Blue Jays: Are They Dangerous?

For most folks who live anywhere in the United States, the blue jay is a common sight in your yard.

From the loud, screeching calls to their bully-like behavior at the bird feeder, these corvids are definitely unique and ubiquitous in their typical range.

But these birds are also known to cause quite a commotion, and plenty of people report that blue jays have even attacked them before for seemingly no reason.

Could this be true? And more importantly, are blue jays dangerous?

No. Blue jays are not dangerous, although they’re known to attack people that get too close to their nests, or to food sources that they frequent. A peck from a blue jay will hurt, but will not cause any significant injury.

The worst thing a blue jay can do to you is give you a sharp peck on the head. And make no mistake, they’re a lot more likely to do that than many other bird species!

But aside from that, the only real risk they pose to you is to your mental health thanks to their loud, squealing calls.

Keep reading and I’ll tell you a lot more about blue jays and their sometimes aggressive behavior below…

Blue Jay Overview, Temperament and Habitat

Blue jays are among the largest, most common and most instantly recognizable songbirds in North America.

They also happen to be among the most intelligent, as befits any bird belonging to the family Corvidae. Blue jays count among their cousins crows and ravens, and like those birds Blue jays are extremely crafty.

But with that intellect also comes a tendency to bully, or if you wanted to be kind, you might say that blue jays are very assertive.

Blue jays are known to remember many different locations of food which they will service day in and day out, and much of the time they will work hard to keep other birds, and even other animals like squirrels, away from their food!

It isn’t out of the question that blue jays will even try to run you away from their food sources!

Aside from being food aggressive blue jays are also known to vigorously defend their nesting areas, whether or not they are nested in a tree.

Blue jays are notorious for dive-bombing people and other animals that get too close to their nest site.

The beak of a blue jay is strong and optimized for breaking into all sorts of tougher foods, so they can give you a pretty mean peck, certainly enough to break your skin.

Blue jays are also known as nest raiders; taking eggs, chicks and even whole parts of a nest away from other birds, and that means they typically don’t get along with most other species.

Although the diet of a blue jay rarely contains more than the occasional egg or chick, it is still sufficient enough to make them significant nest predators of other songbirds.

The aggressiveness and intelligence of the blue jay, combined with its tendency to dominate food sources and run off other birds has led to them being classified as pests by some folks.

Do Blue Jays Protect Their Territory?

Yes! Blue jays are among the most territorial songbirds, and are infamous for defending their preferred food sources, nesting areas, or even their preferred roosting trees from other birds and even much larger animals, people included.

Listen for the shrill, whining warning call of a blue jay that is nearby and you’ll know it is getting irritated and preparing to do something about it.

Do Blue Jays Act Aggressively Toward Each Other?

Sometimes. Blue jays tend to get along with others of their own kind, as is easily evidenced by the crest on their head.

Any blue jay that is calm and comfortable will have its crest lying down, almost indistinguishable from the rest of the feathers on its head and neck.

But blue jays that are alerted or aggravated will have a crest standing up proud, and the greater the agitation the more frazzled the crest will look.

If you ever see two blue jays fighting, it’s probably males getting into it over access to females during the mating season or due to crowding considerations when it comes to nesting.

Otherwise it is common to see blue jays eating or congregating in small groups peaceably.

Do Blue Jays Threaten People?

Blue jays will threaten people, yes, but people have little to fear from blue jays in general.

Many blue jays will readily start to swoop and peck at humans that get too close to their nesting site, or ones that linger too long near their preferred food source.

Blue jays will even strike at people persistently in an effort to drive them off!

However, people really don’t have much to worry about from blue jays because the chances of any kind of significant injury are very low.

Have There Been Recorded Blue Jay Attacks on People?

Yes, plenty, and all the time. There are mountains of anecdotal stories about blue jays attacking people in their own yards or as they walk down the sidewalk.

Blue jays have a definite and distinct idea of what constitutes “their territory” and they generally won’t put up with people being in it.

Also, every once in a blue moon, pardon the pun, you’ll hear a news story about a particularly aggressive blue jay that turns into a veritable local terror, attacking people and pets indiscriminately. Many times, these birds have to be relocated…

What Will Trigger a Blue Jay Attack on a Person?

The #1 thing you can do to prompt a blue jay to attack you is to come too close to its nesting site.

Blue jays rarely hesitate to alert and then attack any interloper coming near their nest, be it another bird, a mammal or even a person.

Note that even if their nest is high up in a tree, just coming too close to the tree itself might be enough to trigger an attack, and the chances of an attack go up proportionally with your proximity to the nest.

This can be especially likely if the blue jays been forced to nest closer to the ground.

