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18 May 2016 Image caption, Crocodiles are opportunistic hunters What would you say is the world's most dangerous animal? A shark? A tiger? What about a crocodile? Although these apex predators are terrifying killers, the world's deadliest animal, year after year, is actually something much smaller - the mosquito. Here are some of the world's deadliest animals. Image caption, Mosquitoes are estimated to kill about 725,000 people every year. According to the World Health Organization, about 725,000 people are killed every year by mosquito-borne diseases. Malaria alone affects 200 million, of which an estimated 600,000 die. Mosquitoes also carry dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis. The sheer number of mosquitoes adds to the risk they pose to humans. Unlike many other dangerous creatures, they can be found in nearly every part of the world at various times of year, and at peak breeding season they outnumber every other animal except ants and termites.  Image source, Hunter Reptile Rescue Image caption, The Inland Taipan snake is the world's most venomous, but not deadliest. An estimated 50,000 people are killed every year by snakes. The most venomous snake in the world is the Inland Taipan, also known as the Western Taipan. Its venom is highly toxic and can kill a human being in under 45 minutes. More than 80% of those bitten by the Inland Taipan die. But it is not the biggest killer, because it rarely bites humans. The saw-scaled viper doesn't rank in the top 10 for venom toxicity - only 10% of bite victims die - but it lives around inhabited areas and it bites fast and often. The saw-scaled viper is estimated to kill about 5,000 people every year - more than any other kind of snake. The Inland Taipan is native to central Australia, while the saw-scaled viper can be found in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, parts of the Middle East and Africa, north of the equator. The various Krait species, also among the world's most deadly, are found mostly in East Asia. Image caption, In countries where they commonly carry the disease, dogs are involved in up to 99% of rabies infections. Man's best friend? Perhaps, but not mankind's. Rabid dogs are responsible for the deaths of an estimated 25,000 people per year. In countries where dogs commonly carry rabies they are involved in up to 99% of infections, according to the WHO. Countries with large numbers of stray dogs, including India, are the worst affected. According to the WHO, about 36% of the world's rabies deaths - 20,000 of about 55,000 deaths worldwide - occur in India each year, most of those when children come into contact with infected dogs. Dying from an actual dog bite is much more rare. There is no reliable worldwide data, but of the estimated 4.5 million dog bites in the US every year, only about 30 people die on average. Video caption, Maryam Abdalla reports on the blue targets luring tsetse flies The tsetse fly is roughly similar in size and appearance to the ordinary housefly, but it packs a lot more of a punch. The tsetse fly uses a large proboscis to bite vertebrate animals, including humans, and suck their blood. It carries African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease which causes fevers, headaches, and joint pain, followed by vomiting, swelling of the brain, and trouble sleeping. Somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 people are thought to be infected with sleeping sickness every year, the vast majority in sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 10,000 die from the disease. Image caption, Crocodiles kill many more people every year than sharks. Crocodiles do not necessarily set out to hunt humans, but they are opportunistic killers. In Africa alone there are several hundred crocodile attacks on humans per year, between a third to half of which are fatal, depending on the species. Many take place in small communities and are not widely reported. Worldwide, crocodiles are estimated to kill about 1,000 humans per year, many more than sharks. Alligators, which only occur in the wild in the US and China, are less aggressive than crocodiles but can still be dangerous. In the US state of Florida, 22 people have been killed by alligators since 1948, the state authorities say. Read more: Why do crocodiles attack humans? Image caption, Male hippos can weigh up to 2,750kg. Ungainly as it is, the hippopotamus is the world's deadliest large land mammal, killing an estimated 500 people per year in Africa. Hippos are aggressive creatures, and they have very sharp teeth. And you would not want to get stuck under one; at up to 2,750kg they can crush a human to death. Content is not available {{promo.headlines.shortHeadline}} Updated: September 11, 2022
So, which animals are the most dangerous? And which species kill the most people every year? You might instinctively assume carnivorous predators like lions, tigers, and bears top the list of most dangerous animals on Earth when it comes to killing humans, but you may be surprised to learn who the most dangerous species really are. 1. Humans Kill Millions of Humans AnnuallyRawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com We may be the smartest species on the planet, but we’re also the most destructive, and humans are responsible for killing the most people every year. In addition to an annual worldwide murder and suicide count of 530,000, millions of unintentional fatalities caused by vehicular accidents and medical malpractice set homo sapiens atop the most dangerous animal list. Learn more about humans, Earth’s most dominant species, here. 2. Mosquitoes Kill Between 750,000 and 1,000,000 Humans AnnuallyAUUSanAKUL/Shutterstock.com Representing 17 percent of the “global burden of infectious diseases,” mosquito bites kill between 750,000 and 1,000,000 people a year. A global resident with a talent for environmental acclimation, mosquitoes thrive everywhere on Earth — except Antarctica and, due to a vigilant pest control system, Disney theme parks. However, the mosquito’s ability to adjust is partly what makes them so dangerous to humans. Additionally, mosquitos are attracted to compounds in people’s breath and sweat including carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and octenol. Suprisingly, out of all 3,500+ mosquito species, only a small portion go after humans. Depending on the region, mosquitoes can carry several fatal diseases, including:
