The Most Dangerous Animals In The World and Where They Like To Lurk

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The Most Dangerous Animals In The World and Where They Like To Lurk

By Monica Gray - September 22, 2022

Indian Saw-Scaled Viper

There are plenty of snakes out there that have enough venom to take down an entire human being. While most of them bite when they’re startled, making them easily predictable, the Indian Saw-Scaled Viper takes a different approach. Even though these snakes are tiny and petite, their venom packs a serious, deadly punch. They lurk in India as well as neighboring regions in Asia. They’re sneaky animals, which is what makes them so dangerous. Using camouflage, they blend into their surroundings, making them inconspicuous.

They hide underneath rocks and under loose bark and leaves. These snakes are most active in the evening and nighttime, so if you find yourself wandering this area at night, take extra precautions and listen for their defensive sizzling sounds. That sound comes from a naturally developed behavior called stridulation, where the snake forms a coil and rubs its scales together. In one bite, there’s more than a lethal dose poisonous to take down a human being. If you’re bit by one, you must act fast. Luckily, there’s an antivenom that can counteract the poison, but only if it’s given promptly. The toxins in their venom include cytotoxic and haemotoxic, both of which cause high cell damage and prevent the body from clotting (CNTraveler).

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Stonefish

These fish are highly deadly, making them some of the most dangerous animals in the world. They love lurking in tropical seas. Unfortunately, they’re hard to spot in the ocean, especially because they lurk around rock and coral and easily blend into the ocean floor. That’s how they earned the name stonefish since they look like a stone. Visually, they’re very similar to rocks, sit perfectly still, and blend into the surrounding ocean floor. If you happen to be walking into the ocean, it’s highly unlikely you’ll see a stonefish. But once you accidentally step on it, you’ll know right away. When someone steps on their dorsal fins, the stonefish releases potent neurotoxins. The harder you step on the stonefish, the more toxins and poison it releases into your body.

Additionally, if you’re extremely unlikely, you’ll trigger the stonefish’s defense mechanism known as a lachrymal saber, which has been known to be similar to a switchblade straight on the face. Because the position is so toxic and lethal, victims must receive anti-venom within an hour. In the meantime, you have to apply heated water to the wound to draw out the toxin. To prevent this chaos from even happening, it’s best not to walk around in the ocean where there’s a lot of coral, or to wear water shoes in case you do happen to step on one (CNTraveler).

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Moray Eel

These dangerous animals make us never want to swim in the ocean again. The fact that they even lurk beneath the depths of the sea makes us want to stick to our pools. The moray eel is another dangerous animal that’s made the list, and similar to the stonefish, they also lurk in tropical seas. While you may not think of an eel as being dangerous, they have sharp teeth that can inflict serious wounds on their prey. If you disturb a moray eel, you’ll likely regret it. They’ll bite you with their sharp, strong teeth. These bites can cause extensive bleeding because their teeth jut backward. This means it’s extremely difficult to escape a bite from a moray eel since they latch on to their prey easily.

They also have a second set of jaws that makes holding onto prey a lot easier. Similar to the pufferfish, some humans around the world see the moray eel as a delicacy and eat its flesh. Unfortunately, their flesh can be toxic and deadly if it’s not cooked properly. Another animal that is closely related to the moray eel is the electric eel, which discharges up to 650 volts of electricity when it feels threatened and the need to attack. Even though death by eel is extremely unlikely, it does and can happen, especially if you’re unlucky. The good news is that it’s unlikely a moray eel will just attack for no reason, so as long as you’re taking precautions in the ocean, you don’t have to worry (Far and Wide).

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Hyena

Hyenas are known for their high-pitched, piercing laugh, and features similar to a dog. Similar to the wolf, hyenas avoid humans. They tend to stay away from us, which is good news if we find ourselves wandering around Africa. But, sometimes, hyenas attack villages when looking for food, protecting their young and their territory. Because the human population is increasing, humans have been coming into contact more with hyenas. The spotted species of hyena are the most dangerous out of all of them.

They’re also highly intelligent and are some of the most successful hunters in the world. Additionally, they have excellent hearing and nighttime vision, which means you can’t hide from the hyena. Their bites are powerful enough to tear through flesh and shatter bones. Hyenas tend to attack young children and older adults, although there have been reports that hyenas have attacked a healthy, strong humans. Because they travel in packs, it makes them even more dangerous (Far and Wide).

