Photo Gallery: Eerie Animals

Spider Exoskeleton

Photography by Paul Zahl

The empty exoskeleton of a huntsman spider, like this one in Arizona, is only slightly less creepy than the real thing. These imposing arachnids can be huge, with some species exceeding 5 inches (12 centimeters) in diameter. They're generally shy though, and their bite, though painful, is otherwise harmless.

Gaboon Viper

Photograph by Michael Nichols

A close-up shows the watchful eye of a Gaboon viper, Africa's largest viper. These highly venomous snakes can reach six feet (two meters) long and weigh 40 pounds (20 kilograms). Their fangs are the longest of any poisonous snake on Earth, growing up to two inches (five centimeters) long.

Vampire Bat

Photograph by Bruce Dale

A vampire bat laps blood from a sleeping calf somewhere in the United States. These archetypal eerie animals are the only mammals that subsist solely on blood.

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Tarantula Feeding

Photograph by Paul Zahl

The tarantula's appearance is worse than its bite. Tarantula venom is weaker than that of a honeybee and, though painful, is virtually harmless to humans.

Gray Wolf With Carcass

Photograph by Joel Sartore

In everything from pop songs to literature to Saturday morning cartoons, humans have long vilified wolves. They once roamed throughout North America, but their spine-tingling howls were nearly extinguished in the U.S. by ranchers trying to protect their livestock. Efforts to restore wolves to the wild are succeeding, though. Here a gray wolf fiercely guards its meal at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota.

Black Cat

Photograph by Brian Gordon Green

The object of superstition worldwide, black cats are often considered harbingers of bad luck. This one seems unaware of his power over humans though, as he lounges on a park bench in Savannah, Georgia.