***World's Hardest Creature VIII NOMINATIONS***

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Right, it's January and that means one thing and one thing only: it's time for the World's Hardest Creature competition. 2015 sees the eighth edition of this glorious battle of nature's finest beasts.

Here is a rundown on how the previous seven finals have played out(winners in bold).

2014: Mantis Shrimp vs Honey Badger
2013: Polar Bear vs Crocodile
2012: Black Mamba vs Orca
2011: Orca vs Honey Badger
2010: Hippo vs Honey Badger
2008/9: Polar Bear vs Crocodile
2007: Polar Bear vs Crocodile

The nomination rules are much the same as always. For a creature to qualify for the group stages he needs to be nominated and seconded. However, to hopefully avoid people randomly nominating animals that they have no intention of backing, if said beast garners no votes in the group stage the people who nominated and seconded that animal will have their nominating and seconding powers taken away from them for WHC IX(next years WHC). If you nominte or second an animal you need to be prepared to back it. At the very least during the competition put forward a defense of its hardness qualities.

Talking of which, lets go over hardness qualities. No one thing can alone define hardness. Attitude, strength, hardiness/ability to withstand a battering, adaptability, arsenal of weapons are all important facets of hardness.

Finally, the Polar Bear remains in retirement. The three times he's been in the competition he's walked away with the trophy. The four years he hasn't been in it we've had four different victors. The Polar will remain in retirement until the WHC tenth year anniversary extravaganza.

Let's get nominating!

 

[Ex-Staffs Gull]

Blue ringed octopus - smaller than a golf ball and no known anti venom..

 

[dazzer6666]

The Tardigrade

Can live in boiling water, solid ice, can survive a decade without water, deepest trenches of the sea, and in space when subject to cosmic radiation. Has dagger-like teeth. Here before us, and will be here long after us.

 

[OzMike]

The Mosquito, responsible for up to 3 million deaths every year.

 

[Bladders]

I've heard the Polar Bear wants back in...

 

[Northstander]

Cassowary

Google images wil justify this beasts inclusion

 

[Hampster Gull]

Feels a bit unrealistic to me, shirley it would take the evolution process to overturn the true chimp?

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Honey Badger.

Widely accepted as the most fearless creature on the planet, not being included would be a travesty.

 

[Guinness Boy]

GREAT WHITE SHARK.

Looks like an aquatic rugby player with razors. Eats people.

Closes beaches

Jumps at helicopters.



VOTE SHARK.

#teamshark

 

[skipper734]

Honey Badger seconded. It's time to show that the only animal that can beat the Honey Badger is NSC.

 

[maltaseagull]

The Tardigrade

Can live in boiling water, solid ice, can survive a decade without water, deepest trenches of the sea, and in space when subject to cosmic radiation. Has dagger-like teeth. Here before us, and will be here long after us.

Seconded -I had never heard of it before.

http://tvblogs.nationalgeographic.c...hy-the-tardigrade-is-natures-toughest-animal/

 

[Hillian1]

Honey Badger.

Widely accepted as the most fearless creature on the planet, not being included would be a travesty.

Widely accepted by less than 50% of voters everytime it reaches the final.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Great White Shark seconded. These crazy ****ers scare the absolute shit out of Aussie, American and South African surfers, if only we had them on the south coast to put the wind up some of our surf snobs. They are in charge of the sea and not even humanity can tame them because whenever we try and put them in an aquarium they commit suicide like on Jaws3 so we can't find out their secrets and motivations. These mysterious killers are the hardest creatures since the Megalodons went extinct. I love them and want to get eaten by one. #teamshark

 

[maltaseagull]

Great White Shark seconded. These crazy ****ers scare the absolute shit out of Aussie, American and South African surfers, if only we had them on the south coast to put the wind up some of our surf snobs. They are in charge of the sea and not even humanity can tame them because whenever we try and put them in an aquarium they commit suicide like on Jaws3 so we can't find out their secrets and motivations. These mysterious killers are the hardest creatures since the Megalodons went extinct. I love them and want to get eaten by one. #teamshark

However.............

http://cmster.com/media/qIwO8wuyXDtNIBy2UOYhAd5iml8Qc37SKfIVZmJcYmFzsU9vK9PGF6yNMNlWxdVe.jpg



Bit of an exaggeration in the numbers though!

