Most people have one animal phobia or another, be it a fear of sharks thanks to sensationalist blockbusters or a horror of anything that creeps and crawls—but when it comes to which species are worth being afraid of? The answer might surprise you.
Hippos may look like giant, bumbling things, but they are often considered Africa’s most dangerous mammal. They’re territorial, unpredictable, and armed with a mouthful of teeth sharp and strong enough to do lethal damage. If their territory is encroached—whether that be by a crocodile, another hippo, or boat full of tourists—they will aggressively defend their space. When hippos attack, they do so with canine teeth nearly 2 feet long at a pressure of 2000 pounds per square inch (a lion exerts half this much pressure when biting its hardest). As if that weren’t enough reason to steer clear, hippos sweat a red liquid that looks like blood, securing their title as most metal animal on the planet.