40 Times Earth’s Animals Created Nightmares

Home Biology 40 Times Earth’s Animals Created Nightmares

Biology

By Joe Burgett - July 26, 2019

There are a ton of amazing and beautiful animals all over the world today. However, just like humans, some are more dangerous than they would appear; some of the deadliest are the ones you’d least expect. As far as ranking the most dangerous animal, sometimes it is difficult to compare- much like apples and oranges. However, the best rule to stick to around animals: be cautious and never put yourself in a dangerous situation with a wild animal. Even if it looks small or cute, it can still be dangerous. This is especially true in the wild. While being around a random house cat usually won’t be an issue, the opossum outside might be good to stay away from.

The question for most might be, well what are the most dangerous animals? Which should we stay away from the most? What animals kill more people than others each year? These are the questions we will try to answer in this list as we count down the deadliest animals on Planet Earth today. Note: we did not include several animals, including humans, deer, tapeworms, and hyenas. While “animals” such as humans are clearly one of the most dangerous, we thought we would stick to some unknowns. It is important to note that deer are responsible for several deaths a year, 90% of those being car accidents.

40 Times Earth’s Animals Created Nightmares — *Photo Credit: Matt9122/Shutterstock*

40. Stonefish

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Fishes & Crustacea

Location: Most Commonly North Australia

The Stonefish is quite unlike other fish (even those it bears similarities to). It is the most venomous fish in the world, but it does not use its venom to hunt; they do well without it. However, they use their venom for something better: to protect themselves from predators. The Stonefish already has perfect camo to keep it out of the eyesight of most predators.

However, their venom gives them a much better chance of survival. Humans may come across them, but neither seek the other out. If they do sting a human, a full-grown adult can die in around 1 hour. If you get to a hospital quick enough, you’ll be okay. That’s why the death count is low. Yet their ability to kill is certainly worth mentioning.

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39. Cougar (Mountain Lion)

Death Count: 1 Human Fatality Every Few Years

Why They Kill Humans: For Food, Fear, Safety, And Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Smaller Animals (Rodents, Coyotes, Rabbits) and some Bigger (Deer, Elk, Moose)

Location: North & South America

Cougars are beautiful animals and the only true big cat native only to the Americas. Often referred to as Mountain Lion in the southern United States, they live in 16 different states and several countries in North America, Central America, and South America. They tend to keep to themselves, but you’ll spot them in the woods or forests quite often. However, they rarely attack humans.

The only time they go toward a human being is when they are starving. This is why cougars tend to kill one person every few years. Sometimes, you might get a year where there are 10 or fewer occurrences, but even this is rare.

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38. Bulldog Ant (Myrmecia Pyriformis)

Death Count: 3 Human Fatalities Every Few Decades

Why They Kill Humans: Territorial

Food Source: Sugar-Rich Substances

Location: Australia

The Bulldog Ant is the most dangerous ant in the world, full stop. One ant can actually do more damage than you might think. This particular ant does not cause a ton of human deaths, but they have the potential to cause several. While it tends to be that one ant cannot kill an adult human, these ants rarely roll alone.

This means you’re likely going to see them sting you in rapid succession. The Bulldog Ant is the most venomous of any ant and can shoot venom into you with each bite. The more bites, the worse it can get. They use long-toothed mandibles to stick into your skin, making their stings very painful. Respect the Queen or die!

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37. Bears

Death Count: Around 11 people in North America die

Why They Kill Humans: Food & Territorial Reasoning

Food Source: Leaves, Roots, Berries, Insects, Carrion, Fresh Meat, and Fish

Location: Worldwide

Bears tend to be pretty tame and rarely go after humans. Most of the time, their only contact with humans is when we interrupt their world. Due to bears being very territorial, they will harm any human they see as a threat to them. This is more common in brown bears.

Since a bear is instinctually territorial, they are even more dangerous when it concerns protecting their cub(s). Overall, bears rarely kill humans. However, since there are so many different types around the world, you’re bound to see some type of bear kill a human. This is why the annual number of bears killing humans is around 12 per year, as it includes every bear species.

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36. Pufferfish (Fugu)

Death Count: Every year about 100 people die from pufferfish poison

Why They Kill Humans: Accidental Poisoning

Food Source: Algae and Small Invertebrates

Location: Of The Coast Of Various Asian, African, and South American Territories

Pufferfish are quite unique in that they often do not kill humans when they are living, yet tend to do a lot of damage after they die. This has to do with the fact that the pufferfish is served as sushi in several restaurants all over the world. It becomes one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth in this environment, mostly due to how it is prepared.

