The 17 Deadliest Animals in the World

What is the deadliest animal in the world (other than humans)? Well, judging by the number of people killed per year, it is neither a shark nor a snake, but something much smaller: the mosquito. Indeed, most reported deaths caused by animals are the result of a disease they carry, not a physical confrontation. Below we have compiled a list of the deadliest animals, based on the number of human deaths caused by them each year.
17. Needlefish
In Japan and some other countries, the meat of Needlefish (known as Fugu Fish) is a delicacy. However, if not handled carefully, eating fugu can be fatal. They carry large amounts of the poison tetrodotoxin, which can effectively paralyze muscle tissue and suffocate the victim. Although the fishing and dining of fugu fish is strictly regulated, there are several accidents in Japan each year due to its consumption. It is far more poisonous than potassium cyanide, and only licensed chefs can cook and sell the fish. Researchers believe that the toxicity of fugu is a result of consuming food contaminated with bacteria containing tetrodotoxin. In some parts of Japan, farmers have developed a method of producing "fugu without poison" that prevents the fish from consuming certain prey.
16. Sea wasp.
The sea wasp is a special class of jellyfish (Cubomedusa) that can be identified by its cube shape. Some species of box jellyfish are known to produce a powerful poison that can be deadly to humans. Perhaps the most venomous species of poisonous jellyfish is Chironex fleckeri, commonly known as the Australian poisonous jellyfish. In severe cases of Chironex fleckeri stings, it can cause a sudden heart attack. Between 1884 and 1996, 64 people died from this species in Australia alone. To date, more than 50 different species of Cubomedusa are known.
15. Sharks
Not all shark species are dangerous to humans, as most shark-related attacks are carried out by only four of them, namely the oceanic white shark, tiger shark, bull shark, and great white shark. An average of about 80 unprovoked shark attacks are reported each year. The number of people killed in these attacks approaches ten. Shark attacks on humans are not meant to feed. On the contrary, most of these attacks occur because sharks mistake surfers for prey. Studies show that in cases of unprovoked shark attacks, it is very likely that the shark mistook a human for common prey, such as a seal. Human meat also does not provide enough energy to sustain a giant shark. The great white shark is perhaps the most dangerous of all shark species, participating in most unprovoked shark attacks.
14. Wolf

Wolves are a highly territorial species, and territorial fighting is the single most significant cause of their deaths. Wolf attacks on humans are relatively rare because they prefer to live in remote areas, away from the human population. Studies have shown that human presence in wolf territory can lead to increased stress levels. This manifests itself in increased cortisol levels in wolves during any social activities near their sites, such as snowmobiling. Although humans are not their natural prey, wolves may attack humans either because of an acute shortage of prey in the wild or after gradually losing their fear of humans. On average, ten people are killed by wolf attacks each year. Wolves infected with rabies pose a serious threat to humans: rabid wolves are far more dangerous than rabid dogs.
13. Lion
As a hyper-predator (an animal whose diet consists of more than 70% meat) and top predator, the lion is known to hunt large mammals. Their diet includes anything from bluebacked wildebeest and African buffalo to the common warthog and even porcupine. Lions don't usually kill humans, but several such cases occur every year. One of the most well-documented cases of humans being eaten by lions is the Ogres of Tsavo. In 1898, about 28 railroad workers building a bridge over the Tsavo River in Kenya were hunted down and killed by a pair of man-eating lions. Many experts believe that cannibal behavior in Lions is not unusual. If a situation arises where human corpses are available, the Lions will gradually begin to hunt humans.
12. Elephant
Adult elephants are one of the most feared animals. Besides a few predators such as tigers, lions, and hyenas, most animals are kept at a distance from them. Because of their unusual size and feeding requirements, elephants cannot coexist peacefully with humans. There are several well-documented cases of such violence (or perhaps retaliation) against humans. In the 1970s and '80s, when poaching and selective slaughter (culling) of wild elephants was at its peak, there were rampant reports of young elephants attacking villages in Africa. These attacks continued throughout the 21st century. In India, it was not uncommon for young elephants to destroy villages and kill civilians. Between 2000 and 2006, human deaths caused by elephants in the Indian state of Jharkhand were about 300, while in Assam they were close to 240. In 2002, a group of elephants killed six people in an Indian village. This led to locals killing more than 200 elephants near the region in retaliation. About a hundred people die each year because of elephant attacks around the world.
11. Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus, or simply hippo, is the third largest mammal on earth after the elephant and rhinoceros. They are considered one of the most dangerous terrestrial animals, not only because of their size, but also because of their very aggressive and unpredictable nature. An adult male hippo weighs on average about 680 kg, although it can move at a speed of 30 km/h for a short period of time. Their formidable jaws can produce a bite force of 8100 newtons. For perspective, the bite force of a lion is about 4,500 newtons. Hippos are very dangerous in lakes and rivers, where they have spent most of their lives. Small boats and vessels are vulnerable to their aggressive attacks, which can even result in human casualties. In 2014, a hippo attacked a boat carrying 13 people near Niamey, the capital of Niger. All 13 of them died. Did you know that despite their physical resemblance to many ungulates such as pigs and boars, hippos are genetically much closer to whales and dolphins?
10. Crocodile

