Some animals scare us more than others. Our fears vary depending on our culture, our phobias, and where we live. Let’s explore together the list of 10 commonly scary animals.
Contents
1- The spider
Some scientists claim that the fear of spiders is innate in humans. However, it is easy to see that these animals do not have the same effect on everyone. The fear of spiders is useless because, in France, it does not serve to protect oneself from a real danger: among the 1600 species of spiders present in France, only ten can pose severe problems to us, and again, those- these are allergic and therefore only concern a few people.
The same is, of course, not the case in tropical countries where one can meet large specimens with potent and therefore deadly venom.
2- The snake
The snake’s fear is also one of the concerns that are frequently encountered in men and women. Just like the spider, in France, only the viper can cause allergy problems. However, it is an animal that only bites if it feels trapped. A little attention may be enough to keep it far enough away to keep away from any bite.
The snake contributes to the balance of ecosystems and occupies prey for mammals such as badgers or raptors. Snakes, for their part, feed on fish, amphibians, and small rodents, thus participating in the regulation of specific animal populations considered to be harmful.
3- The shark
In the collective imagination, the shark occupies an important place among the animals, which causes fear. They generally fascinate visitors to aquariums who may feel like they are defying them, sheltered behind thick portholes.
The 1975 success of Steven Spielberg’s Teeth from the Sea probably helped fuel the fantasies. The most frequently encountered species in France are fruit bats whose specimens do not exceed 2 m in length and harmless. Sharks are, in any case, extensively killed in the world; they are one of the particularly endangered animal species.
4- The wolf
Who’s afraid of a big bad wolf? This one is, still today, an actual figure of fairy tales and is whose evocation is particularly useful to tame his emotions. Yes, in the Middle Ages, the wolf was very present and feared.
But our time is now more to seek the balance between the wish to reintroduce the species in zones where it was initially present and the aspiration for the few shepherds’ tranquilities still exercising this profession. The debate is far from over!
5- The jellyfish
Before, there were years in jellyfish. However, for some time now, we have come to speak of a year without jellyfish as they are present every year on our coasts. The proliferation of these animals does not only concern the French Atlantic coast but all oceans and seas.
Among them, the Australian box jellyfish is arguably the most poisonous in the world, capable of killing a human being in a matter of minutes. Relatively rare, it still has many fatal accidents to its credit.
6- The tick
The ticks most frequently encountered in France are likely to transmit Lyme borreliosis, an infectious disease still poorly understood as its manifestations are so varied. The Ministry of Health invites walkers who have frequented deciduous forests, undergrowth, and meadows to inspect the body to ensure these ticks’ absence.
They are, however, infrequent in coniferous forests. Observed under a microscope, their appearance is repulsive, particularly when these parasites have just gorged themselves with blood to the point that their abdomen is excessively swollen.
7- The rat
In France, the rat is a rodent synonymous with lack of hygiene and excessive accumulation of waste. In contrast, in India, it can be worshiped as a divine manifestation. They are intelligent animals who work together to deal with tons of trash.
There is, therefore, a real balance to be found with these animals, which can be useful but which risk proliferating beyond reason if their populations are not controlled.
8- The bat
The League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) regularly organizes events to raise awareness of this commonly unloved animal. In the past, young girls were told that bats risked getting caught in their hair, to dissuade them from going out at night. It was to ignore his formidable ability to orient himself in the dark and avoid any obstacle, thanks to his echolocation system.
Also associated with the figure of the vampire, even though the bat species capable of sucking blood are only three in number and are only present in South America, they are above all heavy consumers of mosquitoes, thus ensuring a little more peaceful life.
9- The crow
In Western culture, the crow is associated with misfortune. In Antiquity, several stories present the black color of the crow as a divine punishment, inflicted following an error made by the animal, even though its plumage was initially white.
The crow is part of the hated group of scavenging animals, which feed on other animals’ corpses. It, therefore, affects human beliefs related to the integrity of the body. Yet, he is also one of the most intelligent birds. But when the collective imagination takes hold of an animal to make it a scapegoat, it is surprisingly long and difficult to give it the right image.
10- The giant squid
Mollusc of the cephalopod family, it lives in abyssal depths and could reach 20 meters in length. The seabed fascinates and frightens all at the same time. Even if the idea that there could be sea monsters is no longer a pervasive fear, the fact remains that the evocation of these funds so deep that no light reaches them can give goosebumps.
And the idea that beings with disproportionate dimensions can lead us can quickly lodge in the corner of the mind and suddenly reappear during a swim.