Prepared incorrectly, the neurotoxin (tetrodotoxin) the pufferfish has will poison the eater. It is often found in the fish’s liver, eyes, ovaries, and most of its skin. Chefs usually cut off and quickly remove anything that can poison a customer. Yet some do not or leave traces behind. This is why in Japan the Fugu, as they call it, tends to result in over half of all reported food poisoning each year. Several deaths come out of this, annually, as a result.

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35. Alligators

Death Count: Under 2 Human Deaths Annually On Average

Why They Kill Humans: Food, Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Fish, Turtles, Muskrats, Deer, Birds, etc.

Location: North & South America, China

Alligators are relatively calm but will attack if they feel threatened. This is why we see them pop up on golf courses or parks and no one bats an eye. If you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone. For an unfortunate few, this is not the case and they will attack a human. However, a study was done from 1948 to 2017 and found that 401 people were attacked by the American Alligator.

Despite this, only 24 people were killed. Most, however, lost limbs, or sustained minor injuries. While deaths are not common for humans, “attacks” may happen. Often, this is due to simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is why we had to add them to the deadliest animals on Planet Earth list.

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34. Poison Dart Frog

Death Count: Unknown Annual Sum

Why They Kill Humans: Unintentional through contact or used as weapons

Food Source: Specific Insects Native To South America

Location: South America

The Poison Dart Frog is mostly native to the Amazon Rainforest where tribes of natives have used them to help in both hunting animals and killing enemy tribes for centuries. They are also common in Columbia for similar reasons. The poison dart frog is quite unique compared to others on this list. Their skin gland happens to be what keeps the poison ready for them.

They’ll secrete it around predators, who will die upon attempting to eat them. The Golden Poison Dart Frog alone has enough poison within it to kill 10 grown men. People found ways to use this poison for blowdarts to kill animals and other people, which is where the frogs get their name.

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33. Horses

Death Count: Around 20 Human Fatalities Per Year

Why They Kill Humans: Accidental, Threatened

Food Source: Fruits & Vegetables

Location: Worldwide

While horse-related deaths are not as common as they were decades ago, these amazing animals have been responsible for several per year. The most common places to see horse-related fatalities are Australia and the United States. Deaths from wild horses happened often a century ago, but now most are domesticated, thus, deadly human fatalities are not as common.

Today, humans die from simply falling off of a horse while riding. This could be from a simple ride or horse bucking. Sometimes a horse will kick a human with its back legs or trample them. Yet this is quite rare due to most knowing how to handle them. Either way, horses are among the deadliest animals on Planet Earth for a clear reason.

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32. Brazilian Wandering Spider

Death Count: Less Than 5 Fatalities Reported Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Threatened

Food Source: Insects, Mice, Lizards

Location: Brazil & Nearby South American Nations

Despite being the most venomous spider on the planet, the Brazilian Wandering Spider does not kill humans very often. As the name suggests, they are mostly found in Brazil but are seen in other nearby nations too. The remainder of their name comes from the fact that they walk on the forest floor among various other animals.

This allows them to catch most of their prey, like mice and insects. However, humans are also walking around here, with many natives often walking around barefoot or in sandals. This leads to the spider biting them. Usually, the spider only causes nausea, vomiting, dizziness, etc. to an adult human. Yet their bite can kill some, so it is best to get to some antivenin quickly!

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31. Boomslang

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Threatened

Food Source: Insects & Other Small Reptiles

Location: Southern Africa

Boomslang snakes are among the most feared snake types on the planet today. You’ll typically find them in trees where they like to hunt small prey and rarely deal with humans. The snake uses a venom known as a Hemotoxin. This particular toxin destroys red blood cells and disrupts blood clotting. On top of this, you’ll experience nausea, headaches, tiredness, dizziness, and more.

A full-grown human can last usually up to 24 hours before death, but a child could die sooner. Also, if a juvenile snake bites someone, they’re likely to have more venom put into them over what an adult Boomslang might offer. Seek the antivenom quickly upon being bitten!

