For the first time since 2002, a study conducted in 2019 at Utah State University studied the number of individuals who are hurt or killed by wildlife each year in the United States. 1 It was discovered that each year, more than 47,000 people sought medical assistance after being bitten or attacked by wildlife, with an average of eight fatalities.
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To find out more about the most deadly animals in the world, we consulted resources from scientific studies, national public health organisations, and the World Health Organization (WHO). For the purposes of this list, we're simply considering the amount of deaths related to each creature because, in most cases, it's people that invade their environments while animals either respond or become victims themselves. Find out what
1. Mosquito
The most hazardous animal on the planet is also one of the tiniest. However, the mosquito is more dangerous because of the diseases it spreads, particularly malaria, which kills 400,000 people annually and injures hundreds of millions more. Additionally, the little bug carries dangerous infections like encephalitis, West Nile, Zika, Yellow Fever, and dengue