Surviving The Most Terrifying Animals Attacks
There are dangerous animals all over the world. From sharks in Hawaii to leopards in Ethiopia, these chilling animal attacks might make you think twice about visiting certain places.
Shark Attack In Hawaii
In October 1997, 18-year-old Mike Coots went swimming off of Kauai—a gorgeous island in Hawaii. Hanging out with his friends, it seemed like a perfectly normal and delightful day. But little did Coots know, it was about to take a very gruesome turn.
Shark Attack In Hawaii
While Coots navigated his bodyboard, looking for the next awesome wave, a dangerous animal approached him. Apparently, there were no warning signs. When a large shark bit into Coots's right leg, it completely blindsided him.
DannyTorobekovArt, Shutterstock
Shark Attack In Hawaii
Coots hadn't seen or heard a thing when the shark clamped down on his leg. In fact, he didn't even feel pain—just an overwhelming pressure. As Coots struggled to free himself from the shark's grasp, the animal only plunged its teeth deeper.
Shark Attack In Hawaii
The shark wouldn't let go and began shaking Coots around. Acting on pure instinct, the teen began punching the shark's head. This was the correct thing to do because the animal finally relinquished him.
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Flickr
Shark Attack In Hawaii
Swimming back to safety, Coots knew something was seriously wrong. His leg had begun spasming. However, when he looked at it closer, he realized it was gone.
Shark Attack In Hawaii
Luckily, Coots's friends came to his aid—one of them came up with the brilliant idea of using the board's leash to create a tourniquet. According to the doctors, the tourniquet likely saved his life.
Duloup, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Shark Attack In Hawaii
Though Mike Coots had lost his leg to the shark, he was extremely lucky to be alive. What's more? It didn't stop him from adventuring into the water after he recovered.
A Snake Attack In Kenya
In Malindi, Kenya, a farm manager named Ben Nyaumbe faced a horrifying nightmare after being pulled up a tree by a snake. His survival story is downright chilling.
Tatsiana Hendzel, Shutterstock
A Snake Attack In Kenya
Nyambe later told the local newspaper, "I stepped on a spongy thing on the ground and suddenly my leg was entangled with the body of a huge python."
A Snake Attack In Kenya
After stepping on the python, Nyaumbe began a fight for his life. The animal wrapped around him, trapping him—even pulling him up a tree. He later shared, "I had to bite it as I struggled, one hand incapacitated."
A Snake Attack In Kenya
The moment the python loosened its death grip on Nyaumbe, he immediately reached for his cell phone—and was able to reach help. His supervisor and an officer came rushing to his aid. But he wasn't safe just yet.
Dick Culbert, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Snake Attack In Kenya
Nyaumbe's rescuers fastened a rope around the snake to help drag it out of the tree. Meanwhile, Nyaumbe wrapped his shirt around the python's head, smothering it.
Ryanvanhuyssteen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Snake Attack In Kenya
Initially, the authorities had wanted to shoot the snake, but gave up this course of action in the fear that they'd injure Nyaumbe. The superintendent of police later said, "If it wasn't for the villagers and officers who helped him, he would have been swallowed by the snake over the Easter holiday."
A Snake Attack In Kenya
Luckily Nyaumbe survived the harrowing ordeal, walking away with mere bruises and injured lips. The python, on the other hand? Well, it turned out to be a whopping 13 feet long. But there was one more twist in store.
Vladimir Vasiltvich, Shutterstock
A Snake Attack In Kenya
Though rescuers captured the python, storing it in a sack for transportation to a sanctuary, the animal ultimately broke free.
Vladislav T. Jirousek, Shutterstock
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island in Alaska is an excellent destination for hunters and fishermen. The salmon supply here is outrageous, which accounts for the extremely large size of one of the island's predators: the Kodiak brown bear.
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
The Kodiak brown bear is a gorgeous animal, but one sportsman named Gene Moe survived a deadly encounter with one of them.
