumble across their nesting area.
You’ll know when a titan triggerfish is going to attack because it’ll erect its first dorsal spine showing you that it feels threatened. These fish also roll on their side, showing off how big they are, while giving you their big beady evil eye! If you see a triggerfish in this position, give it a wide berth and swim either side of it – but not above! Their nesting area goes upwards in a cone shape.
That’s a good nugget of knowledge to know during the heated mating season of these feisty fish.
Sea snakes
Let’s face it – snakes can be scary on land. And that doesn’t change once they get underwater. There are over 50 known species of sea snake and all are venomous. They only live in tropical, warm waters of the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. So if you’re hanging out in the Atlantic – don’t panic!
The word on the street is that beaked sea snakes are responsible for more than 50 percent of all sea snake bites. So we suppose these are the ones you want to keep an eye out for.
Sea snakes seem terrifying but they’re for the most part, harmless. Snakes that dwell in the sea tend to be smaller than those on land and have smaller mouths. So even if they wanted to bite you, they couldn’t get their little jaws around you anyway.
You’ll see most scuba divers swimming in harmony with sea snakes, and usually even try to get a little closer for a better view!
Textile cone snail
Believe it or not, cone snails are some of the most dangerous animals under the sea. They may be beautiful to the point that humans have been collecting their shells for years. But when they’re alive, they have enough venom in their concealed, harpoon-like teeth, to kill a human.
There is no antivenom. These guys are colloquially known as “cigarette snails”. Why? Because you have enough time to smoke a ciggy before you drop dead. Nice.
Great white shark
Sharks! We have to mention them because you’d think we’re mad if we don’t. The most famous of them all, the great white shark, can weigh over 1,000kg, swim up to nearly 60kmph, and has about 300 teeth.
On paper, they sound terrifying. Hollywood and the media make them sound scary too. But sharks aren’t all like in JAWS! On average there are less than 100 shark attacks a year – and that’s across ALL species. Statistics show that one-third of those attacks are provoked – i.e. the human was asking for it. And of those attacks, only five were fatal.
You’re actually more likely to be harmed by taking a selfie, your flip flops, coconuts, icicles, your bed, and vending machines. Even hot dogs are more likely to harm you than a shark!
What we’re trying to say is that sharks have a disproportionately bad rap. As long as you respect their home and follow local guidelines, you will be safe, and maybe don’t wear the color, yellow…
Stingrays
Stingrays received some bad press when the “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin fell prey to one in 2006. As always, one piece of news in the media can get blown up and give a bad rep to a whole family of animals. But calm yourselves – your chances of being attacked are approximately zero.
Stingrays are dangerous because their spines are sharp stinging machines. If one pierces you, it could be fatal. A stingray will only sting if stepped on and it releases its barb to protect itself.
So as always, don’t stand on anything in the ocean and you can happily observe these beauties from a safe distance.
Saltwater crocodile
A list of dangerous animals couldn’t be complete without something as grand as a crocodile! The Aussie’s endearingly nickname them ‘salties’. This sounds a bit cute given they can weight up to 1,200 kilograms. And they have a bite ten times more powerful than a great white shark. It’s the most powerful bite in the world!
If you do happen to stumble across one, and it’s hungry, your chances may not be high. They do only kill two people a year though, so the stats aren’t so bad.
Flower urchin
Flower urchins may appear to be beautiful inanimate objects. But each of their ‘flowers’ has sticky points that hurt to step on. AND their spines contain potentially fatal poisonous venom! It’s so savage, it’s even won awards for its venomousness from The Guinness Book of World Records.
They can cause paralysis, respiratory issues, and disorientation. This can lead to victims drowning, so yeah, they’re pretty dangerous.
Lucky for you, they don’t move too fast and they do not hunt humans. So as always, as long as you’re not treading around carelessly on the ocean floor, you’re safe!
Blue-ringed octopus
Small but deadly! The blue-ringed octopus weighs in at sub 30 grams but packs enough poison to kill more than 20 grown humans. Ouch.
Their venom is over 1000 times more powerful than cyanide and will paralyze you in much less than a hot minute. And alas, there is no antidote. The only treatment is to sit it out until the symptoms stop. This can take a very long 24 hours. Bizarrely, you may not even know if you’ve been bitten as it isn’t painful.
Don’t sweat it, though. You’re in luck, yet again. These captivating creatures don’t want anything to do with you. They avoid human interaction and only release their venom if they’re stepped on or provoked.
So… must we say it again? Don’t provoke, touch, harass, or get too close to marine animals. Especially dangerous animals!
Box jellyfish
Box jellyfish, marine stinger, Chironex – they go by many names but they’re all the same deadly animal! Arguably the most poisonous animal on the planet, these guys can kill their prey in seconds.
They have 5,000 cells that sting their victim which activate when they notice the chemical on the external layer of the prey. Spooky. A sting can cause instant shock or heart failure, which usually leads to drowning. People have been known to survive but are often in pain for weeks.
Keep your eyes peeled – you can recognize this jellyfish by its boxy shape and its 15 tentacles up to three meters long. There aren’t any official tallies, but sources say there could be around 100 people a year who die due to box jellyfish stings.
What can you do? Wear exposure protection like wetsuits and rashguards. These can help to protect you from stings from creatures like this in the ocean.
DO YOU STILL WANT TO GET INTO THE WATER?
There are many seemingly dangerous animals in the ocean and these are just the top 10 most dangerous marine animals listed. The reality is that they aren’t that much of a threat though. So long as scuba divers, snorkelers or any ocean-going humans respect the fact that you’re in the home of these animals, they’ll be fine! Most animals are more scared of you than you are of them. Unless they’re provoked, they will go about their daily life.
Humans are actually the most dangerous animals in the world! Our species has lead to actions that have destroyed the habitats of many underwater creatures. We have changed and killed part of the natural food chain. And we have made the accidental error of bringing invasive species around the world. The little guys under the sea should be more scared of us!
We’re sure you still want to go swimming – so there are some things you can do to make sure you’re always safe out there.
Always keep your distance from marine life and respect their space. If an animal appears to be territorial or angry, then give it a wide berth. Many conservation projects suggest giving animals like rays and sharks at least a 3-meter berth.
Never swim above these creatures – they may think they’re being hunted if you do. Don’t chase and definitely don’t touch marine life! It will protect you, and them.
If you’re a scuba diver, learn how to be a buoyancy expert so you don’t accidentally knock into corals or something like a flower urchin! If you’re in a new place, always ask locals for advice about marine life so that you are prepared when faced with the top 10 most dangerous marine animals!
