Proof That Nature is SCARY!

From getting stalked by a bear to an insane bull attack, let's explore some of the most terrifying examples of nature.

December 29, 2022・

9 min read

The world is full of amazing animals. But as incredible as nature can be, it can also be pretty damn scary. From getting stalked by a bear to an insane bull attack, let's explore some of the most terrifying examples of nature.

Great White Shock

The one thing you really don’t want to see while you’re swimming out in the open ocean is a Great White Shark, which are famous for chowing down on humans. So, when Johan Potgieter and a couple of his friends were out spearfishing off the coast of Arniston, South Africa, in 2015, you can understand Johan’s terror when suddenly, this happened:

The shark didn’t stop there either, and followed Johan all the way to the surface! Luckily, his friends rescued him. But Johan isn’t the only one to have had a dangerously close encounter with a great white around the coasts of South Africa:

The way they just appear out of the murky water is terrifying! However, if the shark had actually attacked this guy, he probably wouldn’t be around today to tell people about it.

Fearless Fight

If a 300lb black bear and her cubs decided to waltz into your backyard and attack your dog, what would you do? In Bradbury, California, on Memorial Day 2021, the teenage daughter of homeowner Citlally Morinico answered that question in the most badass way possible.

Considering there are between 30,000 and 40,000 black bears in California, the chances of seeing one in this state are pretty high. But running up to a mother bear and shoving it off your wall?! Definitely don’t try this at home!

Emergency Stop

Kayaking seems like a pretty peaceful way to spend time in the great outdoors, but as Pete Joyce was making his way down the Waccamaw River Trail in South Carolina, his peace and quiet was suddenly interrupted:

An alligator smashed straight into his boat, flipping him into the murky waters! As if being hit by a ‘gator wasn’t bad enough, being plunged into the incredibly cold swampy river with it afterwards is downright horrifying.

Thankfully, he was able to right his kayak and made it out without any injuries. He probably couldn’t wait to say ‘see ya later’ to that alligator!

Anger-Roo

Despite their reputation as Australia’s lovable marsupials, kangaroos can be pretty damn scary. Not only can their kick deliver 759 lbs of force, enough to literally rip you open, but they have some pretty gnarly claws too, which can grow as long and large as human fingers!

So, I’d be pretty horrified if I was the guy filming this:

It’s possible that this ‘roo was just angry at its own reflection, but even so, if that guy smashed through the glass, I’d be running for the hills. It’s rare, but kangaroos have been known to attack and even fatally injure humans, and I don’t fancy becoming a statistic!

Not Emused

Being a zookeeper sounds like a pretty fun and interesting job, until you watch this keeper’s unnerving encounter with an emu:

Sometimes called the most dangerous bird in the world, these feathered fiends have powerful feet with brutal claws that can reach several inches in length. They look more like dinosaurs than birds.

Those low, rolling grunts come from its inflatable throat pouch, which is principally used by males during mating season to warn off rivals. These deeply unsettling, echoic calls can get so loud that they can be heard up to 1.2 miles away!

Beary Scary

A hillside hike can be a fun day out for all the family! But there’s nothing that quite ruins the vibe like being stalked by a huge brown bear. For 12-year-old Alessandro Breda and his family, this terrifying scenario became all too real back in 2020.

By some miracle, Allesandro had recently watched a video about bears that taught him to stay calm in such an encounter! If he’d yelled out or made any sudden movements, it could’ve made the bear much more aggressive.

Thankfully, Allesandro kept his cool, and this particular bear wasn’t hungry for humans, it was expressing curiosity more than anything else. Regardless, this is still an unbearably tense situation.

Fear-Fall

Back in May 2021, Brazilian YouTuber Pedro do Rosario was out in the jungle, making a video, when somebody dropped by to see him.

Despite what it looks like, this snake wasn’t launching an attack on poor Pedro. Even though they don’t have arms or legs, a wide species of snakes is adept at climbing and living up in trees! But sometimes, they lose their grip and fall out.

So, if this snake wasn’t attacking Pedro, maybe it just thought he looked like a comfy alternative to the ground!

Buffalo Chill

Back in 2007, at a wildlife reserve in South Africa, a group of animal lovers got more than they bargained for when a huge cape buffalo took a liking to them. But it all got real tense, real quick.

