8 Animals That Invaded Swimming Pools
8. Bears
Bears have taken over residential pools several times in the past few years, moseying on up to take a gander and a cool dip and- no doubt- shocking the heck out of any homeowners inside.
Proving that the animal kingdom isn’t too far removed from us, these massive mammals pop up in pools on hot days, and while you can remove plenty of animals with a skimmer and a little courage, we don’t recommend that you try that tactic with bears.
In 2016, a whole family of black bears hopped into a pool in Pasadena, California, before shaking off their fur and wandering into the neighborhood.
Eventually, the bathing bears were chased off by a very sassy dog. In 2019, a Boulder Colorado family was amazed to find two bears dipping their paws into the pool before sliding in to take full advantage of the chilly water.
Although they might look cute and cuddly, wild bears are not a creature that you want to tangle with. Most bears won’t go out of their way to hurt humans, but they can and do get aggressive if you surprise them during an afternoon swim.
7. Moose
Moose can swell to 1,500 pounds or the weight equivalent of 10 average-sized people, so you can understand why finding one of these mega-beasts in your backyard pool, might just be a cause for concern.
Unfortunately, for those who live in moose country, it happens! In 2019, a young moose waded on into a New Hampshire pool and was, fortunately, able to be coaxed out before causing too many problems.
An Ottawa man wasn’t so lucky in 2020 when a massive moose decided to lay claim to his pool, and spent several hours paddling in the shallow end.
It’s a mystery for the ages as to how the moose got into the pool in the first place since there was a six-foot fence cordoning off the area- but it just might go to show you that we don’t give these animals enough credit.
Often, we think about moose as being gentle animals, but they will absolutely not hesitate to charge a human and, in general, attack more people than bears and wolves put together. So, if you see a moose on the loose, call in the experts.
Related: Top 10 Most Venomous Snake in the World
6. Buffalo
Buffalo sightings in pools are rare, but that doesn’t mean that these shaggy giants don’t like to get a little wet and wild once in a while, as one Georgia man discovered in 2010. Chris Nonnemaker was puzzled to find holes in the tarp covering his swimming pool, but that’s just the beginning of the tale.
As he approached the pool, he heard crazy noises coming from the water below, ripped off the cover, and came face to face with a huge buffalo.
The buffalo belonged to a local farm and probably entered the pool by mistake- which made it all the more dangerous. These creatures can swell to extraordinary sizes, maxing out at 2,000 pounds of raw, powerful animal.
That makes buffalos half the weight of your average-sized car, with the notable advantage of also being alive. Buffaloes also don’t take too kindly to being disturbed, preferring to gore their victims if they feel threatened.
Fortunately for Nonnemaker and the drenched buffalo, nobody- human or buffalo- was harmed during the snafu.
5. Mouse Spiders
In 2020 a Darwin, Australia native was shocked to find 20 mouse spiders infesting her pool. Although their name might sound cutesy, these creatures are one of Australia’s most feared spiders- and that’s saying something considering the country we’re talking about.
As the temperature rises, the mouse spiders start looking around for places to cool off, and that includes your neighborhood backyard pool. One of the most compelling pieces of this crazy tale is the fact that the mouse spiders were at the bottom of the pool, but the vast majority were still alive.
Mouse spiders can live underwater for up to a full day, thanks to a low need for oxygen, so, don’t go assuming that any spiders you’ll fish out from the depths of your pool will be dead.
There’s a good chance that a sunken spider will come back to life just in time to give you a painful bite! Although mouse spiders aren’t as venomous as some other varieties, they are bold, unafraid of humans, and deliver a harsh bite that can rock your world for weeks on end.
Lesson learned; always make sure that you check the bottom of your pool before hopping in for a dip.
Related: Top 10 Bizarre Animal Carcasses That Washed Ashore
4. Snakes
Snakes get into pools all the time, from simple garden snakes to giant 13-foot Burmese pythons. It’s always a good idea to sweep your pool for the creepy slitherers, especially if you live in an area where they’re prominent.
