{"id":17773,"date":"2022-06-25T07:15:38","date_gmt":"2022-06-25T05:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/?p=63084"},"modified":"2022-06-25T07:31:16","modified_gmt":"2022-06-25T05:31:16","slug":"10-deadliest-animals-to-humans","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/10-deadliest-animals-to-humans\/","title":{"rendered":"10 deadliest animals to humans"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Leoma Williams\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 25 June 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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When you think of deadly and dangerous animals, what springs to mind? It is likely big, carnivorous, apex predators, such as lions, wolves<\/a>, or sharks. What you will learn from this list however is that size and strength can be deceiving. Sharks<\/a>, although often unjustly perceived as very deadly, do not even make this list, being responsible for only six human deaths a year on average. Lions<\/a>? Only 22! Rather, the deadliest animals are often the smallest, and cause death not through strength, but through disease and toxins. Read on to find out more.<\/p>\n

10 examples of animals that are deadly to humans<\/h2>\n

1. Hippopotamus<\/a> (Hippopotamus amphibius<\/em>)<\/h3>\n

500 deaths per year<\/h4>\n
Before we get to small and deadly, let\u2019s start with the biggest. When you think of deadly African wildlife, you might perhaps assume lions took the top spot. In actual fact, hippos kill many more people every year.<\/div>\n\n
Causing an estimated 500 deaths annually (as compared to only 22 for lions), hippos are deadly land mammals. This is because they are very aggressive and territorial, and have a habit of charging at boats and capsizing them.<\/div>\n\n
The people on board then either drown or are killed by the animals themselves. Weighing an average of 1,500 kg (males), with large sharp teeth, it\u2019s certainly an animal you wouldn\u2019t want to face up against.<\/div>\n

2. Elephants<\/a> (Elephantidae<\/em> family)<\/h3>\n

500 deaths per year<\/h4>\n
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African elephant on the move. \u00a9\u00a0Manoj Shah\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n\n
We may perhaps think of elephants as gentle, thoughtful creatures, but they can also be deadly. This is in part due to their sheer size and weight, as the largest living land animals.<\/div>\n\n
Because of habitat loss and encroaching farmlands into elephant home areas, they are coming into contact with humans more and more frequently, and this has led to conflict.<\/div>\n\n
Groups of elephants have been known to raid farms and villages, and will gore or trample any humans that get in the way. One blow from an elephant is enough to kill, and around 500 deaths a year are caused in this way.<\/div>\n
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3. Saltwater crocodile<\/a> (Crocodylus porosus<\/em>)<\/h3>\n

1,000 deaths per year<\/h4>\n
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Saltwater crocodile, Sundarbans, India. \u00a9\u00a0ePhotocorp\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n\n
Another deadly water-dweller you would want to avoid is the saltwater crocodile. Crocodiles<\/a> as a group are quite deadly, killing around a 1,000 people a year, but they do not generally set out to hunt humans and kills are opportunistic.<\/div>\n\n
The saltwater crocodile however is one of the most likely to see humans as prey. It is also fierce, fast, and intimidating, being the largest living reptile and crocodilian known. Males can grow to a length of 6 metres and weigh 1,300 kg.<\/div>\n\n
When pursuing prey through the water they can also reach speeds of 18mph. All this together means that if a saltwater crocodile has chosen you as his prey, survival is unlikely.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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4. Ascaris roundworms (Ascaris<\/em> genus)<\/h3>\n

2,500 deaths per year<\/h4>\n
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Ascariasis is a disease caused by the parasitic roundworm <\/em>Ascaris lumbricoides. \u00a9\u00a0Sinhyu\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n\n
The deadly agent here is a parasite. That is, an animal that lives on or in another (a host) and causes it harm.<\/div>\n\n
The roundworm here is the parasite, rather than just the vector, like mosquitos. Ascaris<\/em> roundworms are transmitted when a person accidentally ingests their eggs, which is unfortunately usually when food or drink is contaminated by human faeces.<\/div>\n\n
The worms take residence in the small intestine and use the human body to stay alive, feed and reproduce. The resulting disease is called Ascariasis, is characterised by fever, abdominal pain and swelling, and shortness of breath, and kills around 2,500 people every year.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

5. Scorpions (Scorpiones order)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

2,600 deaths per year<\/h4>\n
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Indian red scorpion, Satara, Maharashtra, India. \u00a9\u00a0ePhotocorp\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n\n
Some of the most deadly animals are those that deliver venom.\u00a0Unlike poisonous animals, who secrete toxins, venomous animals<\/a> directly deliver it using specialised body parts, through a bite or, in this case, a stinger.<\/div>\n\n
Scorpions produce venom for the same reason that many species do, not to kill humans, but to subdue or kill their prey. However, the venom of 25 species of scorpion can be deadly to humans if you are unlucky enough to get in one\u2019s way.<\/div>\n\n
Stings often happen when scorpions are accidentally stepped on with bare feet, or when they are hiding in people\u2019s shoes. They use it as a defence mechanism against getting crushed, rather than as an attack.<\/div>\n\n
Around 2,600 deaths a year are caused by scorpion stings. The most lethal in the world is considered to be the Indian redscorpion (Hottentotta tamulus<\/em>).<\/div>\n\n
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