“Know your enemy” is good advice, and that goes double for each of these fearsome animals.

GRAY WOLF

Where: Every continent except South America and Antarctica.

Specs: The largest males on record, discovered in Alaska, topped more than 120 pounds, and they can run at speeds exceeding 40 mph.

Hunting tactics: Gray wolves tend to hunt in packs of seven or eight and quietly stalk their prey before they go in for the kill. They’ll pursue fleeing targets for over a mile, so don’t attempt to escape a pack on foot because you can’t outrun them (or at least not all of them). They also attack to the rear and sides of their prey. Once the prey is down, they’ll tear into it with great ferocity.

Terrifying tidbits: Their jaws have a crushing pressure of 1,500 pounds per square inch. To help put that in perspective, the average German Shepherd’s is a comparatively wimpy 740 pounds. They also have voracious appetites. The average full-grown adult male can wolf down about 20 pounds of meat in one sitting.

GRIZZLY BEAR

Where: Western Canada, Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska.

Specs: They move at up to 35 mph and can weigh as much as 550 pounds.

Hunting tactics: Grizzly bears don’t hunt in the traditional sense. They typically prefer to eat plants, and believe it or not, only about 10% of their diet consists of fish and meat. As for the latter, the “opportunistic omnivores” like to scavenge deer and elk corpses killed by harsh winter weather or other natural causes. But if threatened (and they’re quite sensitive), they’ll make a meal of you.

Terrifying tidbits: The average grizzly could crush a bowling ball with its teeth.

GREAT WHITE SHARK

Where: All coastal and off shore waters with a temperature range of 54–75°F.

Specs: Anywhere from 1,500 to 2,450 pounds, and they’ll come at you at 35 mph.

Hunting tactics: As a general rule, great whites like to attack their prey from below. Those that roam areas off the east coast of North America like to hunt in shallow waters and are even known to use sand bars to ambush their targets.

Terrifying tidbits: Their sense of smell is extraordinary. Great whites can detect a single drop of blood in 25 gallons of water. They can sniff out a slightly larger amount from up to 3 miles away. On top of that, their light body color helps them easily blend in with coastal waters so you won’t notice them creeping up on you until it’s too late.

BENGAL TIGER

Where: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Specs: They can run at 40 mph and weigh more than 500 pounds.

Hunting tactics: In the wild, these tigers prefer large game, typically Indian bison and chital and sambar deer. They approach their targets from behind or the side, and prefer quick kills. They go straight for the throat and drag their prey to a covered location before making a meal out of them.

Terrifying tidbits: Bengal tigers are among nature’s most territorial animals. They aggressively scent-mark their territory, which can be as large as 38 square miles, and they aren’t afraid of defending it with their razor-sharp retractable claws. These big kitties are also really loud. At night, their roars can be heard from over a mile away.

SALTWATER CROCODILE

Where: Southeast Asia and Australia.

Specs: 1,000 pounds of crocodile may pursue you at 18 mph in water, and 11 mph on land.

Hunting tactics: They like to lurk just below the surface of waterways. When a tasty target shows up, they burst out of the water, grab it, and drag it back under with them.

Terrifying tidbits: At 3,700 pounds per square inch, they have the strongest bite of any animal on the planet.