With a lack of taller trees, blue jays will quickly and easily nest in larger mailboxes, bushes, and any other locations of opportunity. This means you might wind up a whole lot closer to a blue jays nest than anticipated.

Other than nesting site concerns, blue jays will sometimes get very possessive over their chosen feeding location.

Well-stocked bird feeders and any other areas where people scatter seeds or other food will become frequent hangouts for blue jays.

Just How Strong is a Blue Jay?

Blue jays are not strong, not compared to humans at any rate!

These birds are intelligent problem-solvers, and ones with particularly stout beaks that are suitable for cracking open nuts, but their strength will count for nothing next to yours.

Can Blue Jays Bite?

No, not really. It’s unlikely that a blue jay can open its beak wide enough to properly bite you, and even if they do you aren’t really worried about the bite, per se.

A blue jay’s best form of defense using its beak is to actually peck you, a task they are well suited for since their beak is so strong and sharp.

What Does a Blue Jay Attack Look Like?

A blue jay attack will start out with a shrill, screaming alarm call, followed by repeated close dives past you.

If you are lucky, that is all they will do, but after a dive or two, they tend to start pecking at your head while flogging you with their wings and screaming the entire time.

This, naturally, is very stressful and can be painful. A sharp crack from a blue jay’s beak is likely to pierce the skin and give you a small wound, although serious injuries are almost unheard of.

How Do You Respond to a Blue Jay Attack?

The best thing you can do if attacked by a blue jay is just to get away from it, or rather get away from wherever you suspect its nest actually is.

As soon as you put enough distance between you and the bird’s territory, it should leave you alone.

There’s not much more you can do except to protect your head; getting pecked in the eye will definitely ruin your day and might be medically significant.

However, if for whatever reason the blue jay won’t leave you alone or is terrorizing a child or something you can easily dispatch the bird with one solid blow; they are as tiny, frail and fragile as any other songbird.

Will a Blue Jay Eat a Person?!

No. Blue jays are omnivorous, but they aren’t going to eat people. Aside from the occasional bird egg, chick and every now and then another tiny mammal or other animal, blue jays really aren’t capable of eating any meat taken from larger creatures. We are just too big.

Can People Catch Diseases from Blue Jays?

Generally not. Even when handling a blue jay for whatever reason, the only thing you need to worry about are common bird parasites like fleas, ticks, mites, and the like.

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Lucid Dreaming | reality checks improved. A new way to distinguish.

Years ago I use to look at my hands, and check the lines on my hands. This was my go to for a long time. I would turn my hands back around and check if the lines changed. If they changed I was dreaming. This took advantage of a quirk in the dream space which is words and lines that are complex tend to re arrange. After doing this several times, it did fail to where the lines on my hands either didn't change anymore or where I didn't notice it. As my process was more refined I moved away from reality checks because I found a big flaw in them. They relied a lot on logic. But I noticed that logic is very changeable in the dream space along with memory of what logic is.

The mind will often fight your attempt to be lucid, and it gets good at mimicking the reality checks almost like an immune system response it adapts to what you are doing. So I found that reality checks would be unreliable long term. I needed a less labor intensive, more reliable test that wasn't based on logic.

This is when I considered my flying ability in dreams. Often the first thing I would do is start flying. I figured that the best way to distinguish for certain without a doubt that I was in a dream, was simply put my arms out in front of me and fly. If I could fly, it was obviously a dream. As I have not learnt to fly in real life. Yet ;)

Anyway this test proved to be the most reliable thing I can think of. Often the dream space is so real and convincing that without that flying test, I would be skeptical if I was dreaming. But once I do the flying test, there is no doubt anymore, no matter how real my mind has made it. I think for me personally, this has trumped any chance of getting confused in the dream about if it's real.

The reason this works so well is it's not based on logic, but on faith ability. When I am awake I never try to fly because I know that would be a complete failure, so this is how it is different from traditional reality checks. It is not so much a reality check as a confirmation about where you are. Often when I go to do the flying test, I already a little skeptical enough to go into lucidity. This is about the same suspicion you have before you do a reality check.

Example
I wake up from my bedroom and I go to the bathroom. I switch the bathroom light on. I struggle with it. I go into my lounge room and flick the light on there. Nothing happened. No light coming on. I thought for a moment is something wrong with the fuse box or a black out. Then the idea hit me. When you are dreaming sometimes light switches don't work. (I attribute my mind recognising this only to the fact of study and observation, otherwise it wouldn't be a concept). At this point I am skeptical, but it's not certain because it 'feels' exceptionally real. The realness of this experience always shocks me. It doesn't feel like a dream at all. This is the time I try the flying test, I take that leap of faith (Already suspecting it's a dream) and I put my arms out and do the flying thing, I find myself hovering at my front lawn. That is when it is confirmed, you are definitely in that "space". This is where that feeling of complete freedom hits you. I'm still not use to it. It feels very free. After having this experience, you basically need it in your life on a regular basis. It becomes like oxygen to you.