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Inland Taipan

Located in Australia, the Inland Taipan is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. Luckily, these snakes are unlikely to attack humans without probable cause, which means they won’t just bite you if you happen to walk next to them. They’re very good at defending themselves. Even though these animals don’t randomly attack, they have some of the most toxic venoms in the entire world, out of any other snake on the planet. One single bite can take out 100 humans, so if you get bitten by one, you’ll likely die. Their bites cause convulsion, organ failure, paralysis, and death.

Also, their toxin contains a chemical that increases the rate at which the body absorbs the toxin, so it spreads faster than any other toxin. That doesn’t sound like a good way to die. It’s unlikely you’ll receive any anti-venom since you’ll only encounter this snake in remote regions. It’s best to not even bother wandering around this part of the world and instead opt for the coastal cities of Australia. Other snakes exist on this planet, such as pythons or anacondas, that will kill you simply by squeezing and crushing you. And there’s also the cobra, which will simply spit venom on your face and immediately kill you (Far and Wide).

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Horses (Yes, Horses Too)

Most people have gone horseback riding at least once in their lives, and while it may not be the most comfortable thing to do, it can be enjoyable and peaceful. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean they’re safe. Every year, there are about 20 horse-related deaths that come from falling off the animal. Additionally, when horses become startled and afraid, their behavior can become unpredictable, which makes them even more dangerous. Horses can also bite.

Depending on where they bite, this can also prove to be fatal. Never let your guard down around a horse, and since they’re prey animals, they’re wired for looking for scary things and running away from them. Their rear legs are strong enough to break bones and kill animals and humans. Never stand directly behind a horse, either, for this reason. Horses weigh over 600 pounds, so getting caught underneath one is as painful as it sounds (Far and Wide).

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Tiger

If you’ve seen the Netflix series “Tiger King,” then you know how vicious tigers (and humans) can be. There are fewer than 4,000 tigers left in the wild. That’s not a whole lot if you think about it. Unfortunately, there are more than 5,000 tigers in captivity in the USA alone. Most the wild tigers lurk in India. And while tiger attacks are rare, they still kill about 50 people every single year. This is mainly due to the increasing human population, as we invade their natural habitat, much like the hyenas.

Tigers have immense physical strength, endurance, and hunting skills, which is another reason they’re so dangerous. They’re in the top five deadliest mammals in the world. They mainly attack when they’re looking for food or trying to defend their young. The good news is that they tend to keep to themselves, so you don’t have to worry about a tiger randomly charging at you unless it feels threatened by your presence. They have sharp teeth that can easily tear through flesh and can run very fast (Far and Wide).

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Lion

We’ve seen the tiger, now we’re seeing the lion. These cats are some of the most dangerous animals in the world. Interestingly enough, lions are known as lazy predator, and yet they kill up to 250 humans per year. They’re lazy because they sleep around 20 hours every single day. And even though they spend most of their time snoozing, if you happen to run into a lion, you’re pretty much dead. Never run from a lion. They’re incredibly fast, and you have no chance of outrunning them. Their teeth are razor-sharp and they travel in packs, so if you encounter one, there are likely many others lurking around.

They lurk in the Sahara’s southern fringe to northern South Africa. If given the chance, lions will hunt humans. Recently, a 29-year-old American woman died on a safari in Johannesburg, South Africa, when she rolled down her window to take a photograph. A lioness ran up to the car and jumped through the window, killing her on the spot. If you ever find yourself on a safari in Africa, always keep your windows rolled up (Far and Wide).

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Mosquito

These tiny insects are some of the most dangerous animals in the world. While they’re found everywhere in the world, they’re only deadly in Africa, South America, and Asia, where they carry debilitating diseases like dengue, yellow fever, West Nile virus, Chikungunya, encephalitis, elephantiasis, and the Zika virus. Over 700,000 people die every single year from a mosquito-borne disease. For example, if you get bit by a mosquito carrying dengue, victims get a high fever, severe dehydration, headache, body aches, and in more severe cases, internal bleeding, which can eventually lead to death. You’re even more vulnerable if you have a compromised immune system or are a child or the elderly.

Even though wearing long sleeves and pants, staying inside at dawn and dusk when the mosquitos are most active, and wearing mosquito repellent will help prevent these diseases, some people will still catch them if they’re unlucky. You have to be especially careful if you’re in an area where there’s an outbreak of malaria, dengue, or any of the other diseases since it increases your chances tenfold of catching the virus (Flamingoof).

