To maintain the nature’s food chain, it is necessary to have predators in the ecosystem. But some of them can be really dangerous and deadly. Let’s have a look at such sea predators.
The ocean is a fascinating lively kingdom where things are not same as on land. While some are beautiful, some are truly terrifying creatures that give a freaky feeling about nature’s underwater kingdom.
Here’s a list of some most dangerous predators of the sea.
Barracuda is an aggressive and dominant predator often found relying on a surprise tactic to find and catch the prey. They can swim at 40 km/hour to overtake the prey which tried to run away. It is also known as opportunistic predator and feeds on different animals. It primarily feeds on species of fish, invertebrates, crustaceans, and squids. Because of this fact, they can grow into a large fish.
Blue marines are fascinating predators that can grow up to 16 feet long and can be identified by their angular dorsal fin. They eat a different kinds of fishes which include tuna, white marlin, and mackerel. Scientists believe that blue marlin uses its bills to catch, spear, splash and stun the prey. They dive into the deep sea water in search of squid. They are among the fastest fishes in the world.
Orca, also known as killer whale, is among the greatest predators in the deep sea. As the name suggests, killer whales prey on a wide variety of fishes. They are a member of the dolphin family. They can even eat larger preys such as seals, walruses, seagulls, penguins and other types of whales. Sometimes orcas are so determined to catch the prey that they partly leap out of the water to catch the prey.
Saltwater crocodiles are the most furious and opportunistic predators. They lurk beneath the water surface waiting for the prey to stop and spin. They can feed on anything including sharks, bears, monkey or buffaloes. They attack their prey without giving them warning by exploding from the water and grabbing the victim with their powerful jaws. They grow up to 23 feet in length and weigh near about 2,200 pounds.
Tiger shark is known as sea tiger and is the large macropredator. One of the largest sharks on planet Earth, they are capable of attaining the length of over 5m. Its diet includes a wide variety of preys including crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid turtles, sea snakes, dolphins and other smaller sharks. They can eat humans too. They have sharp, serrated teeth and powerful jaws that allow them to crack the shells of turtles.
They are the most well-known predators of the ocean. They can be found all over the world. They can grow up to 20 feet long. They have long, sharp teeth and powerful jaws which allow them to eat almost anything from birds and turtles to dolphins and fishes. They often leap out of the water in search of prey. They can even attack humans when hunting for food in the ocean.
Pacific Viperfishes are predatory fishes that live in the deep oceanic water. During the day, they can be found near the surface of the water but at night they are found in deep shallow water. They have a large mouth, fangs like teeth and dorsal fins. They feed on small fishes and crustaceans of the sea. Also known as deep sea gigantism, it is believed that their fins are used for attracting prey towards them.
Atlantic wolffish is known as natural anti-freezer because they live in the cold regions of the sea. They have strong jaws and prey on hard shells, mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms. They are an important predator of sea urchins and crabs. They do not feed on small fishes. They can grow up to 1.5 m long and weigh up to 18 kgs. They are a great help in controlling the green crabs and sea urchin’s population.
Resembling a pink colored fish with spines covered balloon shape, they lure their prey with a fleshy protrusion and are capable of puffing themselves when they feel threatened. They are found in salty temperate waters of South Pacific. They can grow up to 22 cm in length.
Anglerfish is one of the ugliest species in the world. The female anglerfish has a dorsal spine that protrudes above its head like a fishing pole. Tipped with a lure of luminous flesh, these built-in baits prey close to being snatched. They have big mouths and can engulf sea animals larger than their size.
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