As you work through your dream experiences, you are working on yourself personally. It will change you. For me I cannot do regular reality checks. maybe I might go back to them again, as an experiment, but I don't really feel the need to go that much deeper into them, other than this philosophical analysis.

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Chipmunks: Are They Dangerous?

It is hard to imagine any animal being less dangerous than a chipmunk. From their beautiful, striped fur to those adorably chubby cheeks that carry food back to their burrows, chipmunks are among the most charismatic rodents on Earth.

Arguably it is only squirrels that have better publicity.

They are so tiny and delicate, it’s hard to imagine them being a threat to anything bigger than a sunflower seed, but looks can be deceiving. Are chipmunks actually dangerous?

No, chipmunks aren’t dangerous. A chipmunk that is trapped or grabbed may bite, but aside from that and the possible transmission of infectious diseases, chipmunks are completely harmless to people.

Chipmunks, like most of their rodent brethren, have impressively sharp and capable teeth that can definitely injure you, but barring the risk of infection this bite is not going to inflict any serious harm.

Chipmunks are well-known pest animals in some places, and they can transmit diseases, so you want to know how to deal with them and more importantly how they can try to deal with you if it comes down to it. Keep reading and I’ll tell you a lot more about chipmunks…

Chipmunk Overview, Temperament and Habitat

Chipmunks are a small species of terrestrial or semi-arboreal rodent.

Instantly recognizable from their small size, rarely measuring longer than half a foot from end to end, they have distinctive longitudinal, light-colored stripes running across their tan or brown fur, and usually have darker, speckled contrast markings along this length.

Chipmunks tend to be active during the daytime, sleeping at night in an underground burrow with multiple exits, a larder for food, and a main sleeping chamber.

Like many rodents, chipmunks tend to be solitary although occasionally you’ll see one or two living together or close by.

Like their close cousins, squirrels, chipmunks have a varied diet consisting of various plant matter but particularly seeds and nuts, and also fruit, grains, small insects, bird eggs and occasionally newborn chicks.

They have sharp, stout incisors that they use to gnaw through obstacles and also process their food, and they’ve been known to climb trees readily in search of nuts or eggs.

This tendency to gnaw and climb has also made them a perennial pest around human habitation, where they demolish seedlings, songbird eggs and occasionally infiltrate homes to make their dens in out-of-the-way places.

A surefire indicator that a chipmunk has set up residence in the area is when you see it with large, puffy cheeks.

Those chubby cheeks aren’t fat, and they are actually oversized pouches that chipmunks use to store and haul food from the environment back to their burrow.

Chipmunks subsist on their stored food during the winter time, and if you see a chipmunk making multiple trips back and forth you can be sure that a burrow is nearby.

Do Chipmunks Protect Their Territory?

Chipmunks tend to be surprisingly territorial towards others of their own kind, most of the time, and also other rodent species but they are not territorial towards larger animals or human beings.

This is because chipmunks no instinctively that they’re very low on the totem pole and have no real chance of running off or fending off larger animals.

Do Chipmunks Act Aggressively Toward Each Other?

Yes, often. So long as they’re not living too close together and there is not much food pressure, chipmunks will generally get along with one another, and every now and then you’ll see a couple of chipmunks living together.

However, territorial disputes are far from uncommon, and food shortages will lead to chipmunks fighting amongst themselves and even fighting other rodents like squirrels or rats.

Do Chipmunks Threaten People?

No, not directly. A chipmunk’s only concern when a person is around is to get away as quickly as possible.

It is possible for a chipmunk to injure you by biting or, maybe, by scratching but aside from the aggravation they cause in and around homes they are not a threat.

Have There Been Recorded Chipmunk Attacks on People?

Yes, surprisingly enough. Don’t worry though; chipmunk attacks on people are extremely rare. It is actually very difficult to find documented cases of attacks.

Most are simply a case of people reporting incidents on the internet, and there are a few humorous videos of chipmunks jumping on people or “charging” them after being refused food once they’ve become acclimated to human presence and particularly to people that feed them often.

That being said, chipmunks are rodents and rodents have been known to sometimes attack people under peculiar circumstances, so you should never assume that a chipmunk won’t attack you.

What Will Trigger a Chipmunk Attack on a Person?

Pretty much the only reason that a chipmunk would it ever attack a person is if you grabbed it, trapped it or cornered it.

Rodents, including chipmunks, invariably prefer to escape and run and hide, rather than fight, but fight they will if they think they have no other option.

Even a chipmunk that you somehow managed to surprise at close range is going to run for the hills.