Yathin S Krishnappa, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
Gene Moe was a very experienced hunter. He'd been traversing the territory in Alaska for over five decades. He knew never to mess with a Kodiak brown bear—but in 1999, one particular bear encounter spiraled out of his control.
David Menke, Wikimedia Commons
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
Moe had spent a long day hunting for deer—and as dusk approached, he hit his mark. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only hunter in the area. There was also a bear... hunting him.
Lisa Hupp / USFWS, Wikimedia Commons
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
Moe later shared his experience, saying, "You don’t see far in these woods here, and I was bent over, skinning this deer out, taking the hide off when all at once I heard 'Raaahhh!'."
Hollingworth, John and Karen, Wikimedia Commons
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
The only tool Moe had for protection was the blade in his hand. The bear wound up on top of him, injuring his arm and knocking him to the ground. The ensuing fight would one day become legendary.
Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Flickr
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
Moe managed to slice the bear's throat with his blade, but the bear fastened its strong jaws around his leg. Still, the knife wounds caused the animal to loosen his hold on Moe, giving the sportsman an opening to land a blow on the bear's vertebrae. For a moment, the bear backed off—but the scuffle wasn't over yet.
David Menke, Wikimedia Commons
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
In relaying his story down the road, Moe explained, "I looked at that bear, and I said, 'Come on, bear, the Lord’s on my side.' He made a jump at me when I swung with this [left] fist. I hit that bear so hard I caught him someplace up in the nose. He fell down, he bounced one time, and his head went into the moss."
Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Flickr
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
Still unsure if the bear was still alive, Moe decided to shoot the animal for good measure. But given his serious injuries, this was an excruciating ordeal. His one arm was completely mangled.
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
In horrible pain, Moe now had to face the journey back to the beach. He was in desperate need of medical attention. Moe miraculously covered an estimated two miles, lying down multiple times, convinced he was going to die. Against all odds, he made it.
Shchekoldin Mikhail, Shutterstock
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
When Moe met up with his hunting companion, Tom Frahlich, he said something deeply disturbing. Frahlich later shared, "He says, 'Just shoot me.' I told him, 'No, we’re not going to do that. You tell me that tomorrow and maybe we will.'"
A Bear Attack On Kodiak Island
Eventually, a helicopter flew in to transport Gene Moe to the hospital. There, he had another battle ahead of him: The long battle of recovery. He needed two skin grafts and 500 stitches, not to mention a month of rehabilitation.
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Picryl
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
28-year-old Paul Templer really enjoyed his job. He was a tour guide leading photographic safaris in Zimbabwe, and he took pride in introducing tourists to the varied wildlife. But one day, his workday took a twisted turn.
Fabio Achilli, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
March 9, 1996 would become a date burned in Templer's memory. On that particular day, he stepped in for an ill friend, agreeing to lead a canoe safari. It was no big deal. Templer later explained that he adored that particular part of the Zambezi River and knew it well.
Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared him for the danger ahead.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
At first, the Zambezi River tour went swimmingly. There were six clients and three canoes, as well as one apprentice guide in a kayak. However, when the group came across a large number of hippos, the tour took a perilous turn.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Hippo sightings weren't uncommon along the Zambezi, but Templer later explained, "I was trying to take evasive action. … The idea was let’s just paddle safely around the hippos." But his plan didn't quite play out as expected.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
While waiting for the other canoes to catch up to his, the unthinkable happened. Templer heard a loud sound and then watched in horror as one of the other canoes "catapulted up into the air."
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Though the clients were okay and still safe in the canoe, one of the guides, Evans, had been thrown into the river. Even worse? The current had begun dragging him in the direction of a mama hippo and her young. Templer knew he had to jump into action.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
After getting his clients to safety, Templer began paddling as fast as he could toward Evans, hoping to catch up to him and drag him into his canoe. However, just as he got close enough, the real horror story kicked into high gear.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Templer later remembered the incident: “I’m leaning over—it’s kind of a made-for-Hollywood movie—Evans is reaching up. … Our fingers almost touched. And then the water between us just erupted. Happened so fast I didn’t see a thing.”