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30. Freshwater Snails

Death Count: 10,000 to 200,000 Deaths Annually

Why They Kill Humans: They Don’t, Their Parasite Does

Food Source: Mostly Algae

Location: Worldwide

Freshwater snails are some of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth for an interesting reason. They’re mostly a problem for humans when they are eaten due to what the snail carries with it. These particular snails carry a parasitic disease known as schistosomiasis. The parasite can also escape in water and attach itself to humans via open sores or cuts.

This disease is treatable with Anti-Parasite medication but it must be caught quickly! If not, the parasite will enter your intestines and completely destroy your body from the inside. This results in thousands of deaths annually. The snail itself may not be deadly but the parasite it carries has forced us to add it to the list.

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29. Asian Giant Hornet (Yak-Killer Hornet)

Death Count: Around 40 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Threatened

Food Source: Various Fluids

Location: Eastern Asia

The species known to science as Vespa Mandarinia is known to the rest of the world as the Yak-Killer Hornet or the Asian Giant Hornet. It truly lives up to its name, as it is the world’s largest hornet. It also happens to carry a venom that can kill humans. You’ll find these big boys mostly in Japan but they are known to be across various areas of Eastern Asia.

Upon being stung, the hornet’s venom immediately goes to work on a human’s “oxygen-carrying” red blood cells. This will often lead to kidney failure and even death. Most of the time, however, deaths are caused by allergies to the venom itself. In Japan alone, 40 people die annually from Yak-Hornet Stings.

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28. Leopards

Death Count: Dozens To Hundreds Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Food, Threatened, Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Most Small Reptiles, Rodents, Gazelle, Antelope, etc.

Location: Sub-Saharan Africa, Most Of Asia

The average Leopard we know today is a big game cat that is incredibly fast & agile and able to adapt to various environments. They also tend to eat just about anything they can catch. They usually stay away from humans, which is why we do not see a lot of human deaths annually from leopard attacks in most places.

The most common area to see a Leopard attack a human is in India, due to the high population of humans and shrinking leopard habitats. While they have attacked humans elsewhere, in just the Indian region known as Uttarakhand, from 2000-2007, Leopards killed 239 humans. This did not include the dozens to hundreds killed elsewhere.

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27. Cassowary

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Small Rodents, Insects, Fruits, & Vegetables

Location: New Guinea, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku Islands, & Northeastern Australia

The Cassowary is one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth today. Technically, it is THE deadliest bird around. They are fast and have claws that can cut just about any animal or human wide open. Cassowary birds rarely go after humans but they have been known to attack them over the last few decades. It’s almost always for territorial reasons.

They have only killed a human being one time in all reported attacks but several humans have walked away with injuries from them. The reason they seem to attack humans may very well be due to rarely coming across them. Their common locations are mostly isolated, so it makes sense to not care for a big possible predator.

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26. Inland Taipan

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Territorial, Self-Preservation

Food Source: Small Reptiles, Rodents

Location: Only Australia

To date, the Inland Taipan is known to be the most venomous snake on the planet. It is said that one Inland Taipan snake has enough venom within it to kill 100 grown men, by far the most of any other snake. There are a few types of Taipan snake, but the Inland Taipan is the most dangerous.

They get their name from mostly being inland and nowhere else. Despite being the most venomous, they rarely kill humans. They are not around them nearly as much as other snakes. However, most humans bitten by the Inland Taipan tend to die unless they have antivenom given to them within 30 minutes to an hour after the bite takes place.

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25. Rhinoceros

Death Count: Dozens Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Vegetables, Fruits, Grass, Leaves

Location: Africa & Southeast Asia

The Rhinoceros has a long history as one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth. It has been around for centuries but, sadly, Rhinos have been hunted by poachers who cut off their horns. This brought them down to the endangered list. They tend to be killed by poachers more in African Nations than in Asian ones.

Rhinos know humans and will attack them without hesitation. They are incredibly territorial and will charge a person before they know what to do. Shooting them may not even help. This is why Rhinos are responsible for several attacks on humans. The African Black Rhino kills the most humans annually and attacks the most frequently.

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24. Sandflies

Death Count: From 24,000 to 65,000 Annually

Why They Kill Humans: They Don’t, A Parasite They Pass On Does

Food Source: Noxious Plants

Location: Worldwide, Most Problematic Type Are In Africa & Asia

Various Sandflies kill several humans annually due to what their bite does to people. The bite passes on a disease known as Leishmaniasis. While not all bites do this, many bites will pass on a disease caused by a certain parasite. The horrific Leishmaniasis disease presents itself in one of three ways.