It might run past you if it thinks that is its best chance of escape, but an unprovoked chipmunk attack on a person is almost unheard of.

Just How Strong is a Chipmunk?

Not strong at all. Now, for their size, chipmunks have well-developed jaw muscles and teeth capable of impressive chewing, and their overall athleticism and endurance makes them capable diggers, climbers and foragers.

But chipmunks at the end of the day are teeny, tiny little creatures compared to human beings, not strong at all.

Can Chipmunks Bite?

Yes, they can and they will! Like pretty much all rodents chipmunks have large and impressively well-developed incisors that they use for gnawing and eating.

In fact, a chipmunk’s teeth will grow continuously throughout their life, and so they gnaw on things constantly in order to shorten them.

These sharp teeth have a chisel-like profile, perfect for puncturing, and a chipmunk bite is definitely going to hurt and draw blood.

What Does a Chipmunk Attack Look Like?

A chipmunk attack is going to look pretty comedic at the end of the day- unless it happens to you.

Assuming you aren’t holding the chipmunk, an event that will lead it to bite any part of you that it can reach, a chipmunk is likely to jump on you and just start biting.

That’s the only recourse they have because their claws are far too tiny to inflict anything but the most superficial damage.

How Do You Respond to a Chipmunk Attack?

If, for whatever reason, a chipmunk starts charging you, react quickly and try to get away from it. You should be faster than the chipmunk over open ground.

But assuming you only noticed that you are under attack by a chipmunk when the chipmunk is climbing on you, do what you can to swat it away and then get away from it.

Ultimately, if you are forced to defend yourself, chipmunks are so small and delicate that any solid strike should kill it more or less immediately.

Remember: Chipmunks should invariably try to run away from you, so if you notice one acting aggressively it might be because there’s something wrong with it, it is sick or it is defending a burrow with young inside.

Will a Chipmunk Eat a Person?!

No. Chipmunks are omnivores, and that means they eat both plants and meat, but no chipmunk is going to attack you with the intention of eating you.

That said, chipmunks are rodents, and most rodents are opportunistic; if you were to die it isn’t unthinkable that a chipmunk might take a bite or two out of you- protein is protein after all!

Can People Catch Diseases from Chipmunks?

Yes, they can. Chipmunks, like most rodents, carry a wide assortment of communicable diseases and parasites that can infect people.

Most seriously, chipmunks are potential vectors of rabies although the chances of chipmunks infecting a person with it are very small. Nonetheless, any obvious strange behavior or aggression from a chipmunk is a warning sign.

Other than that, chipmunks are significant vectors of nasty germs like hantavirus and also the usual assortment of mammalian parasites like fleas and ticks.

Ticks are an especially serious concern because they’re the most likely vector of Lyme disease and other debilitating tick fevers.

Be very careful, and make sure you wash up and disinfect if you’re forced to handle chipmunks for any reason!

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Opossum: Are They Dangerous?

If you’ve ever gotten a good look at those needle-sharp teeth, I don’t blame you for thinking possums are dangerous.

I think everybody, especially people living in the South, have been surprised by them in the night: hanging out near the deck or popping out of the trash can.

Those beady black eyes, the loud hiss, the flashing white fangs. Sheesh, it is enough to give anyone the willies!

But plenty of experts tell us that possums are truly not aggressive and really not dangerous. What’s the truth? Are possums actually dangerous?

No, possums are not dangerous to people. Even though possums have sharp teeth and may sometimes bite if cornered or handled, they’re far more likely to run for it or feign death.

And there you have it. Possums really are the definition of all bark and no bite, and it’s not to say that they can’t bite but these animals are genuinely non-aggressive and will typically try other survival strategies when confronted or threatened rather than attacking.

Nonetheless, possums are common, and it’s all but certain you’ll run into one at one point in your life, and maybe even at close range.

Keep reading, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know about human interactions with possums…

Opposum Overview, Temperament and Habitat

Possums are marsupials, and the largest marsupials in North America. In fact, the common Virginia Possum is the only true opossum found in the United States.

Unlike other mammals, possums are almost entirely unique, and they’re regularly referred to as living fossils. It isn’t entirely true, but there aren’t any other animals quite like them.

Predominantly nocturnal, possums are nomadic and they move from place to place foraging for easy access to food and water.

They will hang around as long as it’s safe and as long as they have plenty to eat and drink for them and they’re young.

Speaking of eating, possums are acute omnivores, and they can eat just about anything they find.

They’re notorious for breaking into trash cans, like raccoons, for food scraps, and also climbing up to bird feeders to empty them of seeds.

All sorts of other creatures, including insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, worms, mollusks and more. And they eat roadkill!

