There is no arguing that the world we live in is a dangerous one, but when it comes to the animals on our planet which is considered most dangerous. Is it a seemingly harmless insect that spreads disease to thousands of people, or is the powerful beasts who are not responsible for nearly as many deaths, but are capable of tearing apart a human without breaking a sweat. Yours to decide; this lists presents 10 animals to consider.
10. Venomous Snakes
Deadly snakes exist around the world and are a part of everyday life in many countries. These smaller creatures can be overlooked in terms of their danger factor but if ever bitten by one, it is quickly evident just how powerful a deadly snake bite can be. Snakes are very fast and any part of the human body is a good place for a bite, as the venom flows into the general bloodstream within minutes. Death can result in minutes for the most lethal snakes.
Scorpions paralyze their prey by pumping deadly venom through the obvious curved stinger at the end of their tails. As with all venom, humans are particularly susceptible if they are allergic – though the African spitting scorpion, who scuttles around Africa, is the most venomous, as it is able to spray venom up to a metre.
8. Big Carnivorous Cats
Little fluffy is not a problem unless you are a mouse, but to the big cats, people are the mice. And there are not many things more frightening than the thought of being chased down by a hungry tiger or lion. Tigers generally attack from the back and look to bite the jugular or break the neck. Mountain lions stalk their prey and often attack from a vantage point. These cats are found primarily in Africa, North America and India and are responsible for about 800-1000 deaths annually.
Crocodiles, nearly 250 million years old, are among the most advanced of the reptiles despite their prehistoric look. Unlike other reptiles they have a four-chambered heart, diaphragm and cerebral cortex. The larger species of crocodiles can be very dangerous to humans. The Saltwater and Nile Crocodiles are the most dangerous, killing hundreds of people each year in parts of South-East Asia and Africa. American Alligators, Mugger crocodiles and possibly the endangered Black Caiman, are also very dangerous to humans. They are responsible for an estimated 600-800 fatalities a year.
Despite their friendly and approachable image thanks to zoo feeding times, these herbivores kill an alarming amount of people every year. Elephants are unpredictable creatures, and have been known to kill zookeepers who have been with them for as long as 15 years. Elephants and hippos are extremely dangerous due to their protective nature and surprising physical strength and agility.
At first glance, these wallowing river-horses appear to be bulky, lazy beasts and not the fearsome predators you would expect to have a habit of mauling humans. However, with gaping mouths that can open four feet wide and swinging sledgehammer heads, as well as the fact that they can outrun us on land, these highly aggressive animals have plenty of scope for destruction and are considered one of the most dangerous of African animals. They are responsible for an estimated 100-150 fatalities a year.
The sting-masters of the sea, Jellyfish are usually passive drifters who use their tentacles to dredge up small prey. However, anyone who becomes entangled with a jellyfish will experience degrees of pain from a nasty nip to excruciating pain, depending on the species. The box jellyfish is one of the most venomous marine creatures in the world; a sting can kill a man within minutes and most fatalities occur following a brush with a toxic jelly like this.
In the summer of 2004, a father-son team fishing at a shark derby were admiring a blue shark which they had just caught and pulled up to the side of the boat. The boy attempted to lay his hand on the snout of the shark while it was in the water, trying to put it into a “trance” as he had seen done with great white sharks on TV. Apparently, the shark had not seen the same TV show, and it bit the boy’s hand. Fortunately, only a few stitches were required. Out of 360 species, only four are known killers: tiger, great white, oceanic whitetip and bull sharks. However, as we’ve seen with bears, although there are a high number of shark attacks, actual fatalities are fairly low.
2. The Mosquito
Mosquitoes are usually harmless pests that bother you when camping or having a picnic but they can also be quite virile in the spreading of disease and are carriers of some very nasty stuff. Best known for spreading malaria, these little stingers also spread elephantiasis, yellow fever, dengue fever and West Nile virus, which was recently introduced to North America and Europe and is now prevalent across these continents. Why you may ask is the lowly mosquito so close to the top of the list ? Simply, because it kills thousands of people every year, many more than any attacking animals, from its viral ways of spreading deadly disease.
Although bears have a fearsome reputation, you are statistically more likely to survive a bear attack than to perish, but that’s small consolation to those who are faced with a bristling bear. Attacks are on the rise in many areas as a result of human destruction of, and encroachment on, bears’ natural habitat. In North America, the Grizzly bear is the powerful, top-of-the-food-chain predator, yet much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose. Bears are found in North America, Canada, North Pole, Russia and isolated pockets around the world, such as New Zealand and China.
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