Updated September 24, 2021 8.3k votes 1.4k voters 65.3k views
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Vote up the scariest creature of one of the world's longest rivers.
The longest river in the world is going to have at least a few creepy critters as residents but some animals living in the Nile River are beyond scary. Sharp teeth, deadly venom, and things of unusual size are not uncommon sights in its waters as it flows through several countries in Africa. The Egyptians may have worshiped it, but they probably could have done without the scary animals from the Nile River.
Nile River creatures can be terrifying, and some are even blamed for a number of human deaths each year. In addition to being home to Africa's biggest crocodile, a whole bunch of horribly venomous snakes, and a little insect spreading disease all over the world, the Nile hides all kinds of crazy creatures that could maim or kill you. It's almost like a crazy complement to the scary animals found in the Amazon River. If you've ever wondered what creatures live in the Nile, here are some of the craziest.
Black mamba snakes are not named for their exterior color, but rather the inky black that appears inside their mouth. Since they are one of the world's most venomous and deadly snakes, the inside of a black mamba's mouth is not what you want to see. Their highly toxic venom can kill a person in 20 minutes if left untreated. If that's not scary enough, these deadly snakes are extremely aggressive and have the ability to move up to 12 miles per hour. When they attack, they will often strike more than once and inject a good amount of venom each time. Although there is an antivenom, it's not widely available in parts of Africa, another reason the black mamba is considered to be so deadly.
One of the scariest and most deadly creatures to live in the Nile River is the Nile crocodile. The biggest of all Africa's crocodiles, Nile crocs can weigh as much as 1,650 pounds and measure up to 20 feet long. They are extremely aggressive and skilled predators, hiding in the river, snatching their prey from the shore with their long powerful jaws, and dragging it underwater to drown. Hundreds of humans are attacked and possibly killed every year by these scary creatures, proving Nile crocodiles are opportunistic eaters and will go after whatever prey they can, regardless of species.
According to legend, it was an Egyptian cobra that bit Cleopatra and helped her commit suicide. These cobras are feared due to their extremely potent venom which has the ability to take down an adult elephant in only three hours. The venom is so toxic, it will cause paralysis while destroying the victim's nervous system, ultimately killing them due to their respiratory system shutting down. Although they will display their easily recognizable hood when threatened, they are unable to spit their venom like some other cobras. Egyptian cobras can be found in areas all over Africa, including many parts along the Nile.
Translated to "river horse", hippopotami may appear slow and dumb, but in reality they are anything but. Although they spend a lot of time in the water, they will make their way onto solid ground to consume up to 80 pounds of grass every night. That doesn't seem like very much food for the third biggest animal on Earth, which might be a reason why they can also be very crabby. Hippos can be extremely aggressive, dominating their territory to the point that crocodiles and even lions and hyenas will stay away from them. They have also been known to attack boats and people in the water, although they are usually protecting their young from threats in these cases.
The largest snake in Africa can also be found around the Nile River. African rock pythons can grow up to 20 feet long and are not known for being friendly. They can be extremely aggressive when provoked or hungry and have killed humans. Although they are not venomous snakes, they will constrict themselves around their prey, tightening their grip each time the victim exhales. Rock pythons swallow their prey whole and are able to consume animals as big as crocodiles and antelopes. Their digestive system is so sophisticated, a huge meal gives them enough to digest for an entire year.
The West Nile virus was discovered in 1937 when a woman west of the Nile in Uganda was affected. It has since spread all over the world, thanks to birds transporting it and mosquitoes passing it on. Malaria is another disease which can be partially blamed on mosquitoes and even though there is a cure, the World Health Organization reports it still causes somewhere around one million deaths each year. Since mosquitoes incubate their larvae in water, the Nile River is most likely home to many of these blood suckers. Since 90% of the all the malaria cases in the world appear in Africa, perhaps it's mosquitos which are the most deadly thing around the Nile.