Also like raccoons, possums have highly dexterous paws which make them excellent climbers, an ability which is further assisted by their prehensile tails.

Possums are predominantly solitary, but it’s not out of the question to see multiple family groups consisting of mothers and young congregating in a safe space with lots of food to go around.

When confronted or cornered, possums exhibit frightening threat displays consisting of hissing, clicking, and baring of the teeth.

A bite from a possum, even if approached, is quite rare: what isn’t rare is their most famous behavior, playing dead, commonly referred to as playing possum!

A possum that is playing dead is actually engaging in an involuntary behavior where the animal sort of blacks out, curls its lips, starts to foam at the mouth and expels a nasty stench from its anal glands.

It is possible that they stay this way for many minutes up to several hours before recovering, no worse for the wear.

Hopefully, whatever was bothering the poor thing thinks it is too nasty and pitiful to deal with during that time!

But while you should never assume that any given possum is going to play dead instead of bite you, bites from possums are in fact quite rare.

Do Opposums Protect Their Territory?

No, not from people or larger animals. Possums know they are very low on the food chain and act accordingly, but sometimes they get territorial and grouchy if another possum invades their personal space or tries to take over a limited food source.

Do Opposums Act Aggressively Toward Each Other?

Rarely. Aside from the aforementioned territorial problems or food possessiveness, possums generally ignore each other or cohabitate peacefully.

Do Opposums Threaten People?

No. Aside from a threat display, it is extremely rare for possums to display genuine aggression towards people.

Any possum that is hissing or showing its teeth is actually desperately hoping that you’ll get frightened and leave it alone. Given half a chance, a possum will retreat from you or, if it thinks you are going to attack it, play dead.

Were There Any Recorded Opposum Attacks on People?

Yes, but actual negative interactions with humans are extremely rare. Bites from possums usually only occur when some foolish person is trying to handle the animal, or in cases where something goes wrong after they have been trapped.

What Will Cause an Opposum Attack on Someone?

Possums look downright frightening when they are giving you that awful threat display, but triggering an attack from one is rare and difficult.

The only thing that will reliably get a possum to attack you is prolonged handling assuming they are conscious and not playing dead.

Any possum that is stressed from capture or after being cornered might bite in an effort to escape, and it’s hardly out of the question that a mother possum will bite to protect her babies.

But even in all these cases, possums are just not very aggressive even in extremis, and will always prefer to run away and hide or feign death rather than go on the offensive.

Just How Strong is an Opposum?

For their size, and considering the category of creature that they are, possums are surprisingly strong.

They are very able climbers, and mother possums can be seen scaling trees and fences all the time with eight or nine babies clinging for dear life to their backs. Doesn’t seem to slow them down in the least!

That being said, compared to any human being possums are not strong: we have immense size and strength advantages over them that will certainly prove telling in a scuffle.

Can Opposums Bite?

Yes, they can! A possum’s teeth are not just for show! Possums can and will bite, and they’re more than capable of inflicting a nasty bite if it comes down to it.

They have multiple long, needle-like teeth that will give you a seriously nasty puncture wound.

What Does an Opposum Attack Look Like?

Possums don’t really attack people, not in a truly offensive manner and if they do there’s probably something wrong with it, like rabies.

A possum might hold its ground and give you a good threat display before finally biting if you close in, but it’s highly unlikely that they will close the distance with you to deliver a bite.

Accordingly, if you see a possum, make a point to give it plenty of room and there shouldn’t be any problem.

On the other hand, if a possum is closing the distance with you that is definitely an indicator that something is very wrong and you need to get away from it as quickly as possible.

How Do You Respond to an Opposum Attack?

Assuming you’re actively being attacked by a possum, your best course of action is to do anything that you can to prevent the possum from closing with you and biting you.

The very best thing you can do is simply to run away, as you should easily be able to outpace a possum on flat ground.

If that fails or it isn’t an option, use absolutely any object that you can to keep it away from you. If you don’t have anything to use as a shield, try to stomp the possum one good time and that should put it out of action for good.

Remember, you need to avoid being bitten at all costs! If a possum can’t bite you, it can’t hurt you.

Will an Opposum Eat a Person?!

Yes. Though a possum would never attack you with the intention of eating you (they aren’t predators like that) it is entirely conceivable that should a possum find your dead body they would start to eat you.

Remember that possums are scavengers and have a tendency to eat carrion, and that would include you.

Can People Catch Diseases from Opposums?

Potentially, yes. Possums are known vectors of various diseases, parasites and other nasty, gribbly things you don’t want to get infected with. Salmonella, spotted fever, leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis are all potential infections.

But, luckily, possums are only very, very rare vectors of the rabies virus. Contrary to popular belief, they aren’t the primary vector of rabies, but neither are they immune to rabies as some other people assert.

