'I felt that thing grab me and start pulling me under...' When ANIMALS ATTACK CELEBRITIES!

In the wild it is survival of the fittest. Whether it is a predator looking for a meal, or a creature defending its babies these creatures will attack! These beasts don't discriminate between animals and humans, and they don't care if you're famous! Whether it was a tiny bird or a 12-foot crocodile, these celebrities were involved in ANIMAL ATTACKS...

Imagine Shakira's horror when she realised she was being stalked by a sea lion! During a trip to South Africa, the 46-year-old singer was nearly mauled by a marine mammal, but managed to escape with only minor injuries after her brother swooped in to save the day. Taking to Facebook, Shakira reflected on her encounter that lefty her "paralyzed with fear". She said: "Suddenly, one of them jumped out of the water so fast and impetuously that it got about one foot away from me, looked me in the eye, roared in fury and tried to bite me. "Everyone there screamed, including me. I was paralyzed by fear and couldn't move, I just kept eye contact with it while my brother 'Super Tony' jumped over me and literally saved my life, taking me away from the beast."

Gordon Ramsay didn’t like it when his food bit back! For a TV show, the 'Hell's Kitchen' chef caught a puffin during a visit to Reykjavik, planning to show viewers how to make a traditional Icelandic dish. However, the bird had other plans, as he raised it to his face the bird nipped his nose. The bite left Gordon bleeding quite badly, and ended up needing three stitches. Ouch!

The late great Betty White was once attacked by a vicious swan! When she was a child, the star was going for a stroll with her parents in an Ohio park, when one of the big birds charged at her. She recalled it felt like "being hit with a bat".

Much like his father, Robert Irwin is a big fan of animals, but it seems like not all animals are a fan of him. During an interview with ET, the nature presenter recalled the time he was attacked by a 12-foot long crocodile! He said: "We had a crock, a brand-new crocodile that was actually rescued by my dad and moved into a new enclosure. It was our first time doing a feeding and everything. "Long story short, it was the first time I ever actually had to completely ditch the food run and jump over a fence while there was a croc right at my heels - a massive, dominant male."

Paris Hilton has a taste for the exotic, and it seems like they have a taste for her! The 42-year-old DJ had to be taken to the hospital after she was fiercely bitten by her pet kinkajou, Baby Luv, in 2006. In a statement, her publicist Elliot Mintz said: "Baby Luv bit her. It’s a superficial bite on her left arm. "She was seen by a doctor, who treated the wound, gave her a tetanus shot, cleaned the wound and applied something to it.”

This actor was once bitten by a rattlesnake! When the 'Stranger Things' star was doing some yard work outside his house, the snake sprang at him and sunk its fangs into his hand. Cary had to be airlifted to hospital, and managed to make a full recovery once he received medical attention. Taking to Instagram, the actor expressed his gratitude towards the emergency services that saved him In a post that pictured his blue swollen finger, he wrote: "Grateful to the staff of Malibu Urgent Care, LA County Fire Dept. and the staff and medical professionals at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for their great care. Am recovering well thanks to all these wonderful folks."

One of the most painful stings is that of a jellyfish, and unfortunately for Selena Gomez, she can vouch for that. Just after New Year's Day in 2020, the 'Only Murders In The Building' star was seriously stung by one of the sea creatures during her Hawaii vacation. Videos shared saw her limping back to the shore, wincing in pain. Ironically, just days before the incident, the singer took to Instagram to share her hopes for the upcoming year. In a caption that accompanied a photo of her soaking up the sun on a boat, she wrote: "Hi New Year. Let's make this one better than the rest."

Generally, dolphins are quite friendly, but that wasn't the case with Susan Sarandon! During a vacation with Timothy Leary, the 'Enchanted' star was petting a male dolphin, when its mate became "jealous" and attacked her, breaking her arm. She said: “The attendants were screaming, ‘We’ve got to get you out!’ I was afraid I was going to get my other arm broken.”

Possibly the most terrifying animal to come face to face with is a shark, and Ryan Seacrest knows that all too well! During a dip in the Mexican sea, the 'American Idol' presenter's relaxing swim quickly turned into a horror movie when he found a shark was chasing him, and sunk its razer-sharp teeth into his foot. Explaining the situation on the radio afterwards, he emphasised that he was still dealing with a lot of pain. He said: "I was bitten by a shark. It swam up to me, and it took a bite, and then he left. "Don't let me fool you by my unbelievably comfortable state of being on the air right now, because I'm in pain."

Being the daring adventurer that he is, it's no surprise that Bear Grylls has had his fair share of close encounters with animals. On one particular occasion, the 49-year-old was dragged underwater by an eight-foot snake when he was. Speaking with The Sun, Bear admitted he had "never been so scared in my life" over the attack. He said: "I got in, couldn’t touch the bottom, and suddenly I felt that thing grab me and start pulling me down. Then it got a grip around my neck. It caught me out. I hadn’t anticipated how fast, powerful and heavy it would be. "It was terrifying and very intense. I’ve never been so scared in my life. But like all these things, they happen fast and they don’t last very long. I managed to break free."