45 Most Dangerous Animals In The World
1 Hippopotamus
Hippos look like slow, lumbering giants who would be the type of creature to befriend a young child lost in the jungle or a frail little animal. It’s a reputation that couldn’t be more wrong. Despite being herbivores for the most part, hippopotamuses are incredibly aggressive and surprisingly agile. They’ve also been observed to feast on the occasional impala, kudu, eland, wildebeest, buffalo, and even fellow hippos.
According to a report from BBC, a hippo’s seemingly adorable mannerisms such as yawning and “laughing” can actually be cause for concern, as these are threat signs. While they’re not one to hunt people, stumbling upon a hippo in the jungle can sometimes put one in a precarious situation.
“They don’t go out and hunt humans, but if you encounter them on the way back to the water and you are in between, then you have to make a plan!” Johan Eksteen, a South African conservation ecologist and researcher, says.
1 Hippopotamus
Hippos look like slow, lumbering giants who would be the type of creature to befriend a young child lost in the jungle or a frail little animal. It’s a reputation that couldn’t be more wrong. Despite being herbivores for the most part, hippopotamuses are incredibly aggressive and surprisingly agile. They’ve also been observed to feast on the occasional impala, kudu, eland, wildebeest, buffalo, and even fellow hippos.
According to a report from BBC, a hippo’s seemingly adorable mannerisms such as yawning and “laughing” can actually be cause for concern, as these are threat signs. While they’re not one to hunt people, stumbling upon a hippo in the jungle can sometimes put one in a precarious situation.
“They don’t go out and hunt humans, but if you encounter them on the way back to the water and you are in between, then you have to make a plan!” Johan Eksteen, a South African conservation ecologist and researcher, says.
2 Cape Buffalo
The cape buffalo is another majestic African creature that seems as if it will simply lumber along harmlessly. These animals can look so serene and unruffled that it’s easy to overlook the deadly horns on their head.
Cape buffalo, who can get up to almost 6 feet tall, will attack when threatened, and even injury won’t stop them from charging in anger. Conde Nast Traveler reports that the massive creatures are said to kill more hunters in sub-Saharan Africa than any other animal. Fast and equipped with murder horns, cape buffalo are a herd that’s best to steer clear of.
3 Golden Poison Dart Frog
The golden poison dart frog’s appearance belies its poisonous nature. Visually striking and small with a cute face, it looks quite harmless, but National Geographic calls it one of the most toxic animals on Earth.
Found in a small rain forest area in the Pacific coast of Colombia, a single frog of this species has enough venom to kill 10 people. The animal’s venom is so potent that, for centuries, the indigenous Emberá community have used it on the tip of their darts and arrows when they’re hunting.
Due to loss of their habitat, the population of golden poison dart frogs are decreasing, and they’re now listed as endangered in the wild.
4 Box Jellyfish
The ocean is not man's natural habitat, and eerie creatures like the box jellyfish make the experience underwater even more dangerous.
Translucent and very nearly invisible in the waters, the deadly varieties of this jelly could easily send divers to an early watery grave in the oceans of the Indo-Pacific region and Australia. Unlike other types of jellies who simply float where the current directs, box jellyfish can swim fast and deliberately.
Of the different types of box jellyfish, the Australian box jelly is the most lethal. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls this sea creature the most venomous marine animal, as its tentacles are covered with poison that can cause paralysis, cardiac arrest, and death within minutes.
5 Pufferfish
Here’s another creature that looks goofy — until it kills you. The pufferfish, also known as the blowfish, may seem quite clumsy even in its habitat, but it’s infamously deadly from sea to plate.
According to National Geographic, nearly all pufferfish species contain tetrodotoxin, which is a substance 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide to humans. There’s enough tetrodotoxin in a single pufferfish to kill 30 adults, and there’s no existing antidote yet.
Despite the animal’s deadly properties, pufferfish is considered a delicacy in Japan, where it is called fugu. Only licensed chefs can prepare this dish, but it’s still a risk to consume with several deaths annually.
