Animals are truly amazing in how they've adapted to survive, such as the weirdest deep-sea creatures ever discovered that can survive at depths that not many other organisms can. Some animals are dangerous and stealthy, having adapted silent killing techniques that allow them to sneak up on prey without being noticed until it's too late.
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These types of animals are called ambush predators. They stake out their prey, hiding in trees, tall grasses, or even in the water before ambushing their prey and making the kill.
While they don't usually prey on people, you should watch these animals closely when exploring natural areas because they may attack if they feel threatened. Here are ten stealthy predators with silent kill tactics that will give you nightmares.
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10 Owls
Owls have exceptional eyesight and hearing
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Owls encompass a wide range of species found on every continent except Antarctica. From tiny pygmy owls, one of the most incredible animals in Sequoia National Park, to great gray owls and snowy owls, all owls have silent kill tactics that don't necessarily make them dangerous to humans, but tiny songbirds and mice beware!
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Most owls hunt at night and have exceptional eyesight and hearing, which allows them to pinpoint sounds in low-light conditions. They also have excellent eyesight, allowing them to see their prey quickly.
But owls' biggest advantage is their soft feathers that muffle sounds while flying, allowing them to silently swoop down on their prey, usually mice and small rodents.
Northern pygmy owls are different from most in that they hunt during the day. They also primarily eat songbirds, which the owls ambush. However, songbirds often fight back and mob the pygmy owl in large groups.
Scientific Name
Strigiformes
Where They Are Found
Worldwide except Antarctica
Size
Varies
Lifespan
Up to 30 years
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9 Cheetahs
Their speed allows them to watch animals from a distance
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Some ambush predators sneak up on their prey until they get close enough to pounce. But cheetahs have an advantage over other predators that allows them to watch animals from a distance: their speed.
As one of the fastest animals on Earth, once they spot their prey (primarily antelope), cheetahs can charge from 60 to 100 meters away before reaching full speed and making the kill. Cheetahs can reach speeds of up to 75 miles per hour.
But they can only run at this speed for about 250 meters, making it crucial to catch their prey before tiring out. This has a downside, though. If they do manage to catch and kill their prey, they often have to catch their breath before eating it, which makes them vulnerable to getting their prey stolen by other predators.
Did you know? Cheetahs are not considered "big cats". Not only are they smaller than most big cats, but they also can't roar like other big cats. Instead, cheetahs can purr, making them more like large and dangerous house cats. However, they also have smaller jaws and teeth, meaning killing their prey takes longer than killing a lion or leopard.
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Scientific Name
Acinonyx jubatus
Where They Are Found
Africa and Iran
Size
Up to 4.5 feet long and 140 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 10 years
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8 Gray Wolves
Wolves are known to hunt in packs
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Gray wolves are one of the most incredible animals in Yellowstone National Park and some of the most efficient silent hunters. They hunt in large groups to increase the chance of success and decrease the chance of injury.
You would think this would make them more likely to be noticed by prey (primarily hooved animals such as elk and deer), but it helps keep them safe from hooves and antlers. While gray wolves howl to gather other wolves before hunting, they do not use vocalization when they hunt.
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Instead, they communicate with body language, often wagging their tails and perking up when they see prey, which they find using their sense of smell and exceptional hearing.
Each wolf in the hunt also has a specific role, such as approaching the prey from behind while others attack from the front. It's proven to be a very successful system for the wolves.
Scientific Name
Canis lupus
Where They Are Found
North America
Size
Up to 5 feet long and 110 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 13 years
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7 Leopards
One of the most notorious silent hunters
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Leopards are known for their stealth and silence while hunting. They are great at hiding, as they can use camouflage to hide in trees or in tall grasses in Africa and Asia, where they live.
Leopards can silently stalk their prey for a long distance, moving closer and closer and waiting in an ambush position until they are ready to pounce. Leopards have large, sharp canine teeth that kill prey quickly.
Once they've made the kill, they can also carry their prey into trees, preventing other predators from stealing it. Some of their preferred prey, antelopes and gazelles, can weigh more than the leopard does, and the leopard can carry them with ease.
However, leopards will not chase their prey because they don't have the speed and stamina of some other animals, so if they can't surprise the prey animal for whatever reason, they forget about it and move on.
Scientific Name
Panthera pardus
Where They Are Found
Africa and Asia
Size
Up to 5.5 feet long and 165 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 15 years
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6 Jaguar
These solitary animals hunt primarily at night
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Jaguars, the larger relative of the leopard, live primarily in South and Central America and Mexico. Jaguars prefer to be by themselves except during mating season, and they are very elusive.
Jaguars are nocturnal, hunting primarily at night, with their most significant advantage being camouflage and their excellent night vision. Like leopards, jaguars can stalk their prey (mainly capybaras, peccaries, deer, and tapirs) for a long time, waiting stealthily before ambushing them.