This is either cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral. The Cutaneous presents itself with skin ulcers while the Mucocutaneous involves ulcers of the skin, mouth, and nose. However, Visceral may start with skin ulcers and then develop into a fever, low red blood cells, and even an enlarged spleen or liver. Out of this, anywhere between 24,000 to 65,000 humans die annually from it.

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23. Bengal Tiger

Death Count: Around 100 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Food & Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Chital, Sambar, Gaur, Barasingha, Water Buffalo, Nilgai, Serow, etc.

Location: Asia (Mostly China & India)

The Bengal Tiger is beautiful but incredibly dangerous. This is one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth today and among the most common to attack humans. Why do they do this? Due to being located mostly in India & China, there is less and less room for animals to live among humans. This leaves the Tiger without much room and, thus, they come into contact with humans frequently.

As a result, people are living with Tiger neighbors essentially. The deadliest among this species was known as the Champawat Tiger. It is said, this Tiger killed a little over 400 people before it was stopped. However, the average human death count per year for these Tigers is around 100.

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22. Dubois’ Sea Snake (Aipysurus Duboisii)

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Threatened Or Provoked

Food Source: Small Sea Creatures (Crab, Snail, etc.)

Location: Off The Coasts Of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, & New Caledonia

The Dubois’ Sea Snake happens to be the most venomous sea snake in the world today. People do not come across them a bunch, but that is by design. They are not considered to be very aggressive, as they tend to only strike when they feel threatened or provoked.

While they are the most venomous sea snake, it also happens to have the distinction of being in the Top 3 most poisonous among all snakes. It is said that one bite from a Dubois’ Sea Snake can kill a human man or woman in less than 2 hours. Despite this, death totals for the Dubois’ Sea Snake are pretty low.

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21. Blue-Ringed Octopus

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Threatened, Provoked

Food Source: Crabs & Shrimp

Location: Mostly In The Pacific & Indian Oceans

The Blue-Ringed Octopus is one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth today, but it is absolutely beautiful to look at. They are often found mostly near coral reefs with the biggest population spotted near Japan and Australia in particular. The danger of the octopus is its venom, a very deadly neurotoxin known as tetrodotoxin.

The Octopus will sting and be able to hurt humans via direct living contact. Due to the neurotoxin being in play, people often survive encounters with the octopus due to getting help in time. Those humans who die tend to do so by suffocating to death, which is a terrible way to go.

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20. Great White Sharks

Death Count: Since the 1930s, 17 fatalities in the US

Why They Kill Humans: Humans Mistaken for Food

Food Source: Fish, Sea Lions, Seals, Rays

Location: Mostly Off The Coasts Of South Africa, Japan, Chile, & United States

Contrary to popular belief, most shark attacks do not actually lead to deaths. Sharks spend time looking for food and may come toward humans in that search. This is why surfers are attacked sometimes, as they look similar to Sea Lions while on their board. If blood is in the water, they may also attack.

One of the most common types of shark that we deal with in these scenarios is the Great White. There are several other shark types including the hammerhead sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks that have attacked humans too. Yet, no shark has a reputation quite like the Great White (partly, thanks to cinematic witch hunts such as Jaws). While they are not the vicious, man-eating beasts like poorly-advised movies may suggest, they are responsible for the most bites of any other shark species.

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19. Hooded Pitohui

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Accidental

Food Source: Berries, Insects, Etc.

Location: Papa New Guinea

When it comes to the Hooded Pitohui, you normally shouldn’t really have anything to fear about this bird. However, it’s actually quite poisonous and contains numerous batrachotoxin compounds on its skin, tissues, and feathers. It is well-known as poisonous by the locals, who steer clear of them.

Its poison, Batrochotoxin, is extremely dangerous to the human body. This is a neurotoxin that can result in a person developing paralysis and it can even mess with heart muscles. Ultimately, if you’re not helped in time you could die or be permanently paralyzed in parts of your body. Since most know of this by now, human deaths are quite low.

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18. Cape Buffalo

Death Count: 200 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Territorial

Food Source: Vegetation, Grass, Herbs

Location: Africa

Known to many as “Black Death,” Cape Buffalo are some of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth today. They are massively aggressive and will attack any animal they feel like. This includes Elephants and even Lions. There are many types of Buffalo, but only Cape Buffalo that is so aggressive toward humans.

