Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals
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When you think about the most dangerous animals in the world, you might think about spiders or even sharks! However, neither of these even come close to being the most dangerous animals in the world. To find out more, check out below for the top 10 most dangerous animals in the world.
#10. Cape Buffalo
There are about 900,000 cape buffalo in sub-Saharan Africa. Normally, when left alone, they are pretty calm and prefer to travel in large groups to graze.
However, if they are alone or their calf is in danger, they transform into one of most dangerous animals in the world. In fact, they are so dangerous that locals have given them the nickname the “Black Death”.[1]Traveler – The 10 Most Dangerous Animal in the World Coming in at around 6 feet tall and a ton in weight with massive horns, they are already a formidable animal. But when they are angry they are known to circle their prey before charging at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. In addition, they will continue to charge even if they are injured. In fact, they have even been known to attack cars. According to reports, they have killed more hinters in Africa than any other creature.
Needless to say, if you see a cape buffalo, it is best to stay clear from some of these most dangerous animals in the world.
#9. Box Jellyfish
One of the most dangerous animals in the world is the box jellyfish. In fact, they are among the most poisonous animals in the world. With just one sting from the box jellyfish, you will probably die.[2]conservation institute – Top 10 Most Dangerous Animal In The World If you don’t, you will go through a lot of terrible pain.
There are actually several different species of box jellyfish. The most dangerous one is the sea wasp box jellyfish. While they might not look scary, make sure to stay far away!
#8. Pufferfish
The pufferfish or blow fish live in tropical oceans around the world such as China, Japan, and the Philippines. What makes them one of the most dangerous animals in the world is the neurotoxin tetrodoxin. This poison is over 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide.[3]National Geographic – Pufferfish It causes arrhythmia, deadening of the lips and tongue, difficulty breathing, dizziness, muscle paralysis, and even death!
What makes it even worse is that the toxin is found in the fish’s gonads, kidneys, liver, muscle tissue, and even skin. Interestingly, the puffer fish is actually a delicacy in Japan and is called fugu. However, only highly trained and licensed chefs are even allowed to prepare them due to the poison. Even then, many people die due to eating the fish.
#7. Black Mamba
There are many snakes that have very lethal poisons. However, what makes the black mamba stand out is that not only does it have extremely deadly poison, it is also the fastest of all the snakes. In fact, it can slither at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour.[4]National Geographic – Black Mamba
Fortunately, black mambas only tend to strike if they feel threatened. Unfortunately, if they do attack, they tend to bit repeatedly delivering enough poison to kill 10 people. If you don’t receive antivenom within 20 minutes, the bites are almost always 100% fatal.
#6. Saltwater Crocodile
You may be familiar with the Florida alligator. However, they are practically kittens compared to their cousins the saltwater crocodile which are more aggressive, more easily provoked, and extremely short tempered.
In fact, the saltwater crocodile is the the largest and one of the most dangerous animals in the world. They can grow up to 23 feet in length and weight over a ton. They are even more dangerous than sharks, killing hundreds of people per year.
You can find them in a wide range of regions from northern Australia to parts of Vietnam and India.[5]National Geographic – Saltwater Crocodile What makes them even more scary is that they are equally happy in fresh water as they are in the ocean. In addition, they have a bite force of over 3,700 pounds per square inch. To help give you a bit of perspective, humans have a bite force of around 200 pounds per square inch or only around 5% that of the saltwater crocodile!
#5. Tsetse Fly
Even though they are only the size of a normal house fly, the tsetse fly is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. They live mostly in sub-Saharan Africa in places such as the Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Sudans. The are a nasty blood sucking fly.
However, that is not the scariest part. Rather they are one of the most dangerous animals in the world because they carry the protozoan parasites Trypanosomes which is the cause of African Sleeping Sickness. They symptoms of this disease include disturbances in your sleeping cycle, poor coordination, behavioral changes, and even death.[6]World Health Organization – The vector (tsetse fly) Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease. The only ways to prevent getting bit is by wearing neutral color clothing (the flies especially like dark and light colors and especially blue), don’t go out during the heat of the day, and avoid bushes.
#4. Siafu Ants
If you thought that fire ants were bad, watch out for the siafu ant! They are among the most dangerous animals in the world. Siafu ants live in colonies of up to 50 million ants.[7]Viral Nova – If You Thought Fire Ants Were Bad, Just Wait Until You Meet Driver Ants… In addition, they don’t act as individuals but rather as a single entity. If you crush just one ant, expect the whole colony to come after to you.
In addition, if they bite you they are extremely difficult to remove. Even if you tear off their body, their jaws will remain clamped to your skin. As such, there are recorded incidents of the siafu ants taking down much larger animals. In fact, there are even cases of them attacking human babies and immobile persons.
#3. Deathstalker Scorpion
The deathstalker scorpion might not look extra scary, especially since they are so much smaller than many other types of scorpions. However, don’t let their small size fool you. They are in fact one of the most dangerous animals in the world and are responsible for around 3/4 of all scorpion related deaths.[8]Scorpion Worlds – Deathstalker Scorpion
Children are especially in greater danger if stung by a deathstalker scorpion. However, even if you don’t die from being stung, you will go through some extreme pain.
#2. Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. This is due to the fact that the hippo is also one of the most aggressive animals in the world. In fact, they are so dangerous, that crocodiles and other dangerous animals rarely even bother them. In addition, in Africa, hippos cause the greatest number of human deaths every year.
One of the reasons that they are so dangerous is because the hippo is extremely territorial. However, hippos tend to be only territorial in the water. When on the land, they tend to be much less aggressive. One other situation where they might be aggressive is when a female hippo is protecting her babies. In fact, there are documented cases where a female hippo has killed male hippos because she felt threatened.[9]Animal Wised – Why Are Hippos Dangerous? Hippopotamus Attacks
#1. Humans
You might be surprised, but humans are in fact the most dangerous animals in the world. Throughout history, humans have been killing each other. In fact, according to estimates, just wars have killed between 150 million and 1 billion people throughout the history of humankind.[10]Is man dangerous?
With nuclear weapons that can destroy the whole world and new new super viruses that we have created, humans are by and far the most dangerous animals in the world. In addition, we are not only a danger to ourselves, we are also a danger to other animals as well. We have killed off whole endangered species through hunting, destruction of forests, and toxic waste.
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