Teddy Fotiou is a writer, a photographer, and a naturalist. He loves everything wild, especially the dangerous kind. If he's not scuba diving with sharks and barracuda, he's probably hiking along nature trails, looking for venomous snakes, alligators, and bears.
Hundreds of years ago, a massive predatory bird soared through the skies and struck terror into the hearts of the first humans to arrive in New Zealand, the Maori. This fear is reflected in the Maori legend of Poukai, an enormous man-eating bird. Known to scientists as Haast’s eagle (Harpagornis moorei), the terrifying — and […] More
This unusual jumping spider boasts an exquisite variety of colors on its hind end — which serve an important physiological purpose. Some animals sing to impress females, such as songbirds and humpback whales. Others, including elephant seals and deer, will fight each other for the right to mate with females. Peacock spiders have a much more unusual […] More
Prairie dogs are adorable, puppy-like rodents that are common across the Great Plains in the Midwestern United States. But, as cute as they are, they have a much darker side, especially white-tailed prairie dogs. Although white-tailed prairie dogs are herbivorous, they have been documented killing rival rodents, such as Wyoming ground squirrels. This makes them […] More
COBRA VS. COBRA! It’s a snake-eat-snake world, after all… Cobras are both feared and revered. Their impressive hoods make them imposing; yet, they also make them beautiful. They inspire a fatal attraction of sorts. However, when two cobras meet, especially two different species of cobra, do they posses the same fear and reverence. If you’re […] More
The American alligator is one of the apex predators in the southeast United States, and as such, it is at the top of the food chain. Very few animals are not on the alligator’s menu. Not even hard-shelled turtles are safe from the alligator’s jaws. With a bite force of 9,452 newtons (2,125 lbf), the […] More
Orcas are well-known hunters that rule the ocean as untouchable apex predators. Hunting in groups called “pods” to take down prey, they’ve often been called the “wolves of the sea.” From sea lions to sharks, there are few animals these ingenious hunters can’t nab when they work together. Even on land, potential prey aren’t entirely safe. […] More
Meet the Japanese giant hornet: massive, extremely aggressive, and a honey bee’s worst nightmare. A single giant hornet can kill 40 European honey bees in one minute, and a group of 30 could wipe out an entire hive of 30,000 European honey bees in little more than three hours. Growing up to 2 inches in length, with […] More
If you’ve ever watched Looney Tunes, you’re probably familiar with the epic battle between Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner, wherein the clever Roadrunner foils Wile E. Coyote’s plans in every episode. But roadrunners, which are native to the southwest United States and Mexico, contend with more than just coyotes, and they don’t always win. […] More
A giant eel attacks a shark, doesn’t go as planned…
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Watch how the puff adder attacks by presenting the snake a water balloon on at the end of a pair of snake tongs. As you will see, the snake focuses on the balloon right before it strikes… More
Driven up from depths of 300 feet, the school of sardines is at the mercy of a multitude of marine predators. From below, they suffer attacks from dorado and striped marlin, and from above, they suffer attacks from gannets and other diving seabirds. Watch the full video of the timeless, epic hunt of the sardines. More
Sea snakes are among the most venomous snakes in the world. Yet, for the most part, they are not a threat to humans. In fact, scuba divers can often grab a handful of writing sea snakes without negative repercussions, although such actions are not recommended. However, if you’re a fish on a coral reef, and […] More
