Awesome Nature #10

Stonefish
Type: Fish Lives In: Indian and Pacific Oceans Conservation Status: Least Concern

As amusing as they often are, I think I've probably featured enough cutesy animals here for a while and this menacing brute is about as different as it's possible to get! There are a few different kinds of stonefish but they are all highly venomous - the most venomous of all fish in fact. To make matters worse, they live in most of the shallow areas, both marine and river, across the Indian and Pacific oceans and any surrounding countries, especially coral reefs. This means it's not too difficult to accidentally step on one and suffer a large injection of venom from the row of spines along their backs, particularly since they've frequently very hard to spot. Excruciating pain and swelling comes soon after and their venom can be fatal if not treated. So if you're from any countries in their range, beware - even wearing thick-soled sandals may not be enough to stop these monstrous creatures!

Why It Is Awesome: It's like a sea-ninja!