For this reason, you always want to keep your distance from possum and avoid handling them even when they are dead.

Likewise, any possum that is acting very strangely is cause for concern and you should call animal control.

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Bighorn Sheep: Are They Dangerous?

Many domestic animals have diverged quite radically from their wild or ancestral counterparts. Let’s look at sheep, for instance.

While it’s true that sheep can grow to be quite large and sometimes physically powerful, they don’t hold a candle to their wild cousins.

In the United States and elsewhere in North America, bighorn sheep are the largest of the mountain-dwelling sheep species.

With huge, curled horns from which they derive their name and surprisingly muscular physiques, these aren’t the cuddly white lambs you think of when you hear the word sheep.

And chances are those horns aren’t for show: are bighorn sheep dangerous?

No, bighorn sheep aren’t considered to be dangerous to humans. Though they’re extremely powerful, very large and heavy and have impressive horns they are so rarely encountered at close range by people that attacks are almost unheard of.

This is one of those situations that, even though an animal has the capability to easily cause immense harm to a human, they aren’t really a problem.

That’s because these animals are almost never encountered at close range in the wild.

Bighorn sheep are so suited to their environment and so elusive it’s almost unthinkable that any human could get close enough in time for a bad encounter to happen before the sheep moved away.

Anyway, there is more to know, so keep reading and I’ll tell you all about them…

Bighorn Sheep Overview, Temperament and Habitat

Bighorn sheep share many overall characteristics and social structures with their domesticated cousins you’ll find on farms around the world.

Bighorn sheep are heard animals, or flock animals I guess you would say, and in any given group you’ll find mostly females but also males.

Most of the time, there’s little in the way of true conflict until mating season, when sexually mature males will begin to jockey for position, and access, to females.

It is this mating behavior and competition that leads to some of the most well-known encounters that play out between these huge and impressive sheep: when two males square off, they size each other up, circle, back up and then charge before leaping and clashing horns.

In the mountains and hills where these sheep typically live, the resulting crash! can sound like gunshots!

Speaking of where these sheep live, that will give us a clue as to why actual confrontations with humans are so very rare: bighorn sheep tend to live on some of the steepest, rockiest and most impassable terrain in North America.

This gives them ample protection from people and other predators: that’s because bighorn sheep exploit this terrain thanks to their physical adaptations which gives them tremendous grip and sure-footedness when climbing.

Because most people are hard-pressed to even get close to sheep in this terrain, and combined with the excellent senses these animals have, most herds of bighorns will see a person approaching from a long way away. Then, they simply prance away across the mountainside to escape.

Accordingly, circumstances where a bighorn sheep and a human are close enough to actually touch each other, at any time and for any reason, are extremely rare.

Do Bighorn Sheep Protect Their Territory?

No. Although they are generally skittish when they detect any animal that might be a threat, bighorns are not territorial.

There are far more likely to simply move away when they spot trouble, and in any case whole flocks will move from place to place to find food and also engage in migratory behavior and some areas to avoid the worst weather.

Do Bighorn Sheep Act Aggressively Toward Each Other?

Yes, particularly during mating season. Outside of mating season, clashes are generally only social affairs where individual members of the flock that don’t like each other have to work out some aggression and re-establish the pecking order, as it were.

During mating season, sexually mature males will clash with each other to establish dominance and secure access to eligible females.

Do Bighorn Sheep Threaten People?

As a rule, no. This is simply because it’s almost impossible to get close enough to them for the sheep to get aggressive with people.

Chances are extremely high that they will see you coming from a long way away and then just leave, gaining considerable ground since they are so well adapted to the terrain you find yourself in.

But, on the offhand chance that you do, somehow, get close enough to one of these large and powerful sheep, they could prove to be dangerous.

Have There Been Recorded Bighorn Sheep Attacks on People?

Yes, there have been, though as I mentioned, these attacks are incredibly rare. Among all wild animal species in total, there are so few Bighorn sheep attacks on people in the wild that they can hardly be said to happen at all.

What Will Trigger a Bighorn Sheep Attack on a Person?

A bighorn sheep is only likely to become aggressive if you get close to it, particularly during mating season or if you come upon a ewe that has lambs.

Once again, the circumstances under which such an encounter might happen are vanishingly rare.

If, for whatever reason, you do see bighorn sheep in the wild and you could get close to them, hold that intrusive thought at bay and just keep away.

Just How Strong is a Bighorn Sheep?

Incredibly strong, especially compared to other mammals. These sheep have to be strong and downright athletic to live and thrive in the environments that they inhabit.

Bighorn sheep can commonly be seen leaping across chasms, clambering up and down seemingly vertical and impassable rock faces and maintaining a trot or canter across vast distances that would make most cross-country runners green with envy.

