When you think of wildlife, what words first come to your mind? “Beautiful”? “Untouched?” “Mesmerizing”? The animal kingdom is fascinating, and animal psychology and behaviors might be more complicated than we’ve ever imagined.

“Dangerous” and “Whimsical” may be the words that come to mind after scrolling through the list we have for you here. We’ve scoured the internet and found the wildest and most surprising animals who did the most surprising things to humans.

Some of the animals in this list terrorized the humans in their area, others did some silly pranks like stealing surfboards from surfers. But one thing is clear: even after all these years of research done by humans, animals still have many tricks up their sleeves.

#1 A Tiger Stalked A Poacher And Waited Hours For Him To Come Home

Vladimir Markov, a Russian poacher, shot a Siberian Tiger, stole its prey and made a run for it. The tiger survived and tracked Markov to his cabin, waiting patiently for hours for him to make his way back. When Markov returned home, the tiger pounced and finished him off.

Image credits: ranker

#2 Australia Fought Emus, And Emus Won

Australians have been fighting emus over farmland for decades. After World War I, army veterans were given land by the government that extended into emu territory. As a result, the emus would tear apart any grain planted by the veterans. Troops were sent to handle the problem, but the mission was futile—the birds were just too chaotic. They eventually gave up, leaving the emus victorious.

Image credits: ranker

#3 Elephants Held A Town Under Siege After A Train Accident

Elephants are known to hold grudges when one of their own is harmed. This held true in 2013, when a member of a herd was fatally struck by a train. The other elephants gathered at the tracks to mourn their fallen member and refused to move. When people attempted to chase them away, they stormed a village and destroyed several houses in retaliation.

Image credits: ranker

#4 Porphyrius The Whale Terrorized Sailors For 50 Years

In 6th century Byzantium, Porphyrius, a large whale, swam the straits between the Black and Aegean Sea. For 50 years, the 45 foot whale attacked and sank ships at random. Porphyrius’s reign of terror eventually came to an end when he chased dolphins too close to the shore and beached himself.

Image credits: ranker.com

#5 A Santa Cruz Otter Harassed Surfers And Pirated Their Surfboards

In June 2023, Otter 841, who lives in the waters outside Santa Cruz, California, made headlines for her aggressive behavior toward surfers. On three separate occasions, the otter was caught on video latching onto and pirating surfboards. Long before Otter 841 became an internet sensation, local police claim she’d already been involved in several violent encounters.

Image credits: ranker

#6 Orcas In Europe Defended Their Matriarch’s Honor

In 2023, Orca pods on the Iberian coast started a war with ships. They rammed ship rudders and even caused three to sink. While the exact cause of their behavior wasn’t known, many speculated that a collision with White Gladis, the matriarch of one of the pods, or her run-in with rogue fishermen sent them on a rampage.

Image credits: ranker

#7 Truman The Octopus Used An Aquarium Volunteer For Target Practice

While they’re well known for having eight arms, octopuses are also considered very resourceful and smart sea creatures. An Octopus named Truman at the New England Aquarium had a bone to pick with a certain volunteer. Whenever he caught sight of her, he would use the funnel on the side of his head to shoot water at her.

Image credits: ranker

#8 Gustave The Crocodile Was A Terror On And Off The Screen

Weighing over 2,000 pounds and stretching 20 feet long, Gustave was a prolific hunter who easily overpowered his prey. He wreaked havoc at Lake Tanganyika for decades, causing 300 casualties and earning his title as one of the most dangerous crocodiles of his time. He was so notorious the 2007 horror movie Primeval, was made in his honor.

Image credits: TexasLeigh

#9 A Flock Of Geese Thwarted The Gauls Plan To Infiltrate Rome

In 390 BCE, the Gauls (a Celtic tribe that lived in modern day Germany and France) launched a surprise night attack on Rome’s heavily guarded Capitoline Hill. However, there was one defense they never anticipated: a flock of geese. Startled by Gaul intruders, the geese caused a great commotion. Their loud honking alerted the Romans to their unwelcome guests, giving them the chance to fight off the invasion.

Image credits: ranker

#10 Monkeys Tried To Snatch Babies In The City Of Yamaguchi

In 2022, Japanese macaques ran amok in the city of Yamaguchi. The red-faced monkeys caused major havoc when they attempted to snatch the city’s babies. They stalked nurseries and targeted the elderly, all while nipping and clawing at anyone who got in their way. Since the monkeys weren’t motivated by food, they successfully evaded the food-baited traps left out to capture them.

Image credits: PMS2718

#11 A Park Ranger Paid The Price For Jabbing A Leopard With A Stick

Park rangers were tasked with relocating a problematic leopard from a national park in Kenya. When they arrived at her new home, she refused to exit the back of the truck. One of the park rangers jabbed her multiple times with a long stick. Visibly displeased, she exited the truck. Instead of fleeing, she pounced on the park ranger who jabbed her, leaving him severely injured.

Image credits: listverse

#12 Crows Tormented Researchers For Ensnaring Them

Just like elephants, crows tend to hold grudges. A group of researchers learned this the hard way when the crows they were capturing and tagging decided to fight back. The crows made strange noises every time they spotted the researchers in their territory and often dive-bombed them.

Image credits: listverse

#13 The Mysterious Beast Of Gevaudan Attacked Hundreds Of Women And Children

Between 1764 and 1767, hundreds of women and children in Gevaudan, France were attacked by a creature known as the beast of Gevaudan. While survivors gave conflicting descriptions of the creature, scientists believe multiple wolves or an escaped lion may have been behind the attacks. The beast was eventually put down but to this day, what kind of animal it was remains a mystery.

Image credits: Gallica Digital Library

#14 Loyal Pack Mates Stood Up For Their Friend

A man from Chongqing, China bit off more than he could chew when he kicked and injured a stray dog that was in his parking space. The dog hobbled away but soon returned with a whole pack of his friends. They dented and scratched up the outside of his car in revenge.

Image credits: ranker

#15 Skuas Went After Researchers Who Interfered With Their Nests

Between 2014 and 2015, a group of Korean scientists conducted a study on Antartica’s skuas. However, the birds did not appreciate having their nests interfered with and weren’t afraid to show it. Recognizing the researchers’ faces, the skuas were quick to ambush them whenever they got close to their nests.

Image credits: listverse

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