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Komodo Dragon

As one of the world’s largest lizards and most dangerous animals, the Komodo dragon poses a threat to humans because of their toxic bites, full of venom. They can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh up to 150 pounds, making them bigger and heavier than an average human. They tend to lurk in Indonesia, in Komodo National Park, where you can observe them in their natural habitat. Over the past 33 years, four people have died from an attack by a Komodo dragon. Their bites contain a toxin that prevents blood clotting.

To make matters worse, the wound from the bite, plus bacteria from the dragon’s mouth, and blood loss combined make people, and animals, extremely susceptible to death by a Komodo dragon. Unfortunately, Komodo dragons are listed as vulnerable, which means they’re nearing endangered and then extinction. This is due to habitat destruction, loss of prey, and illegal hunting of the lizards (Far and Wide).

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Elephant

Elephants are known for being wise and majestic, but they also have an aggressive side to them. A wild animal will charge if it sees a fire, or if it’s trying to protect its young. Usually, elephants are gentle creatures who keep to themselves. In fact, in many places like India and Thailand, you can visit an elephant sanctuary and play with the elephant and pet it. Elephants kill about 500 people every single year.

But what’s worse is that about 100 elephants are killed every day by poachers. Humans are more of a threat to elephants than they are to us. What makes them so dangerous is their weight, size, and tusks. Death by an elephant usually occurs from trampling. They can charge up to 30 miles per hour. When they’re wounded, they’re even more dangerous since they’re scared and aggressive (Far and Wide).

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Cone Snail

It seems impossible that two snails could hold a place on this list, but cone snails are not to be trifled with. Cone snails tend to lurk in tropical regions of the world. While they’re beautiful to look at, with their elegant white and brown marbled shells, they’re toxic to humans. They have harpoon-like teeth that have conotoxin, a neurotoxin that is incredibly dangerous to humans, as well as a concoction of many other toxins. There are about 600 species of cone snail, all of which are dangerous to humans. Their stings occur without warning, and because there’s no antivenom, their stings can be fatal. The toxin works by stopping communication between nerve cells.

Symptoms include numbness, tingling, intense, uncomfortable pain, paralysis, blurred vision, and respiratory paralysis. If you do happen to get stung by a cone snail, you must go to the emergency room immediately to receive proper treatment before it’s too late. Out of all the species, the geographic cone is the most venomous one. There have been several deaths reported from this cone snail alone (Flamingoof).

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Moose

You wouldn’t think of a moose as being one of the most dangerous animals in the world, but they are. They’re extremely skittish and unpredictable. Their sheer size alone, plus their antlers, poses enough of a threat to humans. When startled, a moose will charge a human and kill them.

This is especially true if you’re invading their territory or they’re trying to protect their young. Additionally, there’s a large population of moose in the wild, especially in Alaska, Maine, and Colorado. They’re known for being more aggressive in March and April, because of the lack of food supply in the wintertime, as well as in September and October during mating season. They usually don’t attack a person unless they’re provoked. If you happen to spot an aggressive moose, you must hide behind a large object like a rock or a tree, or run (How Stuff Works).

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Bears (We Couldn’t Limit It to Just One)

The two most dangerous bears out there are the black bear and the grizzly bear. While black bears are not known for attacking humans, if there is a male black bear in the wild by itself, it may hunt and kill a human. There have been deaths reported by black bears, mainly in Alaska and Canada. Grizzly bears are more dangerous than black bears, since their sheer size, aggression, strength, and sharp teeth are enough of a threat to kill any animal or human. They’re even more dangerous when they’re defending their young. If you happen to be hiking in the woods and come across grizzly bear cubs, you better get out of there as fast as possible.

The mother is lurking nearby. Bears are native to North America and tend to hang out in the wild. The polar bear is also the more aggressive bear species, but because of our chance of seeing a black bear and grizzly bear more often, they’re more known for attacking and killing humans. Grizzly bears have a biting force of 1,000 psi that can split your entire body in half in just a few seconds. If you see a black bear in the wild, you must scare it off by making a lot of noise. But if you see a grizzly bear, you must lay down flat and pretend you’re dead. Never run from a bear or climb a tree. The bear will always win (Far and Wide).

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Blue-Ringed Octopus

If you’ve never heard of tetrodotoxin, then now you have. While it sounds beautiful, the blue-ringed octopus is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. It’s the size of a golf ball but produces enough toxins to kill a human being. Tetrodotoxin, produced by the symbiotic bacteria in its salivary glands, is a neurotoxin that blocks the transmission of nerve impulses. When it feels threatened, it will attack.