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
All of a sudden, Templer found himself completely disoriented. His bottom half was in the river, but from the waist up, he couldn't pinpoint his location... at least not right away.
Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Templer couldn't move in this strange warm place, and there was something pressing into his back. Then it clicked: “I realized I was up to my waist down a hippo’s throat.”
Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
The series of events that followed were terrifying and surreal. The hippo wound up spitting Templer out. Breaking the surface of the water, he reunited with Evans... only to be swallowed a second time.
Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
This time, the hippo swallowed Templer from behind, meaning he still had use of his hands. Though Templer tried to reach for his weapon, the animal's thrashing prevented him from doing so. Then the hippo let him go. Still, the worst was yet to come.
Christoph Strässler, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Templer's experience with the hippos was a neverending nightmare. While trying to swim away, he caught sight of something that made his blood run cold: "... there’s this hippo charging in towards me with his mouth wide open bearing in before he scores a direct hit.”
Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
That's when the hippo became overwhelmingly aggressive, trying to rip Templer apart. Held sideways in the hippo's mouth, Templer brilliantly timed his breaths with the animal's movements, making sure to hold his breath whenever he went under the water.
Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
The horrifying encounter lasted almost four minutes, but thanks to the apprentice guide, Mack, Templer survived. Mack pulled his kayak close enough to the distressed hippo that Templer could hang on to one of the kayak's handles. But he was far from okay.
Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
After getting Templer to a rock in the middle of the river, the awful reality sank in. Mack shared the tragic news: Evans was nowhere to be found.
Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
The situation was dire and Templer's physical condition was disturbing. Part of his arm was "crushed to a pulp" and his foot was severely injured. And that wasn't all.
Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Templer's tussle with the hippo had punctured his lung and blood dribbled over his lips. There was a gruesome hole in his back, which Mack tried to remedy by stuffing it with saran wrap. However, Templer still needed to get his clients and fellow guides back to the riverbank.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
In one of the canoes, Templer and Ben were able to reach safety, and a rescue team arrived to save the remaining people on the rock. Unfortunately, three days later, Evans's tragic fate came to light.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Evans had died in the river—and based on the condition of his body, he had likely drowned. Meanwhile, Templer had a long road ahead of him.
Manfidza, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Templer had to wait a long time to get the medical treatment he needed. The drive to the closest hospital took an excruciating eight hours. When the surgeon finally got a chance to look at his condition, he was not optimistic.
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Templer's surgeon didn't believe that he'd pull through. Not only did he have to endure major operations, but there was also a good chance that he'd lose multiple limbs. Luckily, there's a silver lining to this story.
Saamzf, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Paul Templer defied all the odds and survived his extensive wounds. Even better? He lost only one arm, which—though heartbreaking—was quite lucky considering his injuries: “I just remember feeling devastated. I spent my whole life being active and it was almost more than I could bear.”
A Hippo Attack In Zimbabwe
Templer had to undergo a lot of rehabilitation and would have to wear a prosthesis going forward—but he had survived one of the deadliest animals on the planet.
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Let's take it all the way back to the 19th century. Carl Akeley was born in 1864. As a taxidermist and naturalist, he had several disturbing encounters with animals where he almost lost his life.
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
For instance, on Mount Kenya, Akely faced down a charging bull elephant. He also had close calls with rhinos and a silverback gorilla. However, the story that has gone down in history will always be his chilling encounter with a leopard.
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
In 1896, Akely was a spry 32-year-old working at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History. In fact, he had only recently become their leading taxidermist. However, a special expedition to collect fresh specimens went terribly wrong.
Detroit Publishing Co., Picryl
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Akely traveled to Ethiopia to start searching for specimens for the museum. On one fateful morning, Akely had a streak of bad luck. All of the animals he pursued evaded him. Even the warthog specimen he'd taken down had been pilfered by a hyena.
Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Feeling downtrodden by his string of failures, Akely "did a very foolish thing" after he heard a sound coming from the bush. He fired in its direction, but he had no clue what he'd just shot at. Then he heard a tell-tale growl. It was a leopard.
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Akely knew he had to get out of there fast. After all, a leopard could tear him apart. However, though the taxidermist tried to escape the dangerous situation, the leopard had already made up its mind.
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
When the leopard began following Akely, he began firing once again: “I could see where the bullets struck as the sand spurted up beyond the leopard. The first two shots went above her, but the third scored. The leopard stopped and I thought she was killed.”
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
The leopard wasn't dead yet—not even close. She charged Akely, who didn't have time to ready his rifle. The leopard pounced on him, grabbing his upper right arm in her mouth. She'd missed her mark, as leopards usually aim for the throat—and this was Akely's saving grace.
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Akely used his free hand to try to maneuver his trapped arm out of the leopard's mouth. It should have been an agonizing process, but Akely was in survival mode, and the pain hadn't registered yet. He did, however, hear "the sound of the crushing of tense muscles and the choking, snarling grunts of the beast.”
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Akely's fight with the leopard would have been a horrifying sight to behold. With his left hand on her throat, and the other in her mouth, Akely managed to get on top of the leopard, pinning her.
Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
He couldn't do anything but hold this horrifying position. According to Akely, he “continued to shove the hand down her throat so hard she could not close her mouth and with the other I gripped her throat in a stranglehold.”
Axel Tschentscher, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Eventually, the strength seemed to seep out of the leopard's body. Akely called out to the pony boy that had accompanied him on this expedition, letting him know that the struggle was finally over. To ensure the animal was annihilated, Akely took the pony boy's blade and finished the job.
Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Akely's arm had been utterly ravaged, and he now worried about an infection. When he arrived back at his camp, he made sure to inject all of his gory injuries with antiseptic. He later wrote, “During the process I nearly regretted that the leopard had not won.”
Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Leopard Attack In Ethiopia
Still, Carl Akely had survived the impossible and taken down a leopard with his bare hands. This horrifying ordeal would become one of the defining chapters of his legacy.
Derek Keats, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Tiger Shark Attack In Hawaii
Bethany Hamilton might be one of the most famous shark attack survivors, her story eventually inspiring the 2011 film Soul Surfer.
troy_williams, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Tiger Shark Attack In Hawaii
When she was only three years old, Hamilton began to learn how to surf. By the age of 10, she'd already gotten her first sponsorship. However, fate had a cruel twist in store for her. At the age of 13, her love of surfing led her straight into the arms of danger.
A Tiger Shark Attack In Hawaii
In October 2003, Hamilton went surfing in the morning at Tunnels Beach, Kauai. She didn't go alone. Her best friend Alana, as well as Alana's brother and father, accompanied her. They had no clue their idyllic morning was about to go so wrong.
A Tiger Shark Attack In Hawaii
While chatting with Alana, Hamilton lounged on her surfboard on her stomach. That's when a massive tiger shark targeted her. This particular predator was 14 feet long and it bit Hamilton's arm off.
DannyTorobekovArt, Shutterstock
A Tiger Shark Attack In Hawaii
Hamilton's companions managed to guide her safely to shore, but the young girl's arm was just dangling. Alana's father knew he needed to stop the bleeding and created a tourniquet for her gory arm.
A Tiger Shark Attack In Hawaii
By the time Hamilton reached the hospital, her condition was grave. Not only was she in hypovolemic shock, but she'd lost 60% of her blood. Strangely enough, her father had been scheduled for surgery on the same day. However, his doctor ended up operating on Hamilton instead.
A Tiger Shark Attack In Hawaii
Despite the harrowing incident, Hamilton didn't let it define her life or her love of surfing. Only a month later, she returned to the water, ready to seek out her next great wave.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_Kruger.jpg){kind=link}
_Kruger_3.jpg){kind=link}
_04.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}