Of course, scientists and engineers are always searching for ways to curb mosquito-related deaths. Magnetic barriers are among the newest ideas in development, and carbon dioxide traps are also widely used. Learn more about mosquitoes, which is Spanish for “little flies,” here. 3. Snakes Kill Between 50,000 to 100,000 Humans AnnuallyTim Vickers – Public Domain Next up, venomous snakebites are deadly weapons that kill up to 100,000 or more humans every year. The scourge of snake death is so bad in some parts of the world that former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan once called it “the biggest public health crisis you never heard of.” Currently, about 3,500 snake species slither around the Earth. Of them, approximately 600 are venomous. In terms of potency, the Inland Taipan is the most venomous snake species on the planet, but they don’t necessarily kill the most humans. Notably, in South Asia and India, cobras, common kraits, Russell’s vipers, and saw-scaled vipers — collectively known as the “Big Four” — are responsible for the most human deaths. Rattlesnakes and Bothrop pit vipers do the most damage in Central and South America. Meanwhile, carpet vipers and elapids in the Middle East, and black mambas, puff adders, and carpet vipers in Africa. Therefore, to help decrease the mortality rate, various organizations offer anti-venom supplies and training to people in rural villages.On the other hand, North America and Europe are far less plagued by snake deaths, with only a combined 10 fatalities a year. Learn more about snakes, who are known to swallow prey much larger than themselves, here. 4. Dogs Kill Between 25,000 to 35,000 Humans AnnuallyDerek Keats / Flickr Dogs may be “man’s best friend,” but they also kill a lot of humans. Annually, about 25,000 to 35,000 people succumb to rabies contracted through dog bites. Though the virus can be deterred and treated through vaccines and antibiotics, access to such medicines in remote areas is minimal. Additionally, most dog-biting deaths occur in Africa, Asia, Central America, Eastern Europe, Russia, and South America. In the United States, researchers estimate that dogs bite 4.5 million people yearly, of which 30 prove fatal. Additionally, and not-so-surprisingly, dogs are responsible for 86,000 fall-related accidents a year in North America. Learn more about dogs, which Ancient Romans outfitted in armor and sent into battle, here. 5. Tsetse Flies Kill About 10,000 Humans AnnuallyJaco Visser/Shutterstock.com Also called the tik-tik fly, tsetse flies live in tropical Africa, and their bites cause about 10,000 deaths a year. Tik-tiks most commonly transmit African trypanosomiasis, aka African sleeping sickness. A particularly insidious disease, symptoms don’t appear for one to three weeks after infection. In the beginning stages, victims suffer fevers, headaches, joint pain, and itchiness. After a while, confusion, coordination loss, neurological decline, and sleeplessness set in. Eventually, untreated people typically end up dying from complications associated with the condition. Learn more about flies here. 6. Assassin Bugs Kill About 10,000 Humans AnnuallyChristian Musat/Shutterstock.com Dangerous assassin bugs transmit Chagas disease, which kills about 10,000 humans a year. Known colloquially as “kissing bugs,” they mainly live in South America, Central America, and Mexico. Assassin Bugs are known as the kissing bugs because they like to bite at the eyes and lips of people while we sleep. The front legs of an Assassin Bug are for killing prey and provide a strong grip. Females are the best hunters out of both genders because the females need more protein in their diets. Also, the severity of the disease varies from person to person. Some infected people have mild symptoms and recover within a week; others die from it. Namely, it can lead to congestive heart failure if left untreated. Read more about other various deadly, and plenty of harmless, insects here. 7. Freshwater Snails Kill About 10,000 Humans AnnuallyVitalii Hulai/Shutterstock.com Snails may be a delicacy in some parts of the world, but some of the freshwater species take down about 10,000 people each year. That’s because the mollusks carry schistosomiasis, aka snail fever, a highly unpleasant disease that can be fatal.Unfortunately, the condition mostly affects children in developing countries and adult farmers and fishers who regularly handle contaminated water. Therefore, the best way to eradicate snail fever is to increase access to clean drinking water worldwide, a goal that groups like Charity: Water and Water.org work for daily. Learn more about freshwater snails, which have microscopic teeth, here 8. Scorpions Kill About 3,250 Humans AnnuallyNotorious for their sting, eight-legged scorpions can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Ultimately, their venom claims about 3,250 humans a year. Although, of the 1,750 species of scorpions, only 25 have venom strong enough to kill humans. Most scorpion-related fatalities occur in rural areas situated hours away from medical facilities equipped with anti-venom. Learn more about scorpions, who sleep during the day and hunt at night, here. 9. Crocodiles Kill About 1,000 Humans AnnuallyJanos / stock.adobe.com – License Even though tapeworms kill more people yearly than crocodiles according to official counts, we added the reptile because many attacks go unreported. Officially, they take 1,000 human lives a year, but researchers believe the number could be much higher.Crocodiles are endemic to Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Specifically, they mainly live in freshwater rivers, lakes, and wetlands, and are highly protective of their offspring.Nile and saltwater crocodiles most often prey on humans, but only gigantic ones can successfully kill. One advantage they have over people is their speedy reaction times. Learn more about crocodiles, which are incredibly fast, here. It’s a big beautiful world, but it can also be dangerous! Stay safe out there!
Up Next…Read up some more on some of the world’s scariest and most dangerous animals. More intriguing (and unsettling) posts ahead.
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What animal kills the most humans a year
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