The 10 stinkiest animals in the world (2023)

FAQs

What is the world's stinkiest animal? ›

The zorrilla is considered the smelliest animal because it gives off a fluid from its anal glands when it must defend itself from danger. The nocturnal animal eats small reptiles and rodents while living in rocky areas. The zorrilla is also know by its Latin name (Iconyx striatus) or Striped Weasel.

Pungent body odor from sweaty adult human skin is unique in the animal kingdom. Humans turn out to be particularly smelly because odors are released from nearly every part of the body while other species living on us are simultaneously emitting odors too.

The animals use a cocktail of decomposing skin and food to lure prey. (Inside Science) -- When it comes to nabbing insects, a chameleon's nimble tongue is the envy of the forest. But even that sticky organ can only reach so far.

Due to beavers' diet of leaves and bark, castoreum—to some people—smells like vanilla, and it's an ingredient in vanilla flavoring for some food products. (Related: "Beaver Butts Emit Goo Used for Vanilla Flavoring.") So maybe those tails really are a bit like donuts.

Keep in mind that skunks prefer not to spray and will usually start by hissing and stamping their feet when threatened before they show you their backside. When they do spray, they emit seven different sulfur-rich chemicals, which lend it that unmistakable rotten egg smell.

THE UNDERARMS

This area is the first place we think of when we think of body odor. It has a dense patch of hair and is loaded with sweat glands. People of European or African descent have many apocrine sweat glands, and East Asians have fewer.

Changes to the metabolism of the dying person can cause their breath, skin and body fluids to have a distinctive smell similar to that of nail polish remover. If a person is dying from bowel or stomach cancer, this smell might be quite strong.

In summary, though it's difficult to measure just how far a black bear can smell, a range of a few miles isn't unrealistic. With 300 to 500 bears roaming Yosemite at any given time, it's more than likely that at least one of them are smelling you at all times.

Dogs, most of us think, have the best noses on the planet. But a new study reveals that this honor actually goes to elephants. The power of a mammal's sniffer hinges on the number and type of its olfactory receptor genes.

What animal smells like urine? ›

Goat. A pungent smell is produced from the subcaudal glands of alarmed or rutting males. It is fairly distinctive and can be described as a stale milk/urine smell.

Binturongs, or bearcats, are neither bears nor cats. These Southeast Asian mammals are actually related to small forest predators like fossas, civets, and genets. They also happen to smell like hot buttered popcorn.

The animal kingdom now harbors one fewer mystery. Researchers have ferreted out why the binturong, a threatened Southeast Asian mammal also known as the bearcat, smells like popcorn. The culprit is 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, or 2-AP, the same molecule that gives cooked popcorn its aroma.

Scientists have classified odors into 10 basic categories: fragrant, woody/resinous, minty/peppermint, sweet, chemical, popcorn, lemon, fruity (non-citrus), pungent and decayed.

Today, we explore the worst smells in the world… Brace your nose! Uranus – The Planet of Rotten Eggs. Durian – The Evacuation Fruit. Rafflesia arnoldii – The Stinking Corpse Lily.

An empirical test of the reaction of blood on the skin by Glindemann and colleagues [30] showed that a distinctive 'metallic' smell was produced, which was attributable to the oxidization of the hemoglobin's iron molecules in the reaction with fat lipids in the skin.

Citrus scents top the list of smells your dog probably hates. The scent of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits is strong and unpleasant for your dog. For this reason, you can use citrus scents as a dog repellant in off-limits parts of the house. Their noses are irritated by the strength of citrus.

Our study shows that dogs were more likely to interact with the scents of blueberry, blackberry, mint, rose, lavender, and linalol.

Honey Bees = Bananas

If you're stung by a honey bee, you definitely need to wash your clothes because the pheromone can stay on clothing. In other words, if you're near bees and smell bananas, it's time to put yourself on alert as well.

Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginger colored, but all have warning coloration.

Why does my room smell like fish? ›

A Fishy Smell

That fishy smell is typically a sign that an electrical component is overheating or burning. The smell can come from loose or frayed wires or cords, overloaded circuits, faulty outlets, incorrectly sized breakers or fuses, or overheated electrical shielding or insulation.

There are even animals that do not spray a smelly liquid, but yet can smell like a skunk. There are badgers, wolverines, marmot/rock chucks, and other varmints as well. If you live in an area where these creatures roam freely, then there is a chance that your dog picked up its unpleasant smell from them.

Try this: sniff coffee or charcoal for a full minute. Then go back and take a whiff of your underarm or other potentially offending area. In a pinch, you could even smell the crook of your elbow, which contains few sweat glands.

ODOR AFTER A SHOWER IS DUE TO LINGERING BACTERIA

In addition to bacteria, oftentimes there is deodorant residue and other impurities that are trapped in the underarm pores and within the hair if you have armpit hair.

Apocrine glands are in areas like your armpits and groin. They produce a thicker, milky fluid. Sweat itself doesn't have a smell. The odor happens when bacteria come into contact with the perspiration your apocrine glands release.