Despite this one’s chill, I can understand why the guide was scared. Cape buffalo are absolute beasts, sometimes weighing close to 2,000lb and with formidable horns they fight with. This means they’re a bit like armed bulldozers, so it’s no surprise that the guide drove out of there as fast as he could!

Powerful Primates

There aren’t many animals with as much pure brute strength as the gorilla. The heaviest male silverback gorilla on record weighed in at almost 600 lbs, with research showing some can lift 1,800 lbs over their heads!

So, if you ever see one out in the wild, you’ve got to treat them with respect! A group of tourists in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda did just that when a colossal male silverback came ambling towards them and made its way over them!

By crouching, making yourself small, and avoiding eye contact, gorillas see you as submitting to them and will have no interest in attacking you. But if they do get angry, you better hope there’s a very thick layer of glass between you both.

However, not even a specially laminated glass that’s around 1.5 inches thick might be enough, as a family visiting Henry Doorly Zoo in Nebraska found out back in 2015:

Cobra Chaos

As far as pets go, having a monstrously big, venomous snake is about as scary as it gets. But for snake keeper and enthusiast Lika Ivanova, the Black-necked Spitting Cobra below is a complete cutie.

You have to admit, the way it’s sipping from that glass is kind of adorable. Or at least it would be if it couldn't literally spit venom into your eyes and blind you. I’ll stick with my cat, thanks.

Creepy Cougar

Back in October 2020, a man was hiking a trail in Provo, Utah, when he came across a couple of baby cougars. It wasn't particularly scary until the mother came round the corner, and she was not happy:

The mother saw the shocked hiker as a threat to her cubs. So, as all good moms do, she threateningly stalked him. Finally, after six grueling minutes and a lot of cursing, the cougar turned tail and ran back to her babies. Something else was probably running too, right down the cameraman’s legs!

Hungry Hungry Hippo

Hippos are not the kind of animal you want to mess with. Responsible for around 3,000 fatalities a year, the powerful, aggressive creatures are considered the most dangerous land animals in the whole of Africa. And they also swim really fast:

The hippo almost caught up with these tourists in Kenya and it was quite dangerous.

Their jaws can open a whopping 150 degrees wide, and with a bite force of 1,800 lbs per square inch, their enormous incisors are capable of crushing things a lot tougher than apples, like your head.

Rhino-no-no-no!

Imagine going for a fun day out at the safari park and then suddenly this happens:

Rhinos defend their territory with their horns, and with male bulls weighing up to 3.2 tons, they can easily flip over a 1.5-ton SUV! Looks like this SUV was lucky to escape upright! Although, insurance probably won’t cover that.

Raging Bull

It’s not just rhinos with a vendetta against large vehicles. Back in 2016, a rogue bull was filmed careering through the streets of Spain, and it took a very strong dislike to somebody’s 4X4:

Even though it looks like chaos, this is an organized event known as The Running Of The Bulls. It’s part of a controversial, albeit traditional, festival where several bulls, specially selected for their strength and aggression, are let loose around sectioned streets of a town.

But the way that bull just lifts up the 4x4 like it’s a Hot Wheels Car!? It's hard to decide what would be scarier, a bull bashing your car in, or a rhino.

Angel In Disguise

What would you do if you saw this demonic-looking beasty below crawling around in your yard? Scream? Punt it over the fence?

Despite its scary appearance, the hickory horned devil caterpillar is completely harmless! The spines are a bit prickly, but they don’t sting and eventually they transform into the majestic Royal Moth. So, if you live in North America, where they dwell, and see one of these, remember don’t judge a caterpillar by its horns!

That’s Snow Bear

The Kuril Islands in Russia make for a great fishing spot in winter. However, when a few fishermen visited the region, they stumbled across a huge brown bear while out on their snowmobiles.

They bravely tried to steer it away from the direction of their camp, only, things suddenly got way too close for comfort:

Considering brown bears in this region can weigh upwards of 800 lbs, that encounter is 800 lbs of pure nope.

Slither ‘n’ Browse

Over in Ang Thong, Thailand, a group of kids were chilling in an internet café when one of them made the terrible mistake of opening the door:

Don’t worry, everybody was fine, it was only a rat snake, which aren’t dangerous to humans. And that means you’re 100% allowed to laugh at the kid’s panicked Homer Simpson impression.

If you were amazed or terrified at these scary nature situations, you might want to read this article about the most aggressive animals in the world. Thanks for reading!