By Madison Samuel-Barclay
10. GELADA BABOON
These animals are unique to the mountains of Ethiopia and mainly feed on grass. While usually not prone to attacking humans, geladas in zoos have been known to be aggressive. And for monkeys that simply eat grass, they have a pretty nasty set of teeth.
9. MOOSE
The largest member of the deer family, moose have poor eyesight, but a great sense of smell and hearing. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough to avoid cars when crossing roads. Car accidents involving moose are some of the most lethal, and you don’t want to be charged by one on foot either!
8. GORILLA
The plant-eating gorilla can weigh up to 200 kg and are usually peaceful creatures. However, male gorillas will not hesitate to protect their families with their massive, club-like arms and sharp canines. They can also run twice as fast as a human can!
7. CASSOWARY
One of the largest, flightless birds in the world, the cassowary is indigenous to the rainforests of Australia and New Guinea. Hopefully, you won’t ever run into one: when harassed, it will leap at its target and kick with its dagger-like toe in a stabbing manner.
6. RHINOCEROS
These huge, sometimes short-tempered herbivores are native to Africa and Asia and can charge with incredible speed and power. Their horns are actually made of hair, but can easily impale a number of objects. Indian rhinos also have extremely sharp teeth.
5. WILD BOAR
These wild pigs are not completely vegetarian; their diet also includes small animals such as frogs and lizards. They also have sharp, powerful tusks used to protect their piglets. A lone male boar can even fend off an entire pack of wolves on its own!
4. CAPE BUFFALO
While they might look like giant cows, cape buffalos are among the most feared herbivores in all of Africa. Their mighty horns and powerful hooves equip them against the continent’s fierce predators. Herds of them have been known to charge at attacking foes in unison.
3. ELEPHANT
They’ve got it all: strong tusks, mighty trunks and huge feet for trampling. They can overturn cars and are nearly impossible to stop when they stampede. Male elephants enter a periodic condition called musth, which can make them very aggressive. This is why zoos and circuses often prefer keeping female elephants.
2. WHITE-LIPPED PECCARY
Native to the rainforests of Mexico, Central and South America, these small herbivores are deadliest in packs. They move in groups of 500 to 1,000 and have canines that sharpen against each other when they close their mouths. Much like the cape buffalo, if one member of the pack is provoked, the entire pack retaliates.
1. HIPPOPOTAMUS
Despite its gentle appearance, the hippo is actually considered by most experts to be the most dangerous animal in Africa. A male hippo can weigh up to three tonnes and has the most powerful jaw and the largest canines of any known mammal. When surprised, hippos have been known to capsize boats and kayaks.