A Somewhat Paranoid Look at Cute, Deadly, Animals

"15 Cute Animals That Will Cause You Horrible Harm"
brains (undated, probably February 1, 2010, or before)

"When we think of animals that will destroy us, rend us limb from limb, and leave us in a bloody mess, we usually thing of the huge and horrifying. Which means we forget about the real threats: the tiny, the cute, the gorgeous. The animals at which we ooh and aaah over, but are deadly, poisonous and generally all around nasty. And, after writing this list, I've come up with two pieces of advice. 1) Never go in the water. 2) Never visit Australia. Combine the two, and it's even more true: never go in the water in Australia! Seriously, terrifyingly deadly critters everywhere...."

There's a photo to go with all 15 animals, from rats to - believe it or not - kittens.

If you're susceptible to paranoiac delusions, don't read that article. You may never leave your home again. You'll be lucky to work up the courage to leave your bed.

The post has the sort of editing gaffes that you'll see in this blog from time to time (before my oldest daughter catches them). Like "So yeah, shrews are eat gross other creatures, and are venomous."

Several of the potentially-lethal animals, like the puffer fish and blue ringed octopus, are dangerous because of 'muscle relaxants' so effective that they'll shut down our diaphragm. Since our brains shut down without a steady supply of oxygen: that's really bad news.

On the up side, there are 15 lovely photographs in the post.

On the Whole, I'd Rather be in Minnesota

Reading that post reminded me of how wonderful it is to live here in Minnesota, where the leeches, mosquitoes, horse flies and ticks are dead or dormant during the winter: and don't kill their victims. Usually.