Can't Touch This: Ten Cute but Dangerous Animals

In the animal kingdom, looks can be deceiving. A seemingly huggable creature with big brown eyes and fluffy fur could be a deadly killing machine in disguise. People are repeatedly warned to respect animals to avoid injury; but for some, that advice is easily forgotten when there is an "oh so cute" animal just waiting to be petted. In an effort to preserve your fingers (and other body parts), here are 10 cute but dangerous animals.

1. The Slow Loris: Never heard of it? Oh, it's adorable! Look at the video to see for yourself. This endangered primate can be found in Borneo and the Southern Philippines through Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Southern China and Thailand. It can also be found as a pet, albeit an illegal one. Its big eyes, cute face, tiny little hands and slow nature make it one of the heaviest trafficked animals for exotic pet seekers who don't mind that, by keeping a Loris as a pet, they are pushing them further into extinction. I guess to some selfish people, owning a creature that enjoys a good tickle (as seen in this YouTube video) makes all moral responsibility to the species disappear.

But this cute little guy has a surprise, a toxic surprise. The Slow Loris is one of the world's few venomous mammals. In their elbows are special glands that produce a poison that, when licked, mixes with their saliva. They then either lick their young to protect them from predators or bite a predator allowing the contaminated saliva to seep into the wound. This is quite painful and can lead to anaphylaxis. Not so cute now, huh?

2. The Pig: When Fern saved Wilbur and raised him from a piglet, everyone was in awws. Can you blame them? The idea of a cute, tiny pink pig with its adorable curly tail drinking from a baby bottle is enough to warm even the coldest hearts. That's why Babe, Gordy and the pig in this video seem so lovable. Pigs are funny, smart and charming, especially as piglets.

Pigs have a dark side, however. They tend to get violent when frightened or while protecting their young. Carolyn Robinson learned this the hard way when she was attacked by a startled pig while out riding in 2006. The pig charged full speed at her horse, which caused the horse to buck, throwing off its rider. Then, the pig focused its attention on the already injured woman, pushing her back down when she'd attempt to get up and biting her legs. She spent two days in the hospital to recover from her injuries.

Also, pigs will eat just about anything. This includes human babies if given the chance. Don't believe me? Read this: Pigs Eat Baby in Nigeria.

3. The Swan: The epitome of grace and beauty, the swan is one of the last animals we'd imagine to be anything other than elegant. Tranquil ponds and romantic scenes wouldn't be complete without a pair of white swans floating peacefully along. When they put their heads together, their long curved necks form a heart, making them all the more symbolic of love. These birds are lovely. Just look here for proof. There's nothing I could possibly say to make you think otherwise, right?

Wrong! Swans are prone to aggression and very territorial. Just ask this unlucky bride who upset the wrong bird. Though I don't believe swans are responsible for any human deaths yet, they have caused alarm to those canoeing through their territory. Not only do they attack by flying at perceived threats at full speed and biting them, they'll also try to drown you if given the chance: "They are known to fly up over and try to keep something underwater if they perceive it as threat." Check this out to read more about these mean birds and the boaters that encounter them.

4. The Vampire Bat: Okay, you may not think they are cute, but I do. I mean, just look at the little guys in this pic; like a pair of sweet little flying mice with pig snouts. And you may already fear bats, but if you're like me, you've been hearing a bunch of pro-bat propaganda over the years. The bat enthusiasts and some zoos would like you to think that bats are just given a bad rep by folklore of the undead but are essentially not dangerous. While I'll admit that they will not turn into Dracula in the night nor are humans their main blood source, that doesn't make them harmless. What's the problem?

Rabies. In Peru, cases of rabies in humans have exploded and the bats are to blame. Vampire bat populations are higher than ever thanks to an increased food supply in the region. Though cattle are their usual prey, in areas where livestock is sparse, the bats are prone to biting humans. With this bite comes the rabies virus. Since the bite itself is, for the most part, painless, many people don't even realize they've been bitten until it's too late.

5. The Blue Ringed Octopus: Though not exactly cute in the cuddly sense, the blue ringed octopus is tiny and beautiful. Its amazing rings flash a rich blue as you can see in this picture. They can be found in tide pools on the southern coast of Australia but are nocturnal, so not many people actually come in contact with them. Should you run across this tiny vividly colored octopus, you may think to grab it to take home to your salt water tank.

That would be a deadly mistake. The Blue Ringed Octopus is incredibly venomous; its venom is 10,000 times more toxic than cyanide. Once bitten, the fast acting poison leads to loss of sight, taste and touch immediately. Without quick treatment, the paralysis will cause suffocation because the body will no longer breathe on its own. There is no antivenom, but a person could survive with 24-hours on assisted breathing until the poison works its way out of their body. That is, if they were able to get help quickly enough. If not, they will die paralyzed without being able to even call for help.

6. The Leopard Seal: Seals are cute! They have a sweet kitty cat nose, big dark eyes and those silly flippers that make them look like someone mixed a kitten, calf and a dolphin into a big, blubbery ball of cuteness. Look at this picture. Don't you just want to reach out and pet him? I bet that fur is super soft. Just ignore that whole "Antarctica's Top Predator" thing.

You read that correctly. The leopard seal is tied with the Killer Whale for top predatory animal in Antarctica. They enjoy a diet of fish, penguins and other seals and don't often attack humans, but it has happened. A marine biologist in Antarctica was pulled under water and drowned by an angry leopard seal she had encountered while snorkeling. As more humans frequent the region for research, scientists fear an increase of these incidents.

