Page 30 - (DK) Danger! Open with Extreme Caution!

HOW ABOUT A DIP?

Do you like to be beside the seaside? Be wary: there may be something
in the waves. You don’t have to go very far to wade into dangerous
waters. A whole poolfull of potentially perilous creatures lurks
just off the world’s coastlines and riverbanks. They may
seem relatively harmless, but they have been known
to attack people without provocation. Take a look
at some of the most beastly of these
bathing beasts.

HIPPOPOTAMUS

Found throughout
sub-Saharan Africa,
the horrible hippo has
earned a terrible reputation
for its vicious attacks.
Its enormous bulk makes
it a formidable foe, and it
is surprisingly agile, able
to tip over boats and munch
the former occupants with
its huge teeth. On land,
a hippo can charge at you and
swing its head like a hammer ELECTRIC EEL
to bash you into oblivion. Ready for a shock? This predator can
stun its prey into submission by releasing
a 600-volt burst of electricity. Organs
on its body store electricity like batteries
between attacks. An eel’s shock is not
actually powerful enough to kill a human
outright, but you might suffer a heart
attack or drown in the aftermath.

WEEVER FISH
This small sand-colored fish is not a great
swimmer. Instead, it lies buried on the seabed
with just a fin sticking out until something tasty
swims by. If you should step on a weever fish,
its spines will pump venom into your foot.
FLOWER SEA URCHIN A sizzle of pure pain will shoot through your
body as your foot turns red and swells up
Small and spiny, these creatures
make their way across the bottom like a foot-shaped balloon.
of a tidal pool munching on algae.
Some of their spines are capable of
releasing venom as they pinch their
prey, presenting a prickly problem:
the venom causes extreme pain and
can lead to death. Blooming awful.

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(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.