10 Terrifying Killer Fish

Ever since the movie Jaws, sharks have been well-rooted in the public consciousness – with images of mangled swimmers abounding in our thoughts. But sharks aside, there are also several kinds of horrific killer fish that prowl the Earth’s freshwater and estuarine habitats. The accounts that follow will inject your pre-existing shark phobia with a healthy dose of general terror – for it will be seen that more than merely sharks lurk deep within in the oceans and lakes, in which we blindly splash about.

10. Goliath Tiger fish

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The Goliath Tigerfish is a creature so horrific that it makes the feared Piranha look like a pet goldfish. Reaching lengths of more than six feet, and weighing up to 70 pounds, these mega-fish stalk the waterways of central Africa in packs – shredding even large prey in a matter of seconds. The mouth of this yellow-eyed monster fish is studded with giant, dagger-like canine teeth – each more than two inches long.

A number of deaths went unexplained in the Congo River, and were attributed to a mysterious spirit foe with dark powers – that is, until extreme angler Jeremy Wade pulled one of these horrific creatures from the depths of the river. 09 more after the break...

09. Piraiba Catfish

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You are paddling merrily along on your first Amazonian fishing holiday, when you feel a tug on your line. The tug gets harder, and you excitedly begin to hope for a 2-foot cichlid. But as the line nears breaking point, a 9-foot-long, blue-black form breaks the surface. A combination of fear and pride turns to horror as you spot human feet extending from the creature’s mouth, which then growls loudly, like some kind of aquatic jaguar. You have just caught a Piraiba – South America’s largest catfish, and a potential man-eater. The fine teeth of this aggressive hunter curve backwards across a cavernous mouth, preventing prey – including humans – from escaping its grip. 

08. Goonch Fish

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The Kali River – which runs between India and Nepal – had been haunted by mysterious disappearances and unexplained drownings. The cause of the deaths was subject to the wildest speculation, until a horrific looking brown creature over 7 feet long, with razor sharp teeth, was captured. The Goonch is a bizarre, 300 pound member of the catfish family, and has acquired a strong taste for human flesh.

Victims are seized and dragged to their deaths by the prehistoric predator, before being consumed. One 17-year-old boy was captured in front of his girlfriend; a body was never found. It is believed that the fish acquired their taste for human flesh due to the funeral practice of burning corpses and tossing them into the river.

07. Great Barracuda

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The Great Barracuda is a living torpedo, studded with wicked-looking 3-inch teeth. These fish may reach up to 6 feet in length, and weigh over 100 pounds. Great Barracudas are attracted to shiny metal objects, and will attack vulnerable creatures or sources of agitation.

To avoid barracuda attacks, you need to stay away from areas with low visibility, as well as mangrove and estuarine regions; you should also refrain from spearfishing. A barracuda attack could sever tendons, rip off large amounts of flesh, and kill you in a matter of seconds. Deaths have been confirmed in the Eastern United States.

06. Wels Catfish

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European waters may seem relatively safe – but a demonic looking killer fish, of unearthly proportions, may cause you to rethink your planned swims in Berlin Lake, Spain’s Reservoirs, or Russia’s Volga River. The Wels Catfish is a huge, slithering creature reaching over 13 feet in length and weighing over 400 pounds. The fish are aggressive predators, and capture victims with their massive rows of razor-sharp teeth.

The potential size of these creatures is not confirmed, and historical accounts suggest lengths of up to 20 feet and weights of over 3 tons. Recently, a German swimmer was badly bitten, while a catfish found in Russia had an entire human body in its stomach contents.

05. Giant Freshwater Stingray

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A venomous monster lurks in the murky waters of Southeast Asia. The famous Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin died after being stabbed in the chest by a small ocean stingray – but that creature could not hold a spine to the Giant Freshwater Stingray. This saucer-shaped monster may be the world’s largest freshwater fish, at over 16 feet in length, and with a weight of up to 2,000 pounds. The 8-inch stinger can be whipped back like that of a scorpion to target an unsuspecting wader, while the sheer mass of the creature also has the potential to muscle a person under water. So if the “riverbed” you are standing on starts to move… keep very still.

04. Muskellunge

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The Muskellunge has not yet led to any confirmed fatalities, but there are certainly ominous signs that they would be capable of such. The fish has long been feared, and grows to lengths of over 7 feet. This freshwater version of a Barracuda stalks the lakes of the Northern Hemisphere, and has a mouth full of daggers that can easily shred waterfowl, muskrats and perch. Muskellunge bites leave serious wounds, and an 80 pound fish would be capable of dragging down a victim. One 13-year-old girl was bitten and dragged underwater before escaping, and a capsized fisherman was badly chewed while treading water. The fish lurks in the weedy edges of lakes, lunging forward to capture prey.

03. Electric-Eel

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The Electric Eel is an apex predator from the Amazon that hunts and defends itself by releasing enough electricity to stun a horse. The 600 volts released by this giant relative of catfish is capable of killing a human directly through electrocution. In other cases, a lesser shock may still knock the victim unconscious, resulting in drowning. Electric eels may grow to over 8 feet, and weigh up to 50 pounds. Electric eels can only be handled safely with rubber gloves. Crossing a river is highly dangerous, as the water conducts the electricity very effectively, making it comparable to swimming in a bathtub with a plugged in hairdryer. Deaths have been confirmed.

