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.
Even if you aren’t afraid of spiders, there’s one arachnid that ought to make your heart plummet into the Earth’s core. No other eight-legged creature can compare to this. Not the black widow. Not the brown recluse. Not even the Brazilian wandering spider, the most venomous spider in the world, can compare. No, this is […] More
Behold the American Dingo! This unusual animal was first discovered in the 1970s — a spitting image of an Australian dingo, except for its location. More
On hydrothermal vents deep beneath the Indian Ocean lurks a scaly-footed gastropod. While this minute deep-sea snail might seem unassuming, it actually has a special ability: it incorporates metal into its body, forming a hard protective armor around its fleshy, exposed foot. It is the only animal known to science that can to do this. […] More
See this bird? Pretty cute, huh? Just look at those irresistible, beady little eyes and that triumphant, majestic composure. Well, don’t be fooled. This bird is a troll. This bird is the common cuckoo. Now, you might already be familiar with cuckoos thanks to cuckoo clocks (which are designed to make the exact same sound […] More
In the wild and untamed Amazon, a variety of amazing and dangerous animals lurk, but few are more feared than jaguars and anacondas. Jaguars are big cats that dominate Latin American jungles. Anacondas are enormous snakes that dominate South American rivers. So, with that in mind, what happens when these two top predators meet? This: […] More
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
The praying mantis is regarded as a fierce hunter in the insect world. Younger mantises often have to contend with bigger and badder bugs, such as jumping spiders and other mantises, but adults have far fewer predators. Generally, adult mantises only need to worry about birds — but in some cases, birds need to worry about […] 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