Jaguars have the strongest bite of any big cat, allowing them to kill animals such as crocodiles if needed. Unlike other big cats that bite at the throat of their prey, jaguars usually bite prey at the back of the skull.
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Scientific Name
Panthera onca
Where They Are Found
North and South America
Size
Up to 6 feet long and 350 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 15 years
5 Lions
Lions can hunt alone or in groups
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Lions have several hunting techniques that allow them to kill prey efficiently. First, they can easily blend in with the tall grasses of the African savanna or in the Indian Gir forest, which allows them to go unnoticed by prey. They also have large feet and paw pads, which enable them to walk quietly.
But lions can also hunt by themselves or in groups. They primarily hunt in groups when trying to take down a larger animal, such as a buffalo.
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Lions have two methods of silent hunting. They either wait in the tall grass until prey approaches, then ambush them, or move slowly and quietly until they get close enough to prey to strike.
They will usually only chase prey up to 50 meters before giving up. Interestingly, female lions do most of the hunting, but males usually kill larger prey. Lions may also steal kills from other animals, such as cheetahs.
Scientific Name
Panthera leo
Where They Are Found
Africa
Size
Up to 7 feet long and 570 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 15 years
4 Mountain Lions
Mountain lions are both stealthy and have impressive abilities
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As one of the most dangerous animals in America's national parks, mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, are stealthy predators often unnoticed by humans and other animals, giving them the nickname "ghost cats."
Mountain lions primarily hunt at night, waiting for prey to approach or stalking it silently. They have large paws and paw pads that enable them to move quietly. Mountain lions have impressive abilities that allow them to catch prey and kill it with a bite to the spinal cord.
They can run up to 50 miles per hour, jump up to 40 feet while running, and climb 15 feet up a tree. It's hard for prey such as deer to outrun a mountain lion. While mountain lions don't prey on humans, they may attack if threatened. Even humans can't outrun a mountain lion.
If you see a mountain lion, you should look as big and threatening as possible while making noise and backing away slowly. Never turn around and run from a mountain lion, as they may see it as a chase, increasing their chances of attacking you.
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Scientific Name
Puma concolor
Where They Are Found
North and South America
Size
Up to 8 feet long and 180 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 10 years
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3 Tigers
Like other big cats, tigers primarily hunt at night
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Tigers are found only in Asia but are among the most powerful big cats and intimidating. Tigers are solitary animals that primarily hunt at night, using camouflage to blend into their surroundings and their large and soft paw pads to move silently.
Like other big cats, tigers lie in wait for prey to approach or stalk it quietly, using their incredible sight and hearing. But tigers have an advantage that other big cats don't. Tigers are known to love water and are very efficient swimmers. So, they can even follow prey such as deer and cattle into the water and catch and eat fish.
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When tigers kill, they also don't eat their prey all at once. Instead, they eat intermittently for up to 4 days, often hiding their prey to protect it from other predators. However, tigers rarely scavenge off of already dead animals, preferring to do the killing themselves.
Scientific Name
Panthera tigris
Where They Are Found
Asia
Size
Up to 10 feet long and 660 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 15 years
2 Great White Sharks
Great white sharks have a sixth sense
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Great white sharks are one of the most fearsome ocean predators, and it makes sense why. Not only do they have sharp teeth that can crush, grasp, and rip open prey, but they also have six senses.
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In addition to sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste, great whites also have electromagnetism, which allows them to detect weak electromagnetic fields given off by their prey and find prey hidden under sand or other objects or in murky water.
But great white sharks are also stealthy. They position themselves below their prey undetected and then swim at high speeds towards the prey. They can also jump out of the water to catch prey such as seals, although this hunting technique is rarely used because it is much easier to catch smaller prey such as fish.
They may also ram their prey. Finally, great white sharks can store blubber inside their bodies, allowing them to feed off whales and seals for a long time.
Scientific Name
Carcharodon carcharias
Where They Are Found
Oceans worldwide
Size
Up to 21 feet long and 7,500 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 70 years
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1 Crocodiles
One of few animals that may prey on humans
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Crocodiles are one of the deadliest animals that kill the most humans annually. They are opportunistic hunters, which means they lie in wait and prey on whatever happens to walk by.
Sometimes, this means unsuspecting humans. However, crocodiles often mistake humans for other prey instead of intentionally hunting them. Either way, crocodiles are dangerous because they can kill on land and in water.
Crocodiles often go unnoticed because they can hide underwater, pouncing on prey when it wanders by. But they can also hunt on land, sitting perfectly still (and often looking like a log) until prey walks by.
Crocodiles are also highly territorial and may attack animals or humans that come close to their nest. Saltwater crocodiles have the strongest bite force of any animal, but you want to be on your toes in any area where crocodiles are known to be present.
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Scientific Name
Crocodylus
Where They Are Found
Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas
Size
Up to 23 feet long and 2,200 pounds
Lifespan
Up to 70 years
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