The American Buffalo and Asian Water Buffalo have often been domesticated by humans, However, the Cape is simply impossible to do this with due to its unpredictable temperament. Due to being hunted by humans for centuries, they are happy to attack first. This results in about 200 human deaths per year on average.

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17. Cone Snails

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Self-Preservation

Food Source: Marine worms, Small fish, Molluscs

Location: Indian & Pacific Oceans, Caribbean & Red Seas, Along The Coast Of Florida

Cone Snails have been known to be extremely dangerous, mostly due to their appearance. They look a lot like a seashell, which people pick up a lot. This can lead to the snail stinging the human in the finger with the sharp “hypodermic needle” that it keeps inside the shell until needing to use it.

The sting releases a deadly neurotoxin known as conotoxin, getting its name from the animal itself. The Conotoxin can cause paralysis relatively quick. It then affects a person’s breathing, which is normally what kills them. Most who get stung tend to be helped right away and don’t die. At most, they may have some paralysis. Yet as of now, the cone snail has been responsible for about 30 reported deaths.

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16. Death Adder

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Self-Preservation, Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Small reptiles, rodents, other snakes

Location: Australia

The Death Adder does not kill as many people annually as other snakes due to being located in just one place. It is the most venomous snake in Australia but it is among the most venomous in the world today. They can usually be found in the wilderness but they can also get into people’s homes.

This results in bites happening to unsuspecting homeowners frequently. Their venom is a highly potent neurotoxin that can kill fully grown humans. This is what puts them on the deadliest animals on Planet Earth list to us. Their venom can take as much as 6 hours to kill a human, but some can die much sooner. Despite this, deaths from the “Death Adder” are quite rare.

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15. Elephant

Death Count: 100 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Self-Preservation & Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Grass, Small Plants, Bushes, Fruit, Twigs, Tree Bark, & Roots

Location: Africa & Southeast Asia

The Elephant is the largest land mammal on the planet, capable of reaching a couple of tons in overall weight. Due to poachers, elephants have had some distrust in humans. This leads to some attacking humans without giving much warning. They are quite territorial, especially around their offspring.

This can lead to being charged at by mother elephants as well as large groups. Though some elephants were used in wars hundreds of years ago and killed humans then, this is uncommon now. Today, the human death count for elephants is around 100 per year. Those who die from elephant-related incidents are often poachers or those who do not listen to local guides.

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14. Deathstalker Scorpion

Death Count: Rare

Why They Kill Humans: Self-Preservation & Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Small Insects, Spiders, & Worms

Location: Most Of Africa, India, & The Middle East

The Deathstalker Scorpion is known as the most dangerous scorpion in the world. They’re most commonly seen in scrubland habitats as well as various desert territories. The Deathstalker is said to have the most painful sting of any animal today. However, what puts them on our deadliest animals on Planet Earth list is what this sting releases.

It is a venom that involves a cocktail of impressive neurotoxins. This includes Chlorotoxin, Charybdtoxin, Scyllatoxin, and all 3 types of Agitoxins. One sting is not often enough to kill a healthy human, which is why their death count is low. Yet being stung more than once could be lethal. One sting does still have side effects that could kill some, so seek medical attention ASAP!

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13. Bees

Death Count: 100+ Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Self-Preservation & Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Nectar & Pollen

Location: Worldwide

Bees are responsible for more human deaths than most vicious predators around the world. This is due to bees and humans living among each other. Many bees make their nests near humans and even use the outsides of homes as a nest. This results in humans coming around and a bee seeing them as a threat, ending in a sting.

Typically, one bee sting won’t kill a person unless they are allergic. However, 10 stings in a row and beyond could be fatal to a human. Each bee sting contains small amounts of poison. Essentially, more stings equal to more lethality. In America alone, over 100 people are killed by bees of some kind each year. Most are due to the person being allergic, while others are simply stung far too much.

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12. Black Mamba

Death Count: 15 bites; 2 deaths annually

Why They Kill Humans: Threatened

Food Source: Rodents, Squirrels, Sometimes Birds

Location: Sub-Saharan Africa, Parts Of Asia

The Black Mamba snake is the fastest of any snake species on the planet and among the most venomous. The deadliest part about the snake is that it does not bite and sink in. It bites several times in rapid succession, which could result in several venomous bites before you know it.