Even looking at their fights, ones that happened between males anyway, we see that their endurance really is legendary. Some clashes will go on for the better part of a day before one male submits!

Can Bighorn Sheep Bite?

Bighorn sheep do have teeth and can bite, but it is highly unlikely that they would try to bite you when they could just lead with their huge and incredibly hard horns instead.

What Does a Bighorn Sheep Attack Look Like?

A bighorn sheep attack looks exactly how you are imagining it: they charge and ram, utilizing their immense horns combined with their speed and body weight to deliver immense impacts on opponents.

If you were to be attacked by a bighorn sheep and then knocked to the ground, it would either continue head-butting you or perhaps stomp and kick you for good measure.

And again, these are not common domestic sheep: adult bighorns can weigh more than 400 pounds (180 kilos), and some impressive male specimens can clear 500 pounds (226 kilos). The horns alone on a male weigh around 25 pounds and can weigh a lot more.

Now consider that males and females alike can dash on flat ground, flatout, at faster than 20 miles an hour and you can do the math if you want to figure out how bad the impact would be.

Put bluntly: if you get rammed by one of these huge sheep, you’re going to be all broken up because of it.

How Do You Respond to a Bighorn Sheep Attack?

If you, somehow, put yourself in a position to be attacked by a bighorn sheep you’re going to have two major problems.

The first is that you can easily be knocked over an edge or down a steep slope by a ram and that could prove fatal all by itself.

The second problem is that, considering where bighorns live, you will be unlikely to put distance between yourself and the sheep quickly enough once it has become aggressive.

If you have weapons, by all means defend yourself. If you don’t, try to put anything between yourself and the sheep to block a charge, but it had better be something like a boulder, a tree or something else that can actually prevent the impact.

Your flimsy backpack is not going to do much good as a shield.

If this is not an option, lie down on the ground, cover your head and neck and protect yourself as best as you can. Hopefully, when the sheep sees you’re no longer a threat, it will give up and move on.

Will a Bighorn Sheep Eat a Person?!

No. Bighorn sheep, like all sheep, are strictly herbivorous and do not eat meat. That means they won’t eat you.

Can People Catch Diseases from Bighorn Sheep?

No, or at least none that are commonly known. Aside from your typical blood-sucking parasites like fleas, ticks and the like, bighorn sheep don’t carry much in the way of germs or other diseases that can be transmitted to people.

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Beavers: Are They Dangerous?

There is no shortage of amazing animals out in the wild. Some look magnificent, some are physically impressive and others are ferociously vicious or incredibly venomous.

But there are a few animals, only a few, capable of fundamentally changing the environment around them. Beavers are that animal.

Even a single beaver is capable of turning a small stream into thriving wetlands given enough time and trees, chopping down the latter with their oversized teeth.

That sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. But, if they can cut down trees with their teeth, what else can they do with them? Are beavers actually dangerous?

Yes, beavers can be quite dangerous to people. Beavers are extremely large rodents with very large, sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Beavers are also surprisingly agile and territorial, and might attack people with no warning.

I know it sounds hilarious, like a cartoon skit gone wrong, but I can promise you now that a beaver attack is no joke.

They have killed people in the past, and their large teeth are capable of inflicting hideous penetrating wounds.

Attacks are very likely if you are in a beaver’s territory or come too close to its lodge.

This isn’t some cuddly animal you’re dealing with, and you’ll want to know what else they can do and how to avoid being attacked. I will tell you more below.

Beavers Overview, Temperament and Habitat

As I mentioned above, beavers are extremely large rodents. They also happen to be the second largest in the world, and the very largest found on the North American continent.

These things aren’t some aquatic rat! An adult beaver can tip the scales at more than 55 pounds (25 kilos), and stand almost as tall as a golden retriever. That’s a monstrous rodent all right!

But of course the most notable features of a beaver are its teeth and its long, flat, paddle-like tail. The tail is used to help them swim, and they are amazingly agile in the water.

They also use it as a signal by whacking it into the water or the ground, alerting other nearby beavers to trouble.

But it is the teeth of the beaver that make it so amazingly capable as an engineer out in nature- and also so dangerous!

Beavers use their teeth, which are coated with a naturally occurring iron, to gnaw through trees which they then process into limbs.

They use these limbs and mud to dam off any flowing water they can find. Even a small trickle of water can turn into a pond, and then continually overflow until it turns into proper wetlands, completely changing an ecosystem!

Beavers can also dam larger waterways with their immense constructions that can weigh many tons.

Beaver dams have caused severe floods, cut off water supplies to settlements downstream, and other tremendous damage – so they must be controlled.

Much of the time, these extra large dams have to be dynamited to be removed!

