Five Real-Life Monsters Among Us

The human imagination has created its fair share of monsters throughout history, from the Loch Ness monster to mythical sea serpents. But today, with our extensive biological knowledge, we can confidently say there's no need to imagine monsters: real creatures with monstrous traits inhabit our planet. Here are five of the most notable ones.

1. The Giant Squid – While most squids are only a few centimeters long and not particularly terrifying, the giant squid is in a class of its own. They've been measured at 13 meters long, with claims that they can reach up to 20 meters. The giant squid has between eight to ten tentacles, lined with sharp protrusions that help it crush its prey. However, it's the squid's eyes that are truly chilling: the largest of any living creature, spanning up to 30 centimeters in diameter! The squid is elusive and hard to catch: until 2005, only dead squids had been photographed. It wasn't until 2005 that scientists managed to film a live squid 900 meters below the surface near Japan's coast.

2. Goliath Birdeater – This is the rather descriptive name of the most horrifying spider you'll ever see, a type of tarantula. It can weigh up to 170 grams and have a leg span of 30 centimeters. As its name suggests, the Goliath is capable of eating birds, though it prefers insects, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. There have been documented cases of Goliath tarantulas eating lizards, bats, and even venomous snakes. Incidentally, the Goliath is usually a female - while females live up to 25 years, males die young as they are often eaten by the females. Did we mention it has venomous fangs? Best to keep your distance.

3. Vampire Bat – The vampire bat inspired the entire vampire genre, from Dracula to modern tales. It's likely no author would have dreamt up a blood-sucking flying creature without the existence of these actual blood-sucking bats. Vampires bat feed exclusively on blood. Every night, under the cover of darkness, they search for food: sleeping people, animals, or birds. Once a bat finds a suitable victim, it lands and hops toward it: the vampire bat is the only bat capable of walking. Upon reaching the victim, it bites with razor-sharp teeth and licks the blood. The bite also secretes a toxin that keeps the wound open and bleeding. Fortunately, you're unlikely to encounter this bloodsucker: they mostly reside in caves in Central and South America.

4. Burmese Python – Many people have nightmares about snakes, but the most terrifying snake in the most horrendous nightmare is indeed real, and it's called the Burmese python. It's genuinely a giant snake, reaching lengths of fifteen meters and weighing up to 450 kilograms. All that mass is used effectively by the snake to coil its giant body around its victim and strangle it to death. After the victim is dead, it swallows it whole with the help of a remarkably flexible jaw. These snakes, primarily found in Southeast Asia, are now considered endangered. But if you ever encounter one, you might find it hard to believe that between the two of you – the snake is the one in danger...

5. Nile Crocodile – Known for being prevalent in the Nile, the Nile crocodile is also found throughout other parts of Africa. This crocodile can grow between 3.5 to 5.5 meters, but its size isn't the monstrous part. These crocodiles are nature's serial killers: they'll kill anything that doesn't appear bigger than them, including humans. Crocodile packs have previously wiped out huge animals like rhinos without a second thought. However, what's truly concerning is their appetite for human flesh: they are responsible for hundreds of human deaths each year.