While highly aggressive, the Black Mamba does not typically attack humans. They’ll normally only attack humans when they feel threatened. Their venom contains highly potent neurotoxins that take effect in less than 10 minutes. You will die if not treated within an hour or two. Since most bites happen rurally, black mamba bites are fatal to many who get bitten.

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11. Box Jellyfish

Death Count: 50+ Human Deaths Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Threatened & Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Shrimp, Fish, Crustaceans, Worms, and other Jellyfish

Location: Worldwide, Most Poisonous Found In The Indo-Pacific Ocean Region

The box jellyfish is incredibly deadly. You’ll see them in oceans all over the world, but they are known most for their acts in several Asian territories as well as Australia & New Zealand. They have a very potent poison that could kill full-grown humans with ease.

It is truly unknown how many people die annually from every box jellyfish sting, as some go unreported and involve tribal members. However, the Phillippines alone has reported around 20 to 40 deaths annually for years. Counting all 43 known species of box jellyfish, they combine for more death or serious injuries than sharks, sea snakes, and stingrays combined. That’ll get you on our deadliest animals on Planet Earth list.

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10. King Cobra

Death Count: 50-60% mortality rate untreated

Why They Kill Humans: Territorial Reasons & Self-Preservation

Food Source: Small Vertebre, Rodents, Other Snakes

Location: Southeast Asia, Parts Of Africa, India

It’s good to be the King, right? The King Cobra is legendary for its work in Egypt for centuries, but they are found all over the place. They are massive snakes that are highly aggressive and despite its shyness, these snakes will attack humans. Due to being incredibly large, they have an impressive strike range.

This makes their strikes tough to avoid. The King cobra is among the most venomous snakes on the planet and can kill full-grown humans without much effort. A Thai clinic study reveals that 35 bites were treated, resulting in 10 deaths. The majority of the king cobra attacks occur in India.

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9. Lonomia (Assassin Caterpillar)

Death Count: Dozens Of Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Accidental

Food Source: Insects

Location: Mostly Brazil and The Amazon

The Lonomia is known to be the most dangerous caterpillar on the planet. Nicknamed the “Assassin Caterpillar,” people really did not even know it existed for centuries. Surprisingly, it has managed to step out as one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth today. You can see by the image that it has large spikes that present themselves as hairs.

It also perfectly camouflages itself, making it impossible to see. Due to this, it kills dozens annually. Many barefoot people walk around and step on it or sit their hand on the ground before they go onto it and get impaled by the spikes. This releases a deadly Anticoagulant poison, similar to a Hemotoxin. If a human does not get treatment quickly, they will die.

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8. African Lion

Death Count: 100 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Food, Territorial, Self-Preservation

Food Source: Anything They Can Catch

Location: Mainly Africa

Known as the “King of the Jungle,” the Sub-Saharan Lion accounts for more human deaths annually than any other big cat in the world. Not known to have any true predator, a Lion can take down several of the big animals on this list. Famed for their power and speed, both male and female lions are incredibly dangerous.

Known to be incredibly territorial, Lions will attack anyone they consider to be a threat, especially humans. However, most human deaths happen to unsuspecting tourists or poachers more than locals it seems. They kill about 100 humans each year, with some years seeing this number spike up quite a bit.

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7. Crocodile

Death Count: 1,000 Human Deaths Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Food, Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Mostly Fish, As Well As Anything That Crosses Its Path

Location: Africa, Southern Asia, & Australia

Crocodiles, unlike alligators, are not considered relatively docile. Known for being incredibly territorial, Crocs will attack anyone or anything that dares to come near them. They’ll even attack other crocs! Known for their sharp teeth and power, being locked in the jaws of a crocodile is normally a death-nail for any animal.

They are uniquely quick and perfect at hiding out. This allows them to take down full-grown Zebra, Antelope, and even Lions at times. Due to being in so many places, especially small waterways, crocodiles have been known to attack humans quite frequently. Many people survive Crocodile attacks all the time, but they do kill at least 1,000 people per year.

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6. Hippopotamus

Death Count: 500 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Almost Always Territorial Reasons

Food Source: Plants, Vegetation

Location: Africa & Southeast Asia

Hippos are never thought to be very harmful due to how popular media has made them out to be cuddly, safe creatures. This is a complete lie, as they are some of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth today! In Africa, they kill more humans than Crocodiles, Elephants, and Lions combined each and every year. This accounts for at least 500 human deaths per year.