The toxin is over 1,000 times more powerful than cyanide and unlucky for us, there’s no known antidote. What’s even scarier about this animal is that the bite is so small you won’t even feel it, meaning you won’t get treatment on time. These octopi live in the Pacific Ocean near Australia and Japan. If you find one, make sure you don’t pick it up in your hand. Even though there’s a chance of dying from its bite, the octopus also suffers when a human touches it. When it comes into contact with human skin, its energy gets depleted, which makes it more difficult for it to survive in the wild (CNTraveler).

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Assassin Bug

The Assassin Bug is a pretty straightforward creature. You can figure out what it gets up to solely based on its name. If it bites you, it may transmit a deadly disease called Chagas disease. This causes infection and inflammation of human tissue. If you’re sensitive to its bite, you can also suffer from swelling, inflammation, and difficulty breathing. None of that sounds pleasant. If Chagas is left untreated, it can lead to some serious digestive and heart problems.

The parasite will wreak havoc throughout your entire body, leaving you seriously ill. Not only is the assassin bug harmful to humans, but it’s harmful to other bugs too. After it feasts on its prey and sucks all the life out of it, it carries its corpse on its back and uses it as a protective shield. Even though that’s clever, it’s sinister. It’s best to avoid this bug at all costs if you do happen to see it in various states across the USA (Far and Wide).

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Dogs

Because dogs are pets, it’s hard to believe that they’re also some of the most dangerous animals in the world. Once trained and vaccinated, dogs are mostly harmless. But it’s the dogs that are untrained and unvaccinated, that usually live in Asia and South America, that are the dangerous ones. They may carry a host of diseases, including rabies. If a rabid dog bites you and you don’t receive the vaccination in time, you will die.

Rabies starts with a high fever and body aches, much like the flu. It then turns into a deadly neurological disease that includes anxiety, confusion, cerebral dysfunction, agitation, and eventually death. Luckily, there is a preventative vaccine humans can receive before traveling to remote places of Asia and South America if you do happen to get bitten by a dog. However, if you’re still bitten by a dog, you need to receive several shots post-bite, even if you’re vaccinated. Again, it’s always better safe than sorry (Far and Wide).

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Brazilian Wandering Spider

The Brazilian Wandering Spider is one of the most venomous spiders on the planet. Once it bites a human, it delivers a neurotoxic venom that may kill a human, Children are especially susceptible. These spiders aren’t small, either, they can be up to seven inches long. It likes hiding in densely populated areas, mostly in cozy places like the inside of shoes, log piles, cars, clothes, and other nooks and crannies where humans are likely to stick their hands.

When they’re angry or disturbed, you’ll see their distinctive red jaws. It’s like a warning sign you don’t want to mess with. If you don’t receive the antivenom, you’ll experience fever, vomiting, paralysis, and eventually death. If you are bitten, seek medical help immediately. Luckily, it’s unlikely you’ll come across one of these spiders on your trip to South America, but if you do it’s best just to stay as far away as possible (CNTraveler).

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Cows

Whenever you see a cow grazing the field, you wouldn’t think it’s one of the most dangerous animals in the world. They kill more people than sharks. About 22 people die every single year from a cow attack, which includes trampling or kicking, specifically blunt force trauma to the head or chest, especially for those interacting with cows and living on a cattle farm.

Cows that are sick or stressed tend to be the most dangerous animals since they become aggressive. If you ever see a cow without its herd, stay away. These solo animals are more likely to be afraid or stressed (Far and Wide).

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Saltwater Crocodile

We all know crocodiles are terrifying. They have large jaws with incredibly sharp teeth, enough to rip straight through human flesh. Well, saltwater crocodiles are some of the most dangerous animals in the world. They’re aggressive, and fearsome, and kill more people than sharks do every year. They always tell us we need to fear sharks, but it’s the crocodiles we need to be afraid of. These animals are found in the Indo-Pacific water and can travel as far south as Australia. Their bite is so strong that it equates to the bite of a T. Rex.

They’re pretty much the present-day dinosaurs. It’s just another reason to stay far away from these animals. These crocodiles don’t only stay in saltwater either, despite their name, they also make it into freshwater. These animals are known for their aggression because of their sheer size and competition with other crocodiles (Flamingoof).

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Box Jellyfish

Jellyfish are known for their poisonous tentacles that can cause a killer sting. Their stings leave scars and can leave on the injury on a human body for days and weeks. But that’s a normal jellyfish. Box jellyfish are an entirely different story. These jellyfish float around in the tropical ocean, mainly where the Indian Ocean meets the Pacific ocean. Luckily, they can only swim five miles per hour, but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous.