6 Stonefish
Another candidate for the most venomous marine animal is the stonefish, which could easily blend in the background and pass for a harmless underwater rock or coral to swimmers and divers.
Despite its seemingly passive nature, this is a formidable marine beast. Its camouflage, speed, and powerful jaws help it attack its prey, while its venom wards off the predators. The stonefish’s venom, injected through their dorsal fin spines, can kill a human adult in less than an hour, according to Oceana.org.
While the stonefish live underwater, beachgoers in the animal’s Indo-Pacific territories should also watch out for them in the shore.
7 Great White Shark
The deadliness of the great white shark is legendary. National Geographic describes this majestic creature as the largest predatory fish in the planet, growing up to more than 20 feet long and up to 5,000 pounds heavy.
The great white shark is one of the masters of the ocean, with hundreds of sharp teeth built to tear flesh apart before swallowing huge chunks. Their sense of smell is extraordinary, able to detect a single drop of blood in 25 gallons of water. There are over 100 shark attacks on humans every year, and great white sharks are responsible for one-third to one-half of them.
While they’re definitely terrifying, great white sharks reportedly don’t hunt humans. Many of the attacks are not fatal, as the sharks “sample” their victims in curiosity and then let them go upon realizing these are not their usual prey.
8 Bull Shark
Surprisingly, many experts say bull shark is the most dangerous animals in the ocean, especially since they often venture far beyond the ocean to explore brackish and fresh waters, according to National Geographic. These creatures, who can grow up to nearly 12 feet long, are known to be extremely aggressive, often head-butting prey before attacking them outright.
Along with great white sharks and tiger sharks, bull sharks rank among the most likely sharks to attack humans. Like the great whites, they don’t actually hunt humans but can pounce with little warning and out of curiosity.
Since bull sharks are quite common and often found in high-population tropical areas, it’s always wise to keep an eye out for one.
9 Nile Crocodile
The Nile crocodiles mostly eat fish, but it’s important to give them a wide berth if you see one. After all, the largest crocodilian in Africa will take a bite of anything in its path and is estimated to kill 200 people every year, according to National Geographic.
These man-killing crocs are massive, typically measuring at 16 feet and 500 pounds. However, some grow up to 20 feet long and weigh up to 1,650 pounds. The Nile croc lives across sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and the Nile Basin, often in close proximity to villages, posing danger to citizens who aren’t careful by the river.
10 Alligator
A close relative of crocodiles, alligators are just as formidable and dangerous. Smithsonian's National Zoo says that the exceptionally large ones can reach up to 1,000 pounds. Crocodiles have 74 to 80 teeth at a time — the better to seize their prey with, although they’re known to swallow chunks whole.
Although these carnivores can easily overpower humans, experts say that alligator attacks are actually rare and often happen when the animals are threatened. From 1948 to 2017, there have been 401 unprovoked bite attacks in Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Twenty-four of those turned out to be fatal.
11 Blue-Ringed Octopus
Like so many ocean creatures, the blue-ringed octopus is startlingly beautiful. It’s also pint-sized, so divers who aren’t too discerning may even chase it down and think it’s harmless.
According to Ocean Conservancy, the blue-ringed octopus is extremely dangerous because it has the same ultra-deadly toxin in pufferfish: tetrodotoxin, which is a thousand times more powerful than cyanide. While a bite from the animal is usually painless, it’s extremely deadly. Due to their poison, this type of octopus is considered one of the most dangerous marine animals.
The blue-ringed octopus is native to the Pacific Ocean and often frequent shallow tide pools and coral reefs. Once you spot the bright blue rings appear on its body, back away immediately, as it indicates that the creature feels threatened.
12 Cone Snail
Watch out for these seemingly innocuous cone-shaped shells because they’re actually cone snails that have been known to kill a number of people in the past. According to Divers Alert Network, all 600 different species of cone shells are poisonous. The carnivorous species sting potential threats by firing off a tiny “tooth” in its direction, which contains a venom called conotoxin, Conde Nast reveals.