Hippos are massively territorial and are unrelenting when attempting to kill a perceived threat. They don’t stop chasing would-be predators, and these heavy animals can move faster than some boats. They can destroy anything and have been known to take down Lions, Crocs, and any other predator seeking to harm them.

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5. Kissing Bugs (Triatominae)

Death Count: 8,000 Human Fatalities Per Year

Why They Kill Humans: They Don’t, The Parasitic Disease They Release Does

Food Source: Lots Of Blood!

Location: Mostly North & South America

Kissing Bugs are likely called something different depending on where you’re located. There are around 130 species of Kissing Bugs all over the world, with a major concentration of them being in both North and South America. Also known as Assassin Bugs or Vampire Bugs, they are known to be dangerous.

They get their name “Kissing Bug” from landing on a human and biting them, which causes bumps as well as blood to come about at the spot. During their initial bite, they can transmit a parasitic disease known as Chagas Disease. The particular Kissing Bug that has this is only found in the Americas and kills around 8,000 humans per year.

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4. Tsetse Flies

Death Count: 10,000 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Their Parasite Is The Killer

Food Source: Blood!

Location: Tropical Area Of Africa

The Tsetse Fly is considered one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth. Although the fly isn’t dangerous, what it carries along with it is. They carry an “obligate parasite” that feeds on the blood of vertebrate animals. The fly then transmits a disease known as trypanosomiasis when it bites. This disease is deadly and often affects humans without them even realizing it.

The first signs are the initial red chancre sore a few weeks in. Eventually, a fever, swollen lynch glands, headaches, major muscle/joint pain, and even blood in the urine can come. Soon after, the central nervous system will be affected by possible seizures being present. If not treated, the person can die from the disease in a few months to a few years, depending on the person and the severity.

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3. Wild Dogs & Wolves

Death Count: Wolves (10) & Dogs (25,000) Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Food, Territorial, Self-Preservation

Food Source: Wolves (Deer, Moose, Elk, Small Mammals) Dogs (Small Mammals, Dog Food)

Location: Worldwide

Considered man’s best friend, a dog may not seemingly be deadly. While usually man’s best friend, many dogs have killed people all over the world. Dogs are present in some way on every continent with Wolves being present on several as well. Wolves rarely attack humans but will do so out of hunger or threat, which leads to about 10 human fatalities per year.

Meanwhile, normal dogs account for 25,000 human deaths per year. This happens for many reasons. A dog may have a terrible disease that impairs it, it may simply be violent, and it could even feel threatened. Most of the time, they are harmless and loving creatures. It usually takes something like what is previously mentioned for them to harm humans.

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2. Saw-Scaled Viper (Echis Carinatus)

Death Count: 5,000 to 40,000 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: Almost Always Because It’s Threatened

Food Source: Small Mammals & Reptiles, Insects, & Other Snakes

Location: Middle East, Central Asia, India

The Saw-Scaled Viper is recognized as one of the deadliest animals on Planet Earth due to how often it tends to kill human beings. This particular Viper has a very bad temper and will attack any human. This is the snake that bites and kills more humans annually than any other on the planet today.

It’s quite small and often slithers its way into homes, usually hiding in the most random of places. When a human comes across them, they strike. This is so common that in India alone, this Viper is responsible for around 5,000 deaths each year. Accumulating all they are responsible for, they rack up sometimes 40,000 human deaths per year.

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1. Mosquitoes

Death Count: 725,000 Human Fatalities Annually

Why They Kill Humans: The Diseases It Passes On Do The Killing

Food Source: Nectar & Plant Juices, Blood

Location: Worldwide

When you think about the deadliest animals on Planet Earth, you do not consider the simple mosquito. Most people in North America are properly vaccinated, but mosquitoes there often don’t carry deadly diseases. However, in South America, Africa, and Asia, their version of the mosquito certainly does.

They carry Malaria, West Nile, and other deadly diseases. Due to the population of mosquitos being so huge, tribes, as well as the homeless, are exposed to mosquitos and bite them all the time. They can even pass on the disease to healthy, successful people here. They are responsible for at least 725,000 deaths per year. It is the most of any animal, with all of the others on this list combining for nearly less.

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