Fangs are nothing more than long, pointy teeth. Animals with fangs need this long teeth for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common ones is to better eat their prey. Fangs are used by some animals to kill or stun their prey, while others use them to cut and tear meat from bones. Some of them use it as part of their natural defense system to keep predators and potential threats at bay. But, regardless of the reason, here are some of the most common wild animals that use fangs to survive.
19 Animals with fangs
1. Vipers
Scientific Name: Agkistrodon piscivorus
Vipers are a type of venomous snake distinguished by their thick bodies and fangs used to inject venom into their prey. They can be found almost anywhere in the world, but they’re most common in tropical climates.
The color of these snakes varies depending on the species, but they can be green, orange, yellow, or black. Vipers are extremely venomous, and they kill their prey by injecting venom into their circulatory system.
2. Lions
Scientific Name: Panthera leo
Lions are powerful animals that are known to be the world’s second-largest meat-eating cats after tigers. They can weigh up to 190 kilograms and are found in Africa and Asia.
These animals have golden coats, and adult males and females differ in appearance. Males have a distinctive mane of hair around their necks, but both have large fangs that they use to hunt prey, such as zebras, wildebeests, buffalo, and even elephants.
Lions live almost entirely in grasslands, savannas, or open woodlands, where they can easily find food.
3. Wolverine
Scientific Name: Gulo gulo
Wolverines are one of the largest members of the weasel family and can be found in Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States. They have short legs, elongated snouts, and a thick coat of dark brown to pale blonde. The average wolverine weighs between 24–61 pounds and has a body length of about 3 feet long.
They tear open prey like small mammals using their long, curved fangs. Wolverines also use them to fight for food or territory with other animals. Wolverines have been observed killing rodents and consuming the meat of dead animals.
4. Tarantula
Scientific Name: Caribena versicolor
Tarantulas are large, hairy spiders that can be found all over the world. They have eight legs and can span up to 12 inches in length. Their bodies are covered in hair that varies in length depending on the species.
These spiders inject venom into their prey with their fangs. The venom paralyzes the prey, allowing the tarantula to consume it.
Tarantula venom isn’t dangerous to humans unless you have been bitten several times or are allergic to it. These species live in burrows beneath rocks or logs, digging tunnels and laying their eggs.
5. Vampire Fish
Scientific Name: Hydrolycus armatus
Vampire fish is a species of fish found in freshwater. They’re best known for being aggressive and having the ability to grow to sizes of up to 4 feet.
These fishes have two fangs, which are two sharp teeth on the lower jaw that are used to pierce and kill prey. Vampire fish live in South America’s Amazon basin, preferring fast-moving waters with plenty of prey.
6. Wolf
Scientific Name: Canis lupus
Wolves are a species of canine that belong to the dog family and are usually found in packs. These canines can live for up to 16 years in temperate forests, mountains, and deserts.
They’re also known for having fangs that they use as weapons as well as tools for hunting prey and scavenging food from carcasses left by other animals. These animals are distinguished by their bushy tails, grayish-brown coats, and eyes that can be yellow, orange, or hazel in color.
7. Cats
Scientific Name: Felis silvestris catus
Cats are one of the most well-known animal species on the planet. They’re known for their distinct appearance, abilities, and characteristics, particularly their ability to make excellent pets.
Their appearance is determined by their breed and can range from short to tall, thin to fat, white to black, and brown to gray. Their fangs are used to catch prey (food) and to protect themselves from predators.
Cats have better hearing than humans and can hear higher pitches. They also have excellent low-light vision.
8. Tigers
Scientific Name: Panthera tigris
Tigers are the world’s largest cats. These wild cats are typically orange with black stripes, though some are white.
Their fur is thick and short, and they have large paws with sharp claws used for grabbing prey. They also have long tails that help them balance when jumping from great heights.
Just like any other predator, tigers use their fangs for hunting for food. They also have excellent night vision and hearing, which they use to hunt prey.
9. Dogs
Scientific Name: Canis lupus familiaris
Dogs are domesticated animals that humans have bred and are widely regarded as man’s best friend. They live in a variety of environments, but they’re frequently kept as pets and companions.