Conotoxin can cause paralysis, which can lead to respiratory failure and even death. There is no treatment for this venom, so be extra careful when there are conical shells as you wade by the shore.
13 Deathstalker Scorpion
Scorpions are generally notorious for their stings, but one type is especially vicious: the deathstalker. The nocturnal yellow arachnid lives in the deserts of the Middle East as well as the northern and eastern part of Africa, hunting down invertebrates for its meals.
While its size is somewhat diminutive — up to just 4.5 inches in height, Animal Sake says — the deathstalker’s venom packs serious punch. The venom is a cocktail of different neurotoxins including chlorotoxin, charybdotoxin, scyllatoxin, and agitoxins, according to Wildlife Facts. Getting stung by the scorpion can lead to cardiovascular and respiratory failure, although it’s reportedly not usually fatal.
Still, in places frequented by scorpions, it’s best to shake off your shoes before stepping into it.
14 Black Mamba
Snakes are one of the ferocious animals in the planet, biting an estimated 5.4 million people every year with 2.7 million envenomings, according to World Health Organization. Annual deaths range from 81,000 to 138,000.
The infamous black mamba — which isn’t even black, but brown — is responsible for quite a bit of that number, especially since their nature is highly aggressive. Fast with a lethal venom, this snake doesn’t like it when people encroach on their personal space. When the black mamba snap at enemies, they strike not just once but several times, transferring massive amounts of toxins to their attacker, according to National Geographic.
Without antivenin, the venom of the black mamba means certain death, usually within 20 minutes.
15 Saw-Scaled Viper
They’re not quite as infamous as the black mamba, but the saw-scaled viper is just as dangerous as any other predator. Live Science says that even without the strongest venom among all snakes, this one is actually responsible for the most deaths due to its habitat often being close to populated areas.
Saw-scaled vipers live in the dry areas and savannas of Africa, Arabia, and southwestern Asia, according to Britannica. When these creatures are threatened, they slither leisurely and make a warning hissing sound and then strike rapidly. Mortality rates are frighteningly high for these snakes, so avoid them at all costs.
16 King Cobra
Another killer snake is the king cobra, which has a powerful neurotoxin that can kill a fully grown elephant — or 20 people — in a single bite, according to National Geographic. Despite traditionally being used in performances of snake charmers in Asia, king cobras are actually very shy and will only attack when they feel threatened. Thus, it’s important not to inadvertently threaten one in the wild.
These snakes are found in Asian rain forests and plains. King cobras are easy to miss due to their hue that can so easily blend to the background, but they’re incredibly large, growing up to 18 feet in length — the longest venomous snake in the planet.
17 Inland Taipan
Last snake on the list is the inland taipan, which the Australian Museum says is often referred to as the most venomous snake in the entire world. Much like its other snake relatives, this type can be quite shy.
"The taipan is a mammal specialist. It feeds almost exclusively on mammals, which is quite uncommon," David Penning, a biologist at the Missouri Southern State University, says in Live Science, adding that the poison of the snake is a mix of various venom properties of neurotoxins and hemotoxins.
Upon getting bitten, symptoms emerge after an hour, but without antivenin, it can be fatal.
18 Funnel Web Spider
With so many fearsome spiders wandering around, it’s easy to call any one of them as the most deadly. However, many agree that the speed with which the black funnel web spider takes the lives of its victims makes it a worthy contender. Once the arachnid chomps on the skin, death can occur in as fast as 15 minutes, according to the Australian Geographic.
“In terms of speed of death, in Australia we say funnel web, 15 minutes, no sweat,” Dr. Robert Raven of the Queensland Museum explains to The Guardian. “With a funnel web bite to the torso, you’re dead. No other spider can claim that reputation.”
There are 35 different species of the funnel web spider.
19 Kissing Bug
How can something that sound so harmless be so deadly?
