The Most Extreme Ways Animals Defend Themselves

Mother nature can be cruel and unforgiving—it’s truly a game of survival of the fittest. Just about every animal has adapted to their environment one way or another, such as razor sharp claws or venomous glands. But these five animals below are truly in a league of their own when it comes to self-defense. Surely you don’t want to mess with them.\r \r 1. Blanket Octopuses Rip the Poisonous Arms of Portuguese Man O’Wars\r \r The Portuguese Man O’War is famous for its painful sting, a fact that the blanket octopus is very much aware of. A rather intelligent animal, octopi are known for feasting on many small sea creatures including fish, shrimp, crab,jellyfish and siphonophores which the Man O’War is classified as. Although the Man O'War’s sting is deadly to humans, the blanket octopus is actually immune to it, which is why they’re able to rip off the tentacles with little effort. They even take it a step further and use the tentacles as a shield or weapon to either defend themselves or disable prey.\r \r 2. Bombardier Beetles Shoot Boiling Chemicals\r \r Most people’s reaction to bugs is either to flee, give chase or squish them. But you might want to think twice about messing with the bombardier beetle because if you do, there’s a good chance that you’ll get sprayed with a toxic chemical of hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone. And its aim is pretty good too, thanks to that little nozzle on its backside. And if it misses the first time then it can try again up to 20 more times. The chemical is also boiling hot, measuring an astonishing 100 degrees Celsius. Although it’s not deadly to humans, exposure to this chemical definitely hurts, and can irritate the eyes and respiratory system. \r \r 3. Crested Rats Slather Themselves in Poison\r \r African rats are one of the few mammals that have been observed engaging in chemical warfare. They do this by chewing on the poisonous bark of certain trees, then spreading the toxic spit all over their fur, which acts as a nice poisonous shield against predators. Scientists initially believed that the rats made their own poison until they were observed collecting it from trees. But they’re still not quite sure why the rats are immune to the poisons; perhaps it has something to do with their four-chambered stomach full of dense bacteria.\r \r 4. Sea Cucumbers Shoot Their Guts at Enemies\r \r Although some species do resemble the actual vegetable, sea cucumbers are a type of echinoderms like sea urchins and starfishes. And despite their appearance, they do have a digestive system which they use to their advantage when in danger. When threatened, certain species of sea cucumbers have been observed shooting their entire guts, stomach and all, right at their enemies. So do this through their rear end while others prefer to use their head. Luckily they are able to grow new ones in a couple of weeks.\r \r 5. Exploding Ants Blow Up On Enemies\r \r They may be tiny, but they sure pack quite a punch. We’re talking about exploding ants, of course. And unlike bullet ants and fire ants who rely on their powerful bites to protect themselves, exploding ants do exactly what their name says: explode. These ants will flex their bodies so hard that they burst wide open at the cost of their lives. But it’s totally worth it as the predator is left covered in a sticky and toxic mixture of internal fluids that either leaves the after stunned or dead.