7. The Raccoon: What a sweet little bandit! Who doesn't like a raccoon? Sure, they can be a nuisance when they turn over your trash or steal your food while camping, but their adorable little masked faces make up for all that. They seem so pet-worthy; if you could ever get a hold of one you just know you and he'd be friends forever. Seriously, they even smell daisies; watch this video. Does it get any cuter? I think not!

Oh, but they may attack the crap out of you. Shocking? It happened to a Florida woman who fell while trying to shoo a group of them off her patio. As the sheriff reported, in a warning to the public: "When she fell down, they enveloped her...She's literally bitten and scratched from her face and chest all the way down through the legs." You can read the complete story here.

While raccoon gang attacks are uncommon, there have been many cases of raccoons attacking either while attempting to get food or without provocation at all. The latter is the scariest. Raccoons are known to carry a fast-spreading strand of rabies and the infected animals are more likely to attack with little to no reason.

8. The Dolphin: They charm you with a smile; dolphins love to play, talk and interact with humans. Some people even believe they have special healing powers. Swimming with dolphins can be a therapeutic and enlightening experience. It may be their eyes, their smiling face, their playful nature or their intelligence, but dolphins have won their way into our hearts. They are charismatic creatures; like a popular kid in school, everyone wants a dolphin as their friend.

They may also drown your wife while attempting to steal her away and mate with her. In 2002 CNN reported that an amorous dolphin was targeting swimmers in Weymouth, England. Swimmers were being warned to stay away from the dolphin because "When dolphins get sexually excited, they try to isolate a swimmer, normally female. They do this by circling around the individual and gradually move them away from the beach, boat or crowd of people." When dolphins get sexually aroused, they become rough. The swimmer may not be able to escape from the 400 lbs animal and drown.

As added allure, dolphins are also aggressive thieves and practitioners of infanticide. Watch this YouTube video about New Zealand's Moko the dolphin and his aggressiveness as he steals surf boards and harasses beachgoers. If that's not bad enough, dolphins have been known to murder baby dolphins and other small porpoises for reasons that remain unknown and flip their bodies playfully in the air. To read more about that, go here. Still cute?

9. The Chimpanzee: They are almost like little people, aren't they? Especially if their owner dresses them in clothes, a diaper, and tries to teach them to brush their teeth. Watch this video. Isn't he funny? Like a real life version of Curious George trying to figure out dental hygiene.

Keeping an exotic non-domesticated animal is never a good idea, however. Sandra Herold learned this the hard way when, in Feburary 2009, her pet Travis, a 200 lbs chimpanzee attacked her friend and employee Charla Nash. On the frantic telephone call to 911, Herold said the chimp had "ripped" Nash apart and "was eating her". Paramedics who arrived on the scene found pieces of Nash's fingers on the floor saying it looked as if they'd been through a meat grinder.

Remarkably, Nash survived the attack, but her injuries have left her disfigured. She has lost both of her eyes, both hands, her nose and lips because of this attack. She must now drink her meals using a straw through a small hole where her mouth used to be. Though she wears a veil to avoid "scaring people" and insults, she removed it on Oprah to make the public aware of the dangers of keeping such an animal as a pet. You can view the Huffington Post's coverage of Nash's appearance on Oprah, but the images are graphic, so know be prepared before you click.

10. The House Cat: "O NOES! Y r teh kittehs on teh list?!" Any fan of LOLCats knows that cats are sweet, funny and communicate hilariously in LOLSpeak. Cat owners think of their pets as people, soft furry people, who calmly purr and melt away the cares of the day. Sure they may get demanding at times, shed fur everywhere and scratch the furniture, but all-in-all they are great pets.

They may also be plotting to kill you. Quick! Look here! Okay, that was an obvious joke, but cats can still kill you and your unborn children. No, it's not something they're plotting. It's actually a parasite they may be carrying that can be transferred through their feces. Say hello to Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasma gondii causes toxoplasmosis, a condition that shows no obvious effects on healthy adults (though it can cause some freaky latent effects). If you're a pregnant woman, however, a new infection of toxoplasmosis can be devastating to the health of your unborn child. It causes birth defects of the eyes and brain and could even lead to a still birth or miscarriage. Those undergoing chemotherapy and others with weakened immune systems better watch out as well. Toxoplasmosis can lead to seizures, vision problems, coma and death. After cleaning the litter box, remember to wash your hands!

To learn more freaky facts about Toxoplasmosis, check out this article.

So there you have it: ten animals that look cute but can be dangerous. Next time you try to jump in the ocean to pet a dolphin, go beach combing and decide to pick up an animal that looks cool, or try to play with a helpless little raccoon, remember this article and think twice. And always wash your hands after cleaning up Kitty's box!

Sources not linked in article:

Slow Loris

1. Mongabay.com- YouTube Videos May Be Imperiling Cuddly Primate
2. Duke University- Slow Loris
3. Guardian- Slow Loris: Eyes May Be Cute, But The Elbows Are Absolutely Lethal
4. Naturwissenschaften: Venom of the Slow Loris

Pig

1. Daily Mail: Nurse 'Savaged' By Enraged Giant Pig

Swan (All sources in article)

Vampire Bat

1. National Geographic: Vampire Bats Biting People

Blue Ringed Octopus

1. World's Deadliest Animals: Blue Ringed Octopus

Leopard Seal

1. National Geographic News: Leopard Seal Kills Scientist in Antarctica

Raccoon:

1. Mercury News: Man Might Lose Finger After Attack By Raccoon in Bakersfield Museum
2. Field and Stream: When Raccoons Attack

Dolphin

1.CNN: Amorous Dolphin Targeting Swimmers

Chimpanzee

1.ABC News: Victim of Chimp Attack Shows Destroyed Face on Oprah

Cat (All sources in article)