Canada has some truly magnificent wildlife. Many of the most spectacular species that can be found around the country are among the largest mammals in the world.
The blue whale, the moose, the polar bear: these are animals you wouldn't want to mess with. (The blue whale is a gentle and shy creature, but still...swimming next to the largest animal in the world? No thanks...).
But danger can also be found in the smallest, seemingly inocuous crevices. Toxic creatures roam the southern part of Canada.
Here is a list of 7 such creatures and just what their venom will do to you:
1. The Massassauga Rattlesnake
Common to southern Ontario, the only poisonous snake in the province is actually pretty shy and will most likely flee in the face of danger. But if threatened, it will strike. A meter in length, the snake can induce necrosis and blood-clotting with its venom. Untreated bites can be fatal.
2. The Black Widow Spider
The famous spider can be found all along the U.S.-Canada border, including southern Quebec. Black Widow Spider bites are rarely fatal but symptoms include severe abdominal pain and muscle spasms.
3. The Canadian Toad
Cute-looking but dangerous, its toxins can cause eye-irritation and, according to this source, illness if ingested. But who would want to eat this thing? Its range includes almost all of the province of Alberta.
4. The Hickory Tussock Caterpillar
This hairy, five-centimeter-long critter gives me the shivers. More cringeworthy still, it delivers its toxin through the hairs that cover its body. If it brushes you, you can expect stinging and itching at the site of contact.
5. The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
The habitat of this rattlesnake includes the drier areas at the interior of British Columbia. It will shake its tail before attacking, but its venom inflicts cramps, nausea, and shortness of breath.
6. The Brown Recluse Spider
Yeah no. The Brown Recluse is rare in Canada, preferring the swampy areas around the Mississippi-Missouri river system. In my opinion, it should feel free to stay there. Still, some have made their way into the southern part of the country. The only thing more terrifying than its face is its venom, which can be fatal.
7. The Io Moth Caterpillar
This bright-green caterpillar resembles a vegetable. But its spikes deliver a poison that causes an intense burning sensation. The Io moth crawls across all of southern Quebec.