The kissing or triatomine bug is a type of assassin bug that not so much kisses its victims but nips at them. While the bite isn’t too painful, it’s very dangerous since these bugs can be infected with the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite that causes Chagas disease, according to the Texas A&M University. The insect, which is found only in the Americas, can then transmit the parasite to humans and animals.
CDC estimates that 8 million people in Mexico, Central America, and South America are afflicted with Chagas disease. The acute phase is difficult to detect because of limited or even no symptoms, and when it moves to the chronic phase, it can stay dormant for years or even a lifetime. However, patients can develop severe cardiac and/or intestinal complications.
20 Africanized "Killer" Bee
The Africanized bee or Africanized honey bee goes by another, very telling name: killer bee.
BBC says that it was Brazilian scientist Warwick Kerr who brought African honey bees to South America in an attempt to breed a strain that’s more productive. Unfortunately, a number of them escaped and bred with European honeybees, creating a new hybrid species that eventually became known as the Africanized honey bees.
This hybrid variety is known to have a greater number of human attacks than their European counterpart, according to the Smithsonian. Since the Africanized bees came to Brazil, the stingers have caused the death of around 1,000 people.
However, BBC notes that Africanized bees is smaller than the European and actually able to carry less venom. This should make them less dangerous, but their defensive nature makes them much more likely to combat threats to their hive than other types of bees.
21 Asian Giant Hornet
One look at the Asian giant hornet’s face is enough to make a person back away. It’s the largest hornet species in the entire planet, able to grow up to 2.2 inches in length, according to Gawker. The hornet is also a speedy flier — you’re unlikely to outrun one, so don’t even try.
After the species killed 42 people and injured over 1,000 in China within months back in 2013, entomologist Justin O. Schmidt explained to CNN that the Asian giant hornet kills people with a venom that destroys red blood cells. This can lead to kidney failure and death.
22 African Lion
The king of the jungle is an awesome creature. Fast, powerful, and extremely ruthless, lions are the perfect killing machines. Humans aren’t often on their menu, but lions occasionally do prey on people. Experts say this isn’t too surprising, considering the majestic beast’s biology.
"Almost any organism around lions might be a potential prey item, and for people to think that they are an exception is folly," Luke Dollar, program director for National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative, says in National Geographic.
It’s the smart thing to avoid Simba at all times, but it’s also important to protect the populations of this beautiful yet deadly creature. The African lion is already marked as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.
23 Leopards
Big cats are definitely a force to reckon with, including leopards. According to Planet Deadly, leopards are pound for pound the strongest mammal in the animal kingdom and has the most powerful bite. Non-human primates such as gorillas are occasional meals of this cat, so humans aren’t such a big leap from their usual diet.
It is said that once a leopard becomes a man-eater, they develop a taste for humans and begin to hunt them actively. In 2012, a single man-eating leopard — or at most, pair — was responsible for 15 deaths in Nepal over 15 months, according to a report from CNN.
The IUCN Red List categorizes the leopard as a vulnerable species.
24 Tigers
Another big cat on the list: tigers. Bigger than their cousin leopard, this is another natural-born killer that stalks the jungle like a boss.
These solitary orange-and-black cats are particularly scary because they’ve historically been adversaries to humans. Vice reports that an estimated 373,000 people were killed by tigers between 1800 and 2009, according to the book Tigers of the World. Even spanning more than two centuries, that’s a shocking number.
A number of famous tigers have racked up impressive kill lists, particularly the Champawat Tiger that slayed 436 people in Nepal and India during the 1890s and 1900s, Planet Deadly says.
Unfortunately, tiger populations are dwindling, with only a few thousand left in the wild. It’s listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List.
25 Cougar
Known to be strong and agile with an amazing leaping ability, cougars — also known as mountain lions and pumas — are very solitary, often lurking unseen in the wild. These creatures stalk their prey and then pounce on them with little warning, biting at them with their powerful jaws, according to Cougar Network.
