{"id":2207509,"date":"2026-09-22T06:00:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T05:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2207509"},"modified":"2026-09-22T08:52:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T07:52:32","slug":"theyre-powerful-enough-to-break-human-skin-and-contain-venom-7-longest-and-deadliest-fangs-on-the-planet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/theyre-powerful-enough-to-break-human-skin-and-contain-venom-7-longest-and-deadliest-fangs-on-the-planet\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThey\u2019re powerful enough to break human skin \u2013 and contain venom.\u201d 7 longest (and deadliest) fangs on the planet"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the animal kingdom, teeth come in all shapes and sizes. Some are anchored in the jaw for chewing or seizing prey, while others \u2013 known as fangs \u2013 are elongated teeth (often hollow or grooved), specially adapted for piercing flesh and injecting venom.<\/p>\n

A walrus\u2019s tusks, for example, are enormous canine teeth that can grow up to a metre long. During breeding season, walruses will wield their tusks as they fight for dominance and access to females.<\/p>\n

So we\u2019ve gathered together the most impressive fangs on land and in sea, to examine the longest, sharpest specimens in existence.<\/p>\n

Longest fangs in the animal kingdom<\/h2>\n

Gaboon viper<\/h3>\n
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\"Gaboon
A Gaboon viper or Western gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) repeatedly opens its mouth after eating to adjust its fangs. (Photo by DeAgostini\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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The Gaboon viper has the longest fangs of any venomous snake, measuring up to 5cm in length. These deadly teeth<\/a> allow the Gaboon viper to hold onto its prey and inject more venom than almost any other snake.<\/p>\n

Fangtooth fish<\/h3>\n
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\"A
A Fangtooth fish is displayed at the Natural History Museum (Photo by Dan Kitwood\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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The clue really is <\/em>in the name. The fangtooth fish is so-called because of its outsized teeth. In fact, it holds the record for the largest teeth relative to body size in fish. Its fangs are so long it can\u2019t close its mouth.<\/p>\n

The fangtooth fish is one of the deepest living fish, mostly found between 500 and 2,000 metres underwater, staying in deeper areas of the ocean during the day before migrating to shallower waters to feed.<\/p>\n

Tiger<\/h3>\n
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\"Female
Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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Possessing the longest canines among living land predators, tigers\u2019 fangs grow up to 7.5cm\u00a0\u2013 with the root extending up to 3cm under the surface. Their jaw can exert an enormous amount of pressure, which means tigers can use their fangs to pierce skin and then break the neck of their prey.<\/p>\n

Goliath birdeater tarantula<\/h3>\n
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\"Goliath
Goliath Birdeater Spider (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa\/LightRocket via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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The largest spider fangs belong to the Goliath birdeater tarantula, measuring between 2.5 and 4cm. It\u2019s no surprise, really, as the Goliath tarantula is the world\u2019s biggest spider. They are sharp, long and powerful enough to break human skin \u2013 plus, they contain venom.<\/p>\n

Hippopotamus<\/h3>\n
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Hippopotamus (Photo by: Arterra\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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A hippopotamus\u2019s lower canines can grow up to 50 or 60cm in length \u2013 and they also have incredibly powerful jaws. In fact, they are one of the most aggressive animals on the planet, and the worst injuries from hippo attacks tend to be deep lacerations caused by the hippos\u2019 canines.<\/p>\n

Chinese water deer<\/h3>\n
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\"Chinese
Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis) standing in a marshy wetland during sunset golden hour (credit: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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Rather than antlers, the Chinese water deer sports a rather different look. Its nickname \u2018vampire deer\u2019 comes from its long, tusk-like teeth, which can grow up to 8cm in length, extending past the bottom lip.<\/p>\n

Clouded leopard<\/h3>\n
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A clouded leopard, Neofelis nebulosa, yawning (credit: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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The clouded leopard has the largest canine teeth relative to head size of any living cat. They are often compared to the teeth of the extinct saber-toothed cats, which grew up to 20cm long.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> by Freya Parr was first published by Discover Wildlife on 14 September 2026.
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