10 Bizzare Evolutionary Behaviors That Help Animals Survive

4. Toxins

Venom is nature’s biochemical weapon, and few creatures wield it better than snakes, spiders, and scorpions. The king cobra, for instance, delivers a neurotoxic cocktail that shuts down its prey’s nervous system in seconds. But venom isn’t just for offense—it’s also a defense mechanism. Poison dart frogs, for example, secrete toxins through their skin, making them deadly to any would-be predator. Even plants get in on the act, producing chemical compounds to deter hungry herbivores. It’s an ongoing evolutionary arms race, where every adaptation sparks a counteradaptation in response.