The crocodile is one of the deadliest animals in the world. Of the 16 known crocodile species, only the larger ones pose a serious threat to humans. The two largest and most aggressive species, the Nile crocodile and the Rattlesnake crocodile, are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people each year in Africa and Southeast Asia. Research shows that about half of the attacks by these two species are fatal. Other species, such as the Sharp-tailed Crocodile and Swamp Crocodile, have been implicated in attacks on humans, although they have a lower mortality rate.
9. Tapeworms
Tapeworm is the common name given to a large family of endoparasites that live in the digestive tract of various vertebrates, including humans. A person infected with tapeworms can develop severe health conditions that, if left untreated, can even lead to death. One such condition is hydatid disease, in which the victim develops cancer-like cysts. Their rupture can trigger new complications and, in some cases, cause seizures. In 2015, about 1,200 people died from this disease worldwide.
8. Nematodes
The roundworm, also known as nematodes, is a diverse group of parasites found in virtually every ecosystem, from saltwater to freshwater and tropical to polar regions. About 25,000 species of roundworms have been identified to date, and several are known to parasitize or infect humans. Ascaridosis, an infectious disease caused by a certain species of roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), caused 2,700 deaths worldwide in 2010. At least 428 million people (worldwide) have been affected by an ankylostoma infection. Although rarely fatal, it can cause anemia and acute protein deficiency in victims.
7. Freshwater Snail.
Schistosomiasis is the second deadliest parasitic disease in the world after malaria. In 2015, the number of people worldwide affected by the disease was more than 250 million, and about 200,000 people die from it each year. Another name for schistosomiasis is snail fever, as the disease is spread mainly by freshwater snails infected with a parasitic flatworm known as schistosoma. Other parasitic infections transmitted by freshwater snail species are fasciolosis, fasciolopsiasis, and paragonism.
6. Triatomine bugs.

Triatomine bugs, also known as the "weasel killer," are a major factor in the deadly Chagas disease (or American trypanosomiasis). According to a WHO report, about 6-7 million people worldwide suffer from the disease. In some cases, a bite from a triatomine bug can cause anaphylactic shock.
5. Tsetse fly
The tsetse fly, is a blood-feeding family of Glossinidae, which are endemic to tropical Africa. They are the main vector of the trypanosoma parasite, which causes trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness in humans. The infection enters human tissue after a tsetse bite. From there, the infection makes its way into the lymphatic system and then into the bloodstream. Eventually it crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters the central nervous system. Symptoms include fever, headaches, sleep problems, and confusion. The disease is usually fatal if left untreated for long periods of time. In 2010, the number of deaths caused by African trypanosomiasis was about 9,000.
4. Dog
In 2015, one of the deadliest viruses on earth, the rabies virus, claimed more than 17,000 lives, and about 95 percent of those deaths occurred in Asia and Africa. The disease can cause partial paralysis, anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations. Victims may also develop hydrophobia, or a fear of water. Although rabies can be transmitted from humans to several animals infected with the virus, including bats and monkeys, dogs are the main cause of the disease. Their bites cause about 99 percent of rabies cases.
3. Snakes
There are about 700 species of venomous snakes in the world. The black mamba, Africa's most feared snake, can render a person unconscious within 45 minutes of being bitten. Signs of severe envenomation, such as a metallic taste, blurred vision and shortness of breath, become evident within the first 10 minutes. On the other hand, in the case of the coastal taipan (one of the deadliest species of Australian snakes), death can occur 3-6 hours after the bite. In the case of severe infestation, however, it can occur in as little as half an hour. According to the World Health Organization, 80,000 to 137,000 people worldwide die each year from snake bites.
2. Man
Humans are the most intelligent and advanced animal species on earth. Our ability to use tools more effectively than any other animal has helped us overcome countless problems in the past. And, of course, we will continue to do so in the future. These unique abilities, however, have increased our ability to do more damage to other animals as well as to other people. According to some estimates, the total death toll from war alone may be more than 150 million. The oldest known case of inter-group violence occurred about 10,000 years ago. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, there were about 437,000 homicides in 2012.
1. Mosquito
Despite their diminutive size, mosquitoes are equipped to kill both humans and other animals. The mosquito breed is deadly because of its ability to carry disease. According to a WHO report, about 405,000 people died from malaria in 2018-2019. This is just one of many life-threatening vector-borne diseases caused by mosquitoes. Dengue fever, another deadly infectious disease, kills about 40,000 people each year. Mosquitoes of the genera Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles are largely responsible for diseases such as Chikungunya, encephalitis, and West Nile virus, which together kill about 725,000 people each year worldwide.