The Puss Caterpillar

Deadliest December: The Puss Caterpillar
This insect -although cute and fuzzy- has done severe harm to people throughout the country. Young children have been reported with excruciating pain after petting them, or one having fallen onto them from a tree. The Megalopyge Opercularis (scientific name) is a venomous caterpillar, existing mainly in North and Central Florida These insects hide extremely toxic spines underneath their fuzz, and when pricked, the pain is similar to a bee sting, but worse. The pain increases or decreases based on the amount of spines that prick your skin, and some people have noted that their pain lasted up to twelve hours. The Puss Caterpillar is generally 1 inch long, before turning into female Flannel Moths. This species goes through what is called "boom and bust cycles"which means their population rises and falls drastically based on the season, but in the past 3-5 years their numbers have sky-rocketed without any explanation.

The Siberian Tiger

Deadliest December: The Siberian Tiger

This majestic creature is known as dangerous, deadly, and simply horrific, but as true "Tiger Lovers" know, they are deeply misunderstood. The Siberian Tigers live mainly in eastern Russia's Birch Forests, although there is a scarce population of them in China and North Korea. This fascinating animal is slowly -but entirely- going extinct, and according to the latest research there are only 400-500 of them left. These tigers live in a harsher climate than most, but they do have certain
advantages, such as human density being lower than any other tiger habitat in the world. Panthera Tigris Altaica (scientific name) are known for their strength, agility, and power, while also being graceful, stealthy, and dignified mammals. Their size rockets past every member of the wildcat family, measuring up to 11 feet in length. These incredible forms of life were once a part of a family of eight other species of tigers, that have all gone completely extinct during the 20th century. Over the last hundred years the tiger population has gone from hundreds of thousands, to thousands, to now less than 1,000 tigers. This drastic drop in numbers is due to hunting, forest destruction, human agriculture, as hunting trophies, and some body parts are used in traditional Chinese medicines. Poaching, although extremely reduced, is still a massive issue in the process of saving Siberian Tigers. These tigers have been hanging on by a thin thread, fighting for their lives to remain of this earth, and we, as a race, are obligated to make an effort to salvage them.

Deadliest December: Polar Bear

When you hear "polar bear" a fluffy white bear might pop into your brain. These massive bears look cute and cuddly, but they are actually extreme killers. Polar bears, or Ursus maritimus live mainly in the Arctic Circle. They make dens in the snowy masses of land. Polar bears can swim exceptionally well because of their massive paws, although they prefer land. Seals are their main food source; they use a method of hunting called still-hunting, where they stand near breathing holes in the ice and wait. When a seal comes up to breathe, they kill it. Polar bears are classified as "threatened" in the conservation status. The main reason is because of global warming, and the melting of the polar ice caps. While these animals cause at least ten deaths per year, they are still endangered, and we should help to keep these animals alive.

Northern Goshawk

     The northern goshawk, or Accipiter gentilis, is a ferocious diurnal raptor endemic to central and western north america. These terrifying birds of prey have blood-red eyes, dark grey feathers, a black beak, and long black talons, giving them a mysterious dark appearance. This goshawk is extremely territorial, and will attack any threat to their nest, even humans. They are swift hunters and can catch large prey, such as hares, ducks, and other waterfowl, with one blow from their sharp claws.

Gila Monster

    The Gila monster, or Heloderma suspectum, is America's largest and only poisonous lizard species. It certainly lives up to the term monster. Their bite is extremely painful, as they latch on to their victim to let neurotoxins enter the wound. They are found in the deserts of the southwestern states, and part of Mexico. Gilas spend much of their time in their burrows, only coming out to eat. Due to ever-constant human encroachment, the Gila monster is viewed as threatened.

Coywolves

    A coywolf is a hybrid between a wolf (Canis lupus) and a coyote (Canis latrans). Recently, due to small pure wolf populations, the coywolf has become America's newest top predator. The coywolf is much larger than a coyote, and hunts in packs. However, they have adopted a special trait from coyotes; they have a much lesser fear of humans than wolves. Almost all coyotes, unlike other hybrids, bred in the wild. Leading it to be one of the most successful non-man-made hybrids. Although many view coywolves as a nuisance, could they be nature's way of filling the gray wolve's niche as apex predator?

Red Lipped Batfish

These strange looking fish have long and sharp nose and they also look like they put a lot of lipstick on their lips These fish live in tropical climates. They have a broad head and  large lumps covering their body. What’s interesting from this strange sea creature is that unlike any other fishes, they are horrible swimmers. You probably find this very weird and in my opinion when i think of fish the first thing that pops up in my head is fish: swimming.  They might be strange looking but they are harmless creatures. The maximum length of the red-lipped batfish is about 40 cm long. Like many deep sea fish, red-lipped batfish are voracious carnivores