If you've read anything about stinky cheese, you may know that a particular French cheese from Burgundy, Epoisse de Bourgogne, usually gets top marks for being the smelliest cheese in the world. Aged for six weeks in brine and brandy, it's so pungent that it's banned on French public transport.

1. Surströmming. Swedish for "sour herring" this fish is salted just enough not to rot, then left for 6 months. The most putrid smelling food in the world - it is said to resemble a rotting corpse.

Surströmming, a fermented herring considered to be a famous delicacy in Sweden, is also known as one of the most pungent foods in the world. And there's one more must-have accompaniment: beer. Herring has been a key part of Swedish culture for centuries.

In the UK, dying of “old age” is used in conjunction with the term “frailty”. Describing cause of death in this way is something that has a long history. In fact, in the 19^th century, this description was used to describe people that had died suddenly or were “found dead”.

In time, the heart stops and they stop breathing. Within a few minutes, their brain stops functioning entirely and their skin starts to cool. At this point, they have died.

What happens at end of life? ›

At the end of life, the body's chemical balance completely changes. The dying person then slips into unconsciousness. This is usually right towards the end, maybe only a few hours or days before death. The person's breathing becomes irregular and may become noisy.

No. Wifi does not have a smell.

Bears also dislike the strong scent of pine-based cleaners, but avoid using anything with a fresh, lemony or fruity smell. And never mix bleach and ammonia; the combination produces fumes that can be deadly to both people and bears.

The short answer is, yes. A dog can smell a bear and alert you well in advance that something's there, which could in turn divert a potential encounter. And a barking dog can discourage a bear from investigating a campsite.

What's in Skunk Spray? Skunks have scent glands located on either side of the anus, which produce an oily secretion containing sulfur compounds called thiols. Sulfur smells like rotten eggs, and thiols specifically are organic compounds also found in garlic and onions.

The greatest “super taster” in the world, however, isn't a skilled human but the lowly catfish. Catfish have a unique taste reception system in that not only do they have taste receptors in their mouths and clustered around the opening thereof, but their entire body is covered in them.

Rat snakes emit a foul-smelling odor when they feel threatened by a predator. This musk imitates what a poison would taste like.

Remember this the next time you rip open a freshly nuked bag of microwave popcorn: You're really getting a whiff of rotten eggs. New research into the most potent chemicals that give microwave popcorn its flavor has found that hydrogen sulfide is one of the main odorous gases produced during popping.

Urine that contains a lot of water and few waste products has little to no odor. If urine becomes highly concentrated — a high level of waste products with little water — your urine may have a strong ammonia odor.

Diabetes. A popcorn smell or sweet-smelling urine is often an early indicator of untreated or undiagnosed diabetes. Diabetes affects your blood sugar levels and causes high ketone levels. The excess sugar and ketones make their way into your urine, resulting in that tell-tale popcorn smell.

What animal smells like cucumbers? ›

Copperheads smell like cucumbers. You may have heard someone say you always know when a copperhead is around because it smells like cucumbers. This is both true and misleading. Yes, copperheads and most other kinds of snakes give off an offensive odor when molested, cornered or captured.

A nudibranch's bright colors are usually a warning — eat me at your own risk. Predators scorn the sea lemon's fruity, penetrating odor and acidic taste. Observers have seen fish spit out accidentally ingested nudibranchs. Nudibranchs do prey on other nudibranchs, however.

Elephants (Loxodonta africana) are water-dependent herbivores that possess exceptional olfactory capabilities, and it has been suggested that they may locate water via smell.

In their native country of Australia, western grey kangaroo females are known as does or fliers, the males as boomers or stinkers due to their strong, curry-like smell, and the young as joeys. Kangaroos live in groups called mobs.

A dead mouse smells rancid—or like rotten cabbage.

Usually, it smells of rotten cabbage or decay.

Cat urine has a powerful ammonia-like odor that can smell even worse when there is a problem. If your cat has uncharacteristic accidents around your home, it's essential to consider your cat's health. The first step should always be to consult your veterinarian.

The animal kingdom now harbors one fewer mystery. Researchers have ferreted out why the binturong, a threatened Southeast Asian mammal also known as the bearcat, smells like popcorn. The culprit is 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, or 2-AP, the same molecule that gives cooked popcorn its aroma.

Deers are killed by hunters and poachers for their musk. Musk is a substance produced by deers which is used to make soaps and perfumes. Q.

Goat. A pungent smell is produced from the subcaudal glands of alarmed or rutting males. It is fairly distinctive and can be described as a stale milk/urine smell.

What animal smells like musk? ›

Glandular substances with musk-like odors are also obtained from the musk duck (Biziura lobata) of southern Australia, the muskox, the musk shrew, the musk beetle (Aromia moschata), the African civet (Civettictis civetta), the musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), the American alligator of North America, lynx musk, ...

If humans can indeed smell fear they wouldn't be unusual in the animal kingdom. Sea anemones, earthworms, minnows, fruit flies, rats, mice, and deer, among others, have all been shown to signal unease through odor. Some responses are even more overt.

ANSWER: Under normal conditions, a deer can smell a human that is not making any attempt to hide its odor at least 1/4 mile away. If the scenting conditions are perfect (humid with a light breeze), it can even be farther.