Their tentacles can grow up to 10 feet long, so even if you don’t think you’re near one, there’s the chance you’ll swim directly through their tentacles. These contain thousands of stinging cells that carry a toxic poison that affects the nervous system, skin, and heart. It causes paralysis, cardiac arrest, and death. If you’re a young child or the elderly, there’s a high chance you’ll die from the sting alone. Even though an anti-venom exists, it’s unlikely you’ll receive treatment on time, since you’ll be dead before you even get to the hospital (Flamingoof).

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Ascaris Roundworms

These roundworms, while microscopic, cause enough damage in the small intestine of a human that wreaks havoc on the entire body. Humans get infected by accidentally ingesting their eggs, whether from raw produce or water, in developing countries in Asia and South America. Death from this roundworm happens more often where treatment is not found, in places with ineffective sewage disposal systems.

Symptoms from heavy infections include loss of appetite, poor absorption of nutrients from food, and unexplained weight loss. Children who are infected with this roundworm typically experience stunted growth, since their body is unable to absorb important nutrients. If a large number of eggs are swallowed and then move to another part of the body, it could cause bowel obstruction, which causes a variety of problems down the line (Far and Wide).

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Fire Ant

There are over 12,000 species of ants, and every single one differs greatly from the other. There are 280 fire ant species around the world. A sting from a fire ant isn’t just uncomfortable but may cause fatal anaphylaxis if you’re allergic to it. Symptoms from the bite are immediate. It will start to itch and then turn into a big, red welt.

The bites eventually turn into fluid-filled pustules. Their bites are strong enough to kill a small animal and cause a severe human reaction in people. You’re more likely to come into contact with them in the summertime (Far and Wide).

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Asian Giant Hornet

Bees aren’t only dangerous if you’re allergic to them, although that’s usually the main cause of death by a bee or hornet. These insects, plus wasps, are usually grouped. In Japan and China, the Asian Giant Hornet (also commonly known as “Murder Hornets”) can kill a human being, whether you’re allergic or not. They’re the size of a human thumb and typically affect farm workers. Every single year, around 50 people die from hornet attacks, mainly due to an allergic reaction to the sting.

One of the scariest parts about this hornet is that they can sting repetitively. It’s not a one-time sting, which is a horrendous thing to think about. Their stings contain neurotoxins, and their stings are powerful enough to puncture a beekeeper’s suit, which means not even the beekeepers are safe. Even though it’s rare for a swarm of bees to attack a human, it’s not unheard of (Far and Wide).

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Tsetse Fly

This is one of the most dangerous animals in the world, and definitely one of the most dangerous flies. Even though it only grows to the size of a common housefly, it can kill a human. They mainly lurk in Sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly to mosquitos, they suck the blood of human beings and deliver diseases such as Trypanosomes, a parasite. Unfortunately, there are no cures for this parasite, so if you happen to get it, you’re out of luck.

The parasite is the main cause of African Sleeping Sickness, which is a disease affecting the nervous system of humans, and thus disrupting sleep patterns. The disease can also be fatal, so it’s best to avoid getting bitten by this fly altogether. Some people, they develop a skin rash after a bite from the fly, but aching muscles, fever, and headache are also common symptoms (Flamingoof).

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Alligator

We’ve seen crocodiles as one of the most dangerous animals on this list, but we also have to include alligators. Even though they’re terrifying to look at, just like their cousin the crocodile, they don’t kill as many people. But that doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous. In fact, since 1948, there have only been 25 deaths from an alligator. But every single year, there are around seven attacks from an alligator in Florida. It’s best to just stay away from an alligator if you happen to see one.

It’s unlikely an alligator will ever bite, but if it does happen to bite someone, it likely means they’ve already bitten someone in their past and are exhibiting repetitive behavior. So you should call wildlife authorities. Additionally, alligators are only likely to attack when they’re feeling provoked, defensive, or aggressive. They won’t randomly attack you and are much more harmless than the crocodiles (Far and Wide).

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Humans

We’ve seen tons of different animals and insects on this list, but we haven’t yet spoken about humans. We’re the most dangerous animals in the entire world. We’re the ones ruining our planet and killing off endangered species through hunting, poaching, and urban development. There’s also war, random violence, terrorism, and assault that kill thousands of people every single day.

Lives are cut short and families have broken apart, all because of a horrendous act from one human being. We can end life on this planet, and if it doesn’t come from a world war first, it will come from climate change, which is also due to human activity. This comes from pollution, oil, single-use plastic, and destruction of forests. Seriously, the animals on this list have nothing compared to us, the most dangerous animals in the world (Flamingoof).

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