20 Cute but Deadly Animals

If you're an animal lover like me, then when you see a cute and cuddly little creature, you just want to grab them up and hug them tight, don't you? Well, perhaps you should think twice about getting anywhere close to the 20 animals on this list. Cute they might be, but cuddling with one could at the very least ruin your day by sending you to the hospital in excruciating pain, or at worst, outright kill you.

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   Slow Loris

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   While neither its name, which sounds like something out of a Dr. Seuss book nor its ridiculously cute appearance will inspire fear in anyone, the Slow Loris is actually one of the few poisonous mammals on the planet. This deceptively adorable furry creature with large brown eyes has poison-secreting glands in its arms, and while the poison isn't particularly powerful, it can be extremely painful and may induce anaphylactic shock in susceptible individuals.

   

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2. 2
   Moose

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   My husband's great aunt can actually attest to how dangerous moose can be. She and her husband were attacked by one when they went for a walk on their property and unknowingly got between a mother moose and her calf. Yeah, they are big, and they are mean when crossed. Moose attack people more frequently than bears do.

   

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3. 3
   Cassowary

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   The Cassowary is a large, flightless bird that is similar to an ostrich in size. It is native to the northern provinces of Australia and frequently can be seen roaming around the beaches of that region. The Cassowary looks like something that should be in Jurassic Park, and like its dinosaur ancestors, it has a toe claw that can disembowel a human if threatened. Oh yeah, and it can run very fast, and it's very territorial.

   

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4. 4
   Poison Dart Frog

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   Poison Dart Frogs are quite colorful, and there is a total of 100 types that come in bright vibrant colors. As cute and colorful as these tiny amphibians might be, you really don't want to touch one because their skin secretes a powerful poison that the tribal peoples of Central and South America use to poison the tips of their arrows. The most poisonous of them all is the Golden Poison Dart Frog, which has venom powerful enough to kill a person, and then some.

   

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5. 5
   Wolverine

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   The Wolverine looks like a cross between a bear and a weasel. Native to North America, this stocky little animal is aggressive and will attack you if you get on its wrong side. It may look furry and cuddly, but its powerful jaws and sharp claws make it a formidable predator that regularly goes up against much larger animals, such as bears and wolves, and wins the day.

   

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6. 6
   Giant Anteater

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   While its diet consists of ants and other bugs, this cute, but odd-looking mammal has vicious claws that it can and will use to defend itself. It has been known to fight off attacks by larger animals such as jaguars, so it can definitely ruin your day if one decides you're a threat. It's probably best to keep your distance.

   

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7. 7
   Polar Bear

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   Polar bears may look cute and fluffy, with their beautiful white fur, big dark eyes, and black noses, but these powerful animals are quite dangerous to humans in the wrong situation. Polar bears are huge; in fact, they are the largest land-based carnivore in the world, and they can and will attack humans. The citizens of Churchill, a small town on the Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba, Canada know this all too well. Churchill is the polar bear capital of the world, and during the summer months, polar bears are frequently seen within the town's limits. Polar bear sightings are so frequent, that it is against the law to lock your car doors there, because someone may need to use a parked car as shelter to get away from an attacking polar bear.

   

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8. 8
   Giant Panda

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   The soft, round and lovable Panda, placidly munching on bamboo chutes doesn't inspire fear in anyone, but they are huge animals, and while attacks on humans are rare, they can and do pose a threat in the wrong situation.

   

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9. 9
   Leopard Seal

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   With its perpetually upturned mouth corners, it may look like it's smiling at you, but this spotted seal is an apex predator of the Antarctic and has been known to hunt and kill humans. Attacks are not common, but also not unheard of. Their regular prey includes penguins, baby seals of other species, along with Antarctic krill, a tiny cephalopod that lives in Antarctic waters.

   

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10. 10
    Kangaroo

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    Hailing from the Land Down Under, this lovable marsupial is indeed a cutie, with its big ears, soft brown eyes, and hopping gait. However 'roos aren't exactly small, and if threatened, aren't afraid to defend themselves using their powerful arms and most importantly, their powerful legs to crush you.

    

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11. 11
    Deer

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    Yes, deer are dangerous, believe it or not. While cute and generally prone to turn tail and run rather than fight, deer are large animals that will attack if they believe that their young are threatened or if they are cornered. With sharp hooves, fast, powerful bodies, and antlers, aggressive deer have been responsible for at least 120 human deaths annually.

    

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12. 12
    Leopard

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    Sleek and beautiful, these large cats won't attack you unless they are provoked, but their large fangs, sharp claws, and powerful muscular bodies can rip you to shreds if you aren't careful around them.

    

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13. 13
    Chimpanzee

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    Being so closely related to humans (chimps have between 95 to 98 percent identical DNA), it's hard to imagine that the cute chimpanzee that you see at the zoo or in the movies can be a killer. Chimpanzees can become aggressive, and since adult chimps are five times stronger than a grown man, they can do a lot of damage if you happen to catch one on an "off" day.

    

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14. 14
    Hippopotamus

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    The tubby and lovable hippo certainly does not seem like it can cause you any harm, but beware. These animals can weigh upwards of 8,000 pounds and they are very territorial. They can run at speeds up to 20 mph, and if the hippo chasing you gets you in its jaws, it can pretty well bite you in half with 6,000 pounds of bite force!

    

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15. 15
    Pufferfish

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    This cute fish that looks like it's smiling at you actually has enough poison to kill 30 humans. More poisonous than cyanide, there is no antidote for its venom, which kills you by paralyzing your diaphragm, the muscle which helps your lungs expand and contract.

    

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16. 16
    Dingo

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    The Dingo is a wild dog that is native to the Australian Outback. These canines are smart, resourceful, and travel in packs. They can be dangerous to humans if they are approached in the wild, so even though they look like your pet dog, they are wild animals and should be given a wide berth.

    

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17. 17
    Owl

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    With big eyes and soft feathers, owls are cute, shy birds that generally don't bother anyone if left alone. However, if you mess with their nests, watch out: their talons and sharp beaks will wreck your day in a heartbeat.

    

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18. 18
    Elephant

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    Cute, funny, and lovable, the Elephant is an intelligent creature that appears to form strong social bonds and even mourns its dead, not unlike humans do. However, it's important to never forget that elephants are wild animals, and as such, can behave in unpredictable ways, including showing aggression toward people.

    

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19. 19
    Grizzly Bear

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    The Grizzly is a large bear that lives in the northwestern areas of the United States and Canada. While the Grizzly is on the state flag of California, there are no more wild grizzlies in that state, as they have been hunted to extinction there. Grizzlies are large animals with sharp teeth, claws, and powerful muscular bodies. While they mostly keep to themselves and won't bother you unless you bother them if you get near a mother grizzly and her cubs, she is quite likely to see you as a threat and attack you. In fact, over 70 percent of grizzly attacks on humans involved a mother grizzly defending her cubs.

    

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20. 20
    Swan

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    Yes, you read that right, swans. Beautiful and graceful, swans have long been associated with the peace and tranquility of nature. However, they can and will attack you if they think that you are a threat to their territory, other swans, or their young. They also apparently don't give up; they will continue to attack you, vindictive little jerks that they are.

    

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