Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals in the World

You may think that some of these animals are harmless, but these creatures may threaten your life when they are provoked. The following are the top 10 most dangerous animals in the world, and you will be surprised to know that size does not always affect a creature’s danger level.

10. Hippopotamus

In cartoons, these animals are presented as adorable animals, yet they can be life-threatening in some instances. The male and female species have their distinct reasons for attacking humans. For instance, the male hippo will always do its best to defend areas that are considered as his territories such as the banks of a lake or river. On the other hand, female hippos can be very aggressive when protecting her young. Either way, hippos have huge mouths that can kill anyone as though being pounded by a sledgehammer.

9. Australian Box Jellyfish

This type of jellyfish is located in the northern oceans of Australia, and is considered as the moist poisonous marine creature in the world. It has about 60 tentacles that are 15 feet long. Each of its tentacles are covered with a special part called the cnidocyst that contains tiny needles and loads of toxin.

8. Grizzly bear

These brown bears in North America can weigh up to 800 pounds and stand up to 8 feet tall. Moreover, this specie of bear can run at about 30 miles per hour. Common reasons why bears attack humans include defending their cubs or starvation.

7. Great White Shark

These sharks grow an average of 15 foot in length, and they have rows of 300 sharp teeth that resemble a saw. Inside their mouth are powerful jaws that measure 4 feet wide. It consumes a number of species, although humans do not belong to the list of creatures that it likes to eat. Great white sharks prefer sea lions and seals for its meals because of their meaty features. According to scientists, sharks tend to explore their environment using their mouth and “test bite” creatures. In fact, most attacks on humans are merely test bites. After a shark has bitten a creature, it will retreat immediately. Unfortunately, an initial bite is serious enough to kill humans.

6. Elephant

Known as the largest mammal that live on land, the Elephant is a native of Africa and a few parts of the Asian continent. While most people think of elephants as gentle giants, they can show unpredictable behavior and act in a way that can cost a person’s life. There have been news that talk about a captive elephant that has always been gentle to its keeper. However, without any notice, it will suddenly attack anyone it wants. With their massive weight and trunk, these creatures can crush and kill anything that crosses their path.

5. Crocodile

The crocodile is known as the largest reptile in the planet. Among the most dangerous species include the Nile and Saltwater crocodiles that have been reported to kill hundreds of humans a year. There are several parts of the world where crocodiles thrive such as the Americas, Australia, Asia and the tropics of Africa. As long as there are slow-moving lakes and rivers, crocodiles are bound to be nearby. It has a total length of 20 feet long, and its ears, nostrils and eyes are on top of its head, thus allowing it to hear and see its prey quickly.

4. Cape Buffalo

A native of Africa, the Cape Buffalo can be very unpredictable and aggressive, which makes it aptly called the “black death” by the locals. Bovine species of these animals are the toughest, and they weight up to 1800 pounds. They kill their prey by ramming them with their sharp and deadly horns.

3. Snake

Numerous snake species are life-threatening to creatures including humans. In fact, researchers have noted that 450 of these species contain venom, and 250 of them can kill humans. The Carpet Viper is a specie that causes the most number of deaths due to snakebite, and victims can bleed to death as its blood fails to coagulate.

2. African lion

This fierce creature is known for its sharp teeth and claws and amazing speed as it goes after its prey. It stalks and hunts its prey, and surprises the victim by instantly bursting out of nowhere. Females hunt for food, while males protect their pride. Based on statistics, more than a hundred fatalities are caused by lions.

1. Mosquito

Although these creatures are very small, they are quite fatal. More than one million people die each year because of life-threatening illnesses that it brings such as malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, elephantiasis and dengue fever. They can survive low or high temperatures, which make them difficult to control.