But beavers aren’t just an unholy menace: they are surprisingly social, familial animals, with multiple generations of the same family living in or near the same lodge and working together to construct dams and help raise younger siblings.

Awfully sweet, but they can still be very dangerous as we will learn!

Do Beavers Protect Their Territory?

Yes, you better believe it! Beavers are highly territorial and they will often defend their territory vigorously, attempting to drive out any intruders be they man or animal.

While some beavers might retreat to their lodge and hunker down with their family, any beaver that has its relatives or especially its young in the area is likely to fight fiercely if encroached upon.

Do Beavers Act Aggressively Toward Each Other?

Sometimes, though this is unlikely between beavers that are related. Though sometimes a mature male in a family will need to leave and start his own family some distance away.

However, beavers from unrelated clans that happen to enter one another’s territory might be attacked.

Do Beavers Threaten People?

Yes, they can and they have, historically. Beavers have surprisingly good senses, and they generally will detect human beings in their territory reliably and quickly.

The closer you get to a beaver’s lodge, the more upset it is going to get and the more likely an attack will be.

Have There Been Recorded Beaver Attacks on People?

Yes, there have been, sadly. In fact, there have been quite a few recorded beaver attacks throughout history and even today in recent memory.

In fact, a man in Europe was recently killed by a beaver after it bit into his thigh and severed his femoral artery.

Most other beaver attacks aren’t fatal, but serious injuries and even maiming are likely.

What Will Trigger a Beaver Attack on a Person?

The number one cause of beaver attacks on people is a human getting too close to it under any circumstances, and especially drawing near to a beaver that is in its territory, protecting its young, or is near its lodge.

Also, beavers are known to be more or less aggressive based on their past experiences with people.

Beavers that have lived in peaceful isolation with no negative interactions with humans are less likely to become aggressive.

Ones that live near areas of human habitation, and have to deal with them regularly, are more likely to be aggressive.

In either case, don’t depend on this for protection: stay well away from any beavers you see, and do make it a point to steer clear of their territory unless you have a good reason to enter!

Just How Strong is a Beaver?

Beavers aren’t particularly athletic by human standards, but these large rodents are still surprisingly strong.

They have to be – they can chew through trees using their mouths and work tirelessly to construct their massive dams and lodges! This certainly speaks to their amazing endurance.

These two facets together combine to make a beaver bite supremely nasty, so you want to avoid close contact at all costs.

Can Beavers Bite?

Yes, they can, and yes, they will! Beavers rely on their bite as their primary means of self-defense. They do have claws, but these are nothing compared to the iron-coated chisels they call teeth.

What Does a Beaver Attack Look Like?

A beaver attack might begin with a warning, consisting of it slapping its tail on the surface of the water or on land.

The purpose of this is to alert any other beavers in the area that there is trouble brewing, and perhaps also to give notice to an intruder.

If that doesn’t work, and the intruder comes too close to the beaver or the beaver decides it has put up with enough, it will charge and then bite.

As mentioned above, a beaver bite is truly hideous. The immense frontal incisors they use to chew through trees have a decidedly sharp and chisel-like shape, and because they are coated with naturally occurring iron they are incredibly durable.

Driven by the overdeveloped, muscular jaws of the beaver, these teeth are going to penetrate very deeply with ease.

Any wound produced by such a bite is going to be severe, and beavers can bite over and over again very quickly.

To make matters even more, beavers are known to attack as a family, meaning you might literally be torn apart before you can react to the first one.

How Do You Respond to a Beavers Attack?

Your very best bet against an impending beaver attack is to run as far and as fast as you can. Beavers are surprisingly agile on land, but generally can’t outrun a human in favorable terrain.

If avoidance is unavailable or just not an option, use anything at all that you have to fight back or at the very least keep the beaver at a distance. If the beaver can bite you, you are in grave danger.

Will a Beaver Eat a Person?!

Surprisingly, no. I don’t blame you for thinking beavers are bloodthirsty by now, but though they are quite dangerous they are also vegetarians: they don’t eat meat and they won’t eat people.

They definitely don’t attack you with the intention of eating you.

Can People Catch Diseases from Beavers?

Yes. Sadly, beavers are known to carry quite a few diseases that are transmissible to people. One of them is the humorously named but still quite serious beaver fever, properly called giardiasis.

This nasty infection is actually caused by a parasite that beavers carry, and causes horrendous diarrhea, crippling stomach cramps, vomiting, and pronounced weight loss. Prompt medical treatment is a necessity for those infected.

Aside from that germ, beavers are also capable of transmitting less exotic but still serious bugs like salmonella, tularemia and rabies aside from others.

If you come into contact with any beaver, their structures or their secretions, seek medical attention just to be on the safe side.

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