In 2021, in Australia, a family spotted one of the deadliest snakes on the planet, an eastern brown snake sliding around in the pool’s overflow channel.
Eastern brown snakes are venomous, and the vast majority of deadly snakebites in Australia come from these particular creatures. Eastern brown snakes can be aggressive, especially if surprised while they’re just trying to have their morning dip. Their venom is the stuff of nightmares.
Expect massive bleeding and paralysis, if you make it at all. In 2018, an Arizona family chanced upon a rattlesnake nesting in one of their pool noodles, and things got even weirder when they realized that the snake was stashing rattlesnake babies in the rest of their noodles too! How do you make sure that your pool won’t turn into a snake breeding ground? Short answer- you don’t!
3. Alligators
It’s a common trope for a reason; alligators get into pools in the Sunshine State all of the time. Florida residents have a hella big problem with gators.
They get into sewers, have been known to snatch pets, and will absolutely kill a human if provoked. Alligators can slice through bones with just one bite, or roll unsuspecting victims underwater to drown them.
These reptilian nasties own the bogs, swamps, and lakes of Florida- but you’d think the pools would be safe. Not so much. In 2019, a Florida woman found a 7-foot-long alligator in her swimming pool.
She called the cops, who removed the gator, but only after it put up an epic fight- whipping around in its trademark death roll before finally being subdued.
In 2020 Fort Lauderdale, Florida residents and professional gator wrangles Chris Gillette and Gabby Scampone had to deal with an “e gator” call.
E gator calls are serious stuff, and usually indicate that there’s a big old nasty gator who is about to maul or make a meal out of a nearby human.
Fortunately, Gillette and Scampone’s skills saved the day, but as the mercury rises in the great state of Florida, so do the surprise alligator sightings.
Related: Top 5 Most Deadliest Sharks for Human in the World
2. Funnel Spiders
Funnel spiders might not be the biggest animals on our list, but they can kill an average adult-sized human in just 15 minutes. Although you might think of pools as one place where you can avoid getting bitten by a venomous spider, we have some very bad news for you.
In 2016, in New South Wales, Australia, a massive funnel spider found its way into a kiddie pool- while children were in there enjoying a dip.
The whole thing was caught on tape, with the three children just inches away from the horrific spider.
Funnel spiders are largely recognized as being the world’s most venomous spiders. Predictably, and like everything else that can kill you in an instant, they come from the Land Down Under, unleashing their fury on anyone unlucky enough to get in their way. Funnel spiders use atracotoxin protein, a powerful neurotoxin, to dispatch of their victims within a few short minutes.
In an unnerving twist, funnel spiders live right alongside humans, infiltrating gardens and even crawling into shoes.
Who could have guessed that they would also take a strong liking to swimming pools? It appears that nowhere is safe from one of nature’s nastiest little monsters…
1. Crocodiles
Crocodiles can reach 17 feet long and tip the scales at 1,000 pounds, which means that finding one of these ill-tempered beasts in your swimming pool is truly a matter of life and death.
Crocs are half the length of your average city bus, and they’re much more ferocious than alligators. Crocs will attack humans even if not provoked.
If the thought of a cold-blooded assassin chilling out in your pool doesn’t sit quite right with you, you’re not alone. In 2021 a Moedwil South African couple found a 10-foot croc in their swimming pool, fortunately, before jumping in to cool themselves off! At 4:30 am, Angel Breyenbach wandered out to her backyard and noticed a giant shadow in the pool.
Fortunately, she realized it was a dangerous ancient reptile and called animal control immediately. The crew lassoed the croc, and a local wildlife rescue helped get it back where it belonged; in the wild. Incredibly, nobody was injured; a considerable feat when you consider crocs can run up to 22 miles per hour, have enormous deadly jaws, and are just as lethal in the water as they are on land.
Stick to the rivers and lakes that you’re used to, crocs! Thanks for reading! Would you rather swim with a family of deadly funnel spiders or come across one cranky and vicious croc in your swimming pool? Let us know in the comments section below.