 

[Max Paper]

Im going to nominate the Deathstalker

View attachment 61741

Not only does it have the best name, This highly venomous scorpion residing primarily in North Africa and the Middle East is responsible for over 75% of scorpion related deaths every year. Although healthy adults usually only feel unbearable pain, children that are envenomated suffer fever, coma, convulsions, and paralysis before their lungs fill up and they drown in their own fluids.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Jumping Jack Ant

"these ants are aggressive, they're not going to back off just because an ant has been killed…"

 

[cardboard]

The Bobbit Worm

This unsettling creature is called Eunice aphroditois, or colloquially the Bobbit worm. These critters can grow up to three meters long and have pincers capable of slicing its (sometimes larger) prey right in half. Also? It injects a toxin into its prey to make it easier to digest.
The worm keeps itself buried in the sand or gravel at the bottom of the sea, only allowing its five tiny antennae to stick up out of the silt. If something swims or crawls along that disturbs one of the antennae, the worm springs up out of the ground and grabs whatever passerby happened to be unlucky that day. They're found throughout the warmer parts of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.

Saw it on TV last night - I think it deserves it's place as a new entry

 

[Seagull27]

This isn't just a nomination. This is a CALL TO ARMS. It's the turn of the GRASSHOPPER MOUSE to take the title of WHC2015.

A newcomer in 2014, the Grasshopper Mouse surprised everyone by reaching the Quarter Finals - losing by just 10 votes to the Honey Badger. This year, the Mouse is back, and it smells blood.

Why should you vote Grasshopper mouse?

• Its prey include scorpions, snakes, centipedes and tarantulas.
• It is not only immune to the poison produced by such prey, it actually turns the poison into a PAINKILLER. Think about that. Not content with eating worms and small insects like most mice, they must have attacked things like scorpions for centuries, despite being poisoned and probably dying, but as a species never giving up, until eventually they evolved an immunity to it. Then, in one big two-fingers-up to the scorpions, it again evolved to turn the poison into a painkiller so it barely even feels the stings.
• It stalks its prey like a tiger, and defends its territory by HOWLING like a wolf. It sometimes does this just before killing, too.
• Oh, and when it reaches its prey, it does the rest with its eyes closed.
• They live alone, or in pairs with one male and female. They don't need friends. In fact, put them in captivity with other mice and it will just kill them and eat them.
• It lives in the Sonoran desert, where temperatures during the day can reach 48 degrees Celsius

Although it hardly needs it, here's a couple of videos to convince you further:



Remember, this competition is about POUND FOR POUND HARDNESS. Look at the relative size of the centipede and scorpion in the above videos to the Mouse. Then, consider that they're both extremely poisonous.

It's a no-brainer for me. Who's with me for Team Mouse?!

#YearOfTheMouse2015

 

[Ludensian Gull]

Cape buffalo

Height: Up to 1.7 meters high at the shoulder.


Weight: 500-900 kilograms
Running Speed: 35 mph (56 kph).
Coloring: Dark brown.
Fighting Style: They are large, agressive and horned. Cape Buffalo have been known to kill lions and they kill hundreds of humans in Africa per year.
Unusual Characteristics: The Cape Buffalo are feared by hunters. They have killed hundreds of people and have been known to ambush attackers when injured. They are extremely aggresive and tough as nails.


The Cape Buffalo is very large and very aggressive. Even full grown lions, hyenas and crocodiles step lightly around them. In fact, it usually takes more than one lion to take down a Cape Buffalo and in some cases, a lion is killed in the process.

The Cape Buffalo is armed with sharp hooves and sharp horns that it doesn’t hesitate to use if threatened. They are responsible for more than 200 deaths a year in Africa and were named one of the “Big Five” because they are so dangerous

 

[Mowgli37]

Still #TeamMantis but I nominate Rohan Ince.

This boy is hard as f*cking nails. Quick, tough and powerful, he is the spiritual successor to the now retired hardest creature of football: Patrick Viera. Last season with Incey in the side we lost something only four or five times out of the 30+ games he played. It is no coincidence we have seen an upturn in form following his restoration to the starting XI.

Foot like a traction engine and all.