These animals do have fangs that they use to chew food and to lock an object, such as a toy, into their mouth. Their appearance varies greatly depending on breed and can range from 9 to 32 inches in height.
10. Opossums
Scientific Name: Didelphis virginiana
Opossums are the only marsupials found in North America. They’re omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals like mice, birds, and snakes. Opossums also eat carrion and use their fangs to tear through the flesh.
These animals have long and powerful tails that they use for balance when climbing trees and for grasping and wrapping around objects. Apart from feeding, opossums use their fangs to frighten and fight predators.
11. Vampire Deer
Scientific Name: Hydropotes inermis
Vampire deers, also known as musk deers, are rare and unusual deer species found in China and Korea. They’re best known for their fang-like tusks, which develop during the mating season.
Unlike other animals with fangs, these deers don’t use them to feed on flesh. Instead, during the mating season, they use them to fight other males. Vampire Deer have been discovered in steep forested slopes and mountainous terrains.
12. Bears
Scientific Name: Ursus arctos horribilis
Bears are large, furry animals that live in the wild. Their color varies depending on the species and can be brown, white, black, or blonde.
These omnivorous mammals eat berries, nuts, and other fruits, as well as insects, fish, rodents, and other small animals, and they feed on their prey with their fangs. Bears live in a variety of environments, including forests, mountains, deserts, and tundra.
13. Cobras
Scientific Name: Ophiophagus hannah
Cobras are distinguished by their distinctive hoods and their ability to spit venom. They live in hot climates and use their venom to immobilize prey. These snakes can be found in various environments, including savannas, deserts, forests, and farmlands.
They have venom glands and use their fangs to inject venom into their prey. Cobras can deliver enough neurotoxin to kill an elephant in a single bite.
14. Baboons
Scientific Name: Papio anubis
Baboons are a species of mammal that has been found in Africa and Arabia. Although they’re omnivores and can consume both plant and animal products, grass makes up the majority of their diet.
Baboons use their fangs to protect themselves from predators and to fight other baboons for territory or mates. These animals live in large groups of up to 150 animals, with many females and their young.
15. Leopard
Scientific Name: Panthera pardus
The leopard is a large, spotted cat that lives in the wild in much of Africa and parts of Asia. They have long tails, strong legs, and large heads. These characteristics enable them to be one of the most impressive predators in the wild and survive for many years.
They hunt at night and are excellent tree climbers due to their retractable claws. The fangs of a leopard are long and sharp, and they’re used to kill their prey by piercing its body and tearing off the flesh.
16. Vampire Bat
Scientific Name: Desmodus rotundus
The vampire bat is a small, slender bat that has adapted to a life of blood-feeding. The vampire bat is the only known mammal to feed exclusively on blood, and it does so by using its razor-sharp fangs to puncture the skin of large mammals and lap up their blood.
Vampire bats are mostly found in South America, but they have also been spotted in Central America and Mexico. They’re nocturnal creatures that hunt alone, though they have been seen in groups of up to a hundred.
17. Jaguars
Scientific Name: Panthera onca
Jaguars are the biggest cats in the Americas, and they’re also one of the most stealthy. They’re well-known for their ability to stalk prey even in dense forests. Jaguars are mostly solitary creatures with excellent night vision that they use to hunt.
Their primary food sources are fish, birds, and large mammals such as deer. Jaguars live in rainforests near wetlands, where they find the majority of their prey.
18. Puma
Scientific Name: Puma concolor
Pumas are carnivores that eat deer, elk, wild boar, and other larger animals. As a result, their powerful jaws and fangs are extremely useful in tearing apart their prey. They’re solitary creatures who prefer to hunt alone or with a partner.
These animals have strong legs that allow them to run quickly and catch prey in the wild. They’re the world’s fourth largest cat and can be found in dense underbrush and rocky areas.
19. Mamba
Scientific Name: Dendroaspis polylepis
Mambas are snakes that are native to Africa. It’s one of the most venomous snakes on the planet, with enough venom to kill 19 people. These snakes use long, hollow fangs to inject venom into their prey. These animals depend on this strategy to kill their prey in the wild.
Mambas can be found in savannahs, open forests, and rocky hills all over South and East Africa. They’re also among the fastest snakes, capable of slithering at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour.
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