Sami Bayly - A Curious Collection of Dangerous Creatures

T his is not your average book of animals! It is my mission to shine a light on the more misunderstood species in the animal kingdomas I did in my first book, A Curious Collection of Peculiar Creaturesand few have such unfair reputations (or are as unfairly treated) as the worlds most dangerous animals. Because they can pose a threat to us, they are too often seen as something to fear or kill; instead, Id like to show off how fascinating they are. Some are truly terrifying, yes, but if you understand why theyve adapted to be so dangerous, youll learn to appreciate their scarier sides. Theyre only trying to survive!

Here, youll discover mind-blowing facts about fearsome animals as well as many you probably didnt even know were deadly. And, hopefully, youll grow to appreciate them for their unique contributions to the natural environment.

Every one of these 60 animals is a brilliant combination of strange and dangerous, and I loved painting them and their quirky attributes in watercolor. I hope I have showcased their true magnificence.

Sami Bayly

Syncerus caffer

(sin-seer-us caf-er)

T hese enormous animals can grow as tall as 6 feet (1.8 m) and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds (900 kg). You can honestly say they weigh a ton! Their most unique feature is their curving horns, which look like a funny hairstyle. Both females and males have horns, and a males horns can measure up to 4 feet (about 1.25 m) from tip to tip. These horns arent just for decorationthey can also be used as weapons.

The African buffalo belongs to a group in Africa called The Big Five, alongside the lion, rhinoceros, elephant, and leopard. These are the animals known to be the most dangerous to humans. Despite their size, African buffalo can run as fast as 35 miles (57 km) per hour. When they feel threatened, they charge directly at the threat, using their large horns to toss the victim into the air.

Even though these creatures are considered extremely dangerous to humans, humans can also be extremely dangerous to them. Humans hunt them for sport and meat, but the bigger threat is to their habitat, which humans use for their own needs. In the 1800s, the African buffalo was threatened by an infectious disease called rinderpest, which greatly reduced its population. Today, it is estimated that there are about 56,000 African buffalo.

You might think that an animal this large and deadly eats a lot of other animals. But African buffalo are actually herbivores, which means they dont eat meat. Instead, they mostly graze on leaves and grasses. A buffalo eats mainly at night. After it finishes eating, it brings its partially digested meal, called cud, back up into its mouth and chews it slowly during the day.

African buffalo make their homes in the lowland rain forest, grasslands, and woodlands of the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Their habitat must have a constant source of water and supply of grasses and leaves for the herd to survive. They live and travel in groups of several hundred, which provides safety in numbers but can be life-threatening for any animal caught in the way of a stampede.