02. Alligator Gar 

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A prehistoric monster stalks the waters of the southeastern United States. Reaching lengths of over 10 feet, with a weight of over 400 pounds, the Alligator Gar is an ancient fish that looks more like a crocodile with its huge scales and enormous, fang studded mouth. In one case, a man was dangling his feet over a dock when a huge Alligator Gar latched on and attempted to pull him under. He escaped with his life – but others may not have been so lucky. Alligator Gary fatalities have not been confirmed, but the fish could be responsible for several mysterious drownings.

01. Bull Shark

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This last fish is, technically, still a shark. However, it is so far from a typical shark that it poses threats beyond the worst nightmares, and deserves the number one spot on this list.

The Bull Shark is a 7-12 foot fish weighing over 600 pounds – but with a difference. It thrives in fresh water, and can travel thousands of miles up rivers and into lakes, even as far inland as Missouri, Illinois or Kentucky! Bull Sharks have caused many deaths in murky freshwater environments, the notorious case being the New Jersey river attacks. Bull Sharks are the most aggressive shark species, possessing the highest testosterone level of any animal. Bull Sharks also have the strongest bite force of any living fish species

Interesting facts about Elephants

Did you know that there are only three species of elephants living today? This is the African savannah elephant, African forest elephant and the Indian elephant. All other species have disappeared from the face of the Earth. In this collection offers some interesting facts about elephants.

Elephants - the world's largest land animals alive today. The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in Angola in 1956. This male weighed about 11,000 kg, with a height of 3.96 meters, a meter higher than the average male African elephant.

The gestation period of a female elephant is 22 months, which is longer than that of any land animal. At birth the calf weighs an average of 120 kilograms. They usually live for 50-70 years, but the age of the oldest recorded elephant was 82 years old. In healthy adult elephants have no natural enemies, predators, although lions may attack young or weak animals

With a mass just over 5 kg, elephant brains are larger than those of any other land animal. They are characterized by a wide variety of emotions and feelings, including grief, altruism, playfulness, compassion and self-awareness. They hear music and even can use musical instruments, as well as draw.

Elephants live in a structured social order. Public life in males and females are very different. Females spend most of their time in close-knit family groups made up of mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts. These groups are led by the eldest female elephant, or matriarch. Adult males, on the other hand, live mostly solitary.

Fangs of the elephant - it's his second upper incisors that grow continuously. Adult male canines grow about 18 cm per year. They are used to pull water, salt and roots, tearing the bark from trees, baobab pulp extract and clear trees and branches, clearing the way. In addition, they are used to establish territory, and occasionally as weapons.

Elephant's trunk is a fusion of the nose and upper lip, elongated and specialized to become the most important and versatile appendage of the animal. African elephants can boast of two such processes at the finger tips of their trunk, while in Asia there is only one. Elephant trunk sensitive enough to pick up a single blade of grass from the ground, but still strong enough to uproot a tree. The trunk is also used for drinking. Elephants suck water up to 14 liters at a time, and then transfer it to the mouth. Snouted animals also sprayed water on their bodies during bathing. In addition to this cool soul animals sprayed mud, which dries and acts as a sunscreen. During swimming trunk serves as a tube for breathing.

Elephants swim well, but can not jump, run or gallop. They really have only two options gaits: walk and a faster gait that is similar to running.

African elephants are now live in 37 African countries. They are distinguished from Asian elephants in several ways, but first and foremost they have much larger ears. In addition, the African elephant is usually larger than the Indian elephant and has a concave back. In Asian elephants only males have tusks, and tusks of African stocked with all of the individual.

Elephants - herbivores and spend up to 16 hours a day in search of food. Their diet is very variable, depending on the season and habitat. Above all, they feed on the leaves, bark, fruit trees and shrubs, but they may also eat large amounts of grass.

Incredible Muscular Dog — Wendy

Maybe they should call her a whoppet - after all, she's a whopper of a whippet.

This is Wendy, the dog whose appearance is a long way from the usual long, lean and sleek look of her breed. 05 more images after the break...

Beware: Wendy on the prowl

She was born with a genetic defect which has left her looking like the Incredible Hulk of Hounds.

While her head, heart, lungs and legs are the size of those of a normal whippet, her gene defect means she is "double muscled".

She weighs 4st4lb - twice as much as she should - and has bulging neck muscles, burly shoulders and haunches like a baboon. And unlike ordinary whippets known for their lithe and narrow frame, this four-year-old pedigree doesn't just have a sixpack stomach, she has a 24-pack.

The Incredible Hulk: The dog made of muscle

Sadly, her mixed-up genes mean she may have a shorter life expectancy than most breeds.

But while she may look oddly menacing, her doting owner Ingrid Hansen claims the giant pooch likes nothing better than clambering up on to your lap to have her back scratched.

"People have referred to her as Arnold Schwarzenegger," she said.

"She's healthy and happy. That's all that counts.

"She doesn't know she's got a genetic defect. She might give you a nasty lick, that's all."

Huge Wendy towers over a regular whippet

The whippet, who lives on a farm in Victoria, Canada, has been the subject of an American genetics study. Although the dogs are customarily bred for hunting, racing and showing, Wendy enjoys a slower pace of life.

She spends her days prowling around the fields, chasing other dogs and horses and sleeping on her owner's bed.

This week the Daily Mail reported on another canine phenomenon, 19st10lb Samson.

A cross between a Great Dane and a Newfoundland, the dog from Boston, Lincolnshire, is 37in at the shoulder and stands 6ft5in on his hind legs.

The original engineer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!