Eastern cougars were declared extinct in early 2018 — some argue that they’ve been long extinct — but their population in the American west remains little cause for concern at an estimated 30,000 individuals.
Just recently, a cougar killed one cyclist and injured another in an area near Seattle, Washington, according to a Seattle Times report. However, experts say that this is a rare event, only the second fatal cougar attack in the Washington state in 94 years.
26 Grizzly Bear
There are no teddy bears in the wild. Instead of cuddly cartoon animals like Winnie the Pooh, there are grizzly bears that normally weigh around 800 pounds. While powerful, National Geographic says that the diet of this bear is quite mild consisting of nuts, fruits, leaves, and roots.
That doesn’t mean that it poses little danger, though. When a grizzly bear or its cub is threatened, the massive creature becomes one of the most frightening beasts in the wild due to its sheer size and ferociousness. A separate report from National Geographic reveals that an average brown bear encounter is 21 times more dangerous than the average black bear encounter. It’s also 3.5 times more likely to end in injury than running into polar bears.
Despite being the most common brown bear subspecies in the North America, it’s now considered endangered, Popular Science reports.
27 Polar Bear
Considered Earth’s largest land carnivore, according to the Defenders of Wildlife, the polar bears are the king of the Arctic wild. They spend most of their time hunting for their preferred prey: seals. The animal’s sense of smell is incredibly powerful, able to detect the presence of a seal half a mile away, even with it buried under the snow.
As their habitat and food sources decline in the Arctic, the massive bears are turning to desperate measures including cannibalism and even venturing to human-populated areas.
According to WWF, polar bears are the first ever species to be threatened due to climate change. Unfortunately, their numbers are expected to drop by 30 percent more by 2050.
28 Leopard Seal
Mention seals, and people often conjure up the image of cute little pups playing by the shoreline, but leopard seals are actually ruthless carnivores that strike fear in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters, according to National Geographic. Among all seals, this one is the fiercest hunter.
Leopard seals are massive, on average growing up to 11.5 feet long and weighing up to 840 pounds. They eat a variety of creatures, including fish, squid, penguins, and even other members of the seal family.
While attacks rarely happen, leopard seals can pose a threat to people. According to Oceanwide Expeditions, a marine biologist was dragged and killed underwater by one.
29 Freshwater Snails
It’s tiny and very easy to miss, yet the freshwater snail kills about 200,000 people every year.
The snail isn’t what’s actually causing the fatalities, but the parasitic disease it carries called schistosomiasis. The World Health Organization reports that in 2016 alone, 206.4 million people worldwide required preventive treatment for schistosomiasis.
“You do contract it from just wading, swimming, entering the water in any way, and the parasites basically exit the snails into the water and seek you,” Susanne Sokolow, a disease ecologist at Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station, explains to PRI. “And they penetrate right through your skin, migrate through your body, end up in your blood vessels where they can live for many years even decades.”
Sounds horrible, right?
30 Tsetse Fly
The tsetse fly looks like your typical house fly, but it’s far more deadly because it carries the parasite causing what’s dubbed the “sleeping sickness” or African trypanosomiasis. Six out of the 23 known tsetse fly species transmit the sickness to people, according to Trip Savvy.
Sleeping sickness can cause headaches, itching, muscle pain, and fever, WHO reports. Over time, it can infect the nervous system, and more alarming symptoms begin to manifest such as behavioral changes, confusion, poor coordination, sensory disturbance, and sleep disturbance. If left untreated, sleeping sickness is fatal.
The tsetse fly and disease threaten 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
31 Fire Ants
Fire ants may be small, but they’re terrifying little buggers. The best known type is the red imported fire ant, which was accidentally brought to the United States from their native South America. Now, Complex says that these tiny insects kill about a dozen Americans every year.
Fire ants kill with their venom histamine, which causes pain, swelling, and itching on the affected area of the skin. Within a day of the attack, the wound turns into a white pustule. While by itself the bite isn’t necessarily fatal, a severe allergic reaction or other secondary infections can occur and kill the victim.
32 Jumping Ants
An ant is bad enough, but give them the ability to leap and they can wreak even more havoc. Say hello to the jumping ant or jack jumper ant, which hails from Australia.
According to Complex, these jack jumpers hunt by sight, unlike other killer ants that use their sense of smell. Their sting is particularly painful, almost similar to an electric shock. Even thick clothing can’t repel jumping ants since they can simply sting through fabric.
If bitten, seek medical help immediately. Deaths are few from this type of ant, but it’s not unheard of. In Tasmania, one person is killed every four years, which is more than the death toll of sharks, according to ABC Radio Hobart.
33 Rhinoceros
This is another formidable animal that exudes such quiet confidence that it’s almost enough to forget it’s a vicious killer — until you realize it has a horn that’s basically the perfect weapon. In the wild, there are few animals more intimidating than a charging rhino.
There are five different species of rhinos, but National Geographic says the black rhinoceros is particularly aggressive despite being an herbivore.
According to Animal World, the powerful rhino is an edgy creature, quick to charge and attack when it senses someone on its territory. Although their size varies per species, they usually grow up to thousands of pounds.
A poacher’s favorite for their unique horns, rhinos are now tragically critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
34 African Elephant
Despite being the largest existing terrestrial mammal weighing up to 7 tons, elephants have the reputation of being wise and peaceful creatures who won’t attack a mouse, let alone a person.
This is far from true. The majestic African elephants are responsible for killing about 500 people every year, according to TripSavvy. Most of these occur when bull elephants are in musth, which is a stage of sexual activity that sees their testosterone levels shoot up dramatically.
On the other hand, human poachers kill approximately 55 African elephants every day. The species is classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
35 Hyena
Hyenas aren’t the most physically impressive animals in the bush, but their large clans, speed, and powerful jaws make them a formidable animal in Africa.
According to National Geographic, despite being known as scavengers, hyenas are actually accomplished hunters of birds, lizards, snakes, antelopes, and wildebeests. Generally, these animals will eat nearly anything, even the bones of the animals they devour.
Hyenas group together in matriarchal clans that consist of up to 80 individuals. Killing in packs, they use their numbers to overpower and outsmart other animals. When a human community is nearby, hyenas have been known to raid their crops, livestock, and even stores.
36 Wolf
Wolves rarely threaten humans, but they’re not your pet dog either.
Wolves are social creatures, coming together in wolf packs that consist of around six to 10 animals, National Geographic says. This makes them an intimidating force as they roam great distances daily. Their preferred prey are much bigger than them individually — deer, elk, moose — which speaks a lot about the power of wolves in the wild.
It’s true that wolves will not actively hunt people, but they can wreak a lot of havoc in human communities. Western Wildlife explains that although they’re naturally shy of people, they can scavenge through garbage and even attack livestock. Wolves view dogs as competitors or territorial intruders due to their shared ancestry, so it’s best to keep pets safe from them.
37 Cassowary
Found in Australia, the cassowary doesn’t seem too dangerous at first sight. This brightly hued flightless birds look like a cross between its relatives the ostrich and peacock. One of the three living cassowary species, the southern cassowary, is the second-heaviest bird in existence after the ostrich, according to Mental Floss. It can reach up to 5 feet 6 inches tall, with only the ostrich and emus able to grow taller among bird species.
The pretty appearance of the cassowary can be misleading, though, because it can deliver a punch — or a kick, to be more exact. According to San Diego Zoo, the animal’s feet contain a 4-inch dagger-like claw. With a single kick, the cassowary can slice its predators open.
Little is known about the animal’s natural behavior due to their tendency to steer clear of humans.
38 Horse
Graceful and often seen as human companions, horses aren’t often depicted as very lethal. Their close proximity to humans, though, could be the very thing that gives them the potential for so much danger.
Death by horses — whether it’s a result of a strong kick or equestrian-related accidents — is more common than one would think, no matter how well-equipped the animal may seem to live alongside humans. According to Mother Nature Network, horses kill about 20 people in the United States every year.
In fact, even among the many deadly animal species in Australia, research shows that horses still rank near the top, killing more than bees and snakes from 2000 to 2013.
39 Cow
Cows are another seemingly gentle farm animal that can surprisingly cause a lot of damage on humans. Even more so than horses, cows seem serene animals content to sit and observe rather than attack humans and other farm critters. However, history shows that people shouldn’t let down their guard in the company of even their beloved cows.
In the United Kingdom, the Health and Safety Executive says that a total of 74 people were killed by cattle between 2000 and 2015. While most of the victims were working in farms during the accident, some were just people who were simply in public areas.
40 Deer
Like Bambi, wild deer aren’t really aggressive animals. So it may be surprising to find out that, according to an analysis by LCB in 2016, the deer is the most dangerous animal in the United States, causing an estimated 120 fatalities annually in the country.
Deer won’t attack humans, but they do cause a lot of vehicular accidents. With their natural habitat shrinking due to human development, the territories of the animal are overlapping with populated areas. This trend is leading an alarming number of deer to unknowingly step into oncoming traffic, causing plenty of human deaths that way.
41 Dog
Man’s best friend can be deadly, despite thousands of years of domestication under a good boy’s belt. The thought can be heartbreaking to fathom, but it’s important for dog lovers to be careful, especially around unfamiliar canines.
Young children are especially vulnerable to dog attacks, as a study shows kids under 4 years old are nearly twice more likely to get killed than the next vulnerable age group.
However, rabies remains the biggest reason behind the deaths by dogs. According to WHO, thousands of people die from the disease every year, and 99 percent of these are caused by dog bites. Vaccination is key in lowering these numbers.
42 Tapeworm
Then there are those threats that are invisible, which are often the scariest and most deadly of them all. Tapeworm is responsible for cysticercosis or taeniasis, which kills an estimated 700 people a year, according to a study in 2013.
WHO reports that three species of tapeworm cause taeniasis in people, although only T. solium lead to severe health issues. People acquire the disease by ingesting tapeworm larval cysts in undercooked and infected meat. When these larvae enter the central nervous system, it can lead to serious neurological issues, such as epileptic seizures.
Taeniasis is particularly widespread in low- and lower-middle-income nations.
43 Ascaris Roundworm
Another invisible killer: the ascaris roundworm, which causes an infection known as ascariasis. According to the CDC, the disease is uncommon in the United States, but an estimated 807 million to 1.2 billion people worldwide are infected by it. A study in 2013 that an estimated 4,500 people die from ascariasis every year.
The roundworm is a parasite, so it can’t survive without a host, the human body, specifically the intestines. Ascariasis occurs when people swallow the eggs from contaminated food or water, according to NHS. In some cases, the parasite eggs are transmitted from the hand to the mouth after a person touched contaminated soil.
44 Mosquito
Mosquitoes are undeniably humankind’s deadliest adversary.
"The mosquito is the most dangerous animal in the world, carrying diseases that kill over one million people a year," Gabriella Gibson, Professor of Medical Entomology tells the University of Greenwich.
The tiny buzzers carry and transmit some of the most fatal diseases in the planet, including malaria, dengue, and the Zika virus. Despite only a handful of the 3,500 known species of mosquitoes posing a threat to humans, it’s enough to be people’s worst enemy.
Dr. Frances Hawkes, a behavioral entomologist, adds that 50 percent of the world’s population is at risk of catching one of these dangerous diseases.
45 Humans
Last on the list of most dangerous animals is none other than humans. Throughout history, civilizations have proven time and time again that mankind can be its own greatest enemy.
The species’ advancement and innovation are behind the obliteration of many living things, from ancient tree species to a rapidly approaching mass extinction.
Furthermore, men and women even pose a threat against one another. Data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reveal that 437,000 people were murdered around the world in 2012.
Mosquitoes may be man’s greatest slayer, but we’re not above turning on one another on a daily basis either.
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