MOST HATED MAMMALS ON EARTH
Added on: 26th Aug 2016
HYENA
The hyena is the first to start off this list of the most hated
Mammals known to man. Though primarily a scavenger, the
hyena can also hunt for prey if there’s not enough carrion
(dead animals) around. During periods (such as war) when
there are high human casualties, hyenas have been known
to develop a liking for human flesh and even hunt live
humans if not enough corpses are around.
RED FOX
Though it may look cute, the red fox is more of a menace.
Kept in check (and keeping small mammals in check) in its
native habitats of Eurasia, North Africa, and Central America,
the red fox has become an invasive species in Australia
where it was introduced in the mid 1800’s for hunting. The
fox often kills new-born lambs and carries rabies.
With a range of 190 miles (305 km), the red fox’s
effects can be devastating on an ecosystem.
BRUSHTAIL POSSUM
The brushtail possum is a native mammal to Australia and was
introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century. Since then, the
animal has ravenously devoured eucalyptus leaves and
threatened many local bird species. Even worse for Kiwi farmers,
possums are the main method of transferring bovine tuberculosis
which can quickly rip through a herd. For the benefit of Kiwi beef,
it’s probably best we keep hating this animal.
HONEY BADGER
Popularized by a comedic YouTube video of a man narrating a
day in the life of the “crazy nasty, honey badger”, the honey
badger holds the Guinness Book of World Records prize as
“the most fearless animal on the planet”. Known to send even
lions scurrying off their prey, the honey badger is incredibly
difficult to kill due to its loose and tough skin. Neither dogs
nor machetes have proven effective against this beast which
easily can rip up hen houses. Even worse, the honey badger
is known for surplus killing whereby it kills way more
prey than it can eat.
NUTRIA
Sounding more like the latest health food bar, the nutria
(or coypu) is a semi-aquatic rodent which mildly resembles
the beaver. Once cultivated for their fur, large feral populations
now roam territories outside its native South America. Though
only a herbivore, the nutria devours river plant stems and has
now become the most common herbivore in Louisiana’s
marshes. Everyone down in the bayou hates the creatures
which contribute to Louisiana’s loss of a football field-sized
patch of wetland every hour, partially by destroying
local dykes and irrigation systems.
DEER
Deer are some of the most hated animals in the world, especially
on roads which wind through forests and wooded areas.
Known for crossing the road just as a car passes by, deer
cause about 1.5 million collisions annually, resulting in
85 million pounds of damage and the death of about
150 people in the United States alone.
AFRICAN WILD DOG
Also known as the African hunting dog, the African wild dog
is one of the best hunters on the savanna. Whereas lions
only come back with a kill on about 10% of hunts, this dog
has a success rate of about 80%, making it one of the most
efficient and deadly African predators. (Ironically, one the
biggest and most successful predators of the African wild dog
is the lion.) Some groups in Africa have turned fear into
respect for the beast, with locals in Ethiopia formerly believing
that killing the wild dog with a spear would lead to it dipping its
tail in the blood and whipping it at its attacker, causing
instant death. Sounds pretty scary.
MONKEY
Though they are our closest relatives, monkeys are seriously
hated in some parts of the world, especially Asia. Though
revered in India as the monkey god Hanuman, monkeys have
been known to infect humans with rabies and destroy crops.
In temples and tourist spots throughout Southeast Asia,
monkeys have been known to attack humans.
PLATYPUS
Not many mammals in our world are venomous, but the platypus
is one of them. This egg-laying mammal (one of only five) is
endemic to eastern Australia. With a spur on its rear foot, the
platypus can inject its prey (or a human) with venom so
powerful it can kill a dog. The venom is not lethal to
humans but has been reported to cause excruciating pain,
sometimes causing the victim to fall unconscious. Some
people stung by the platypus even report a heightened
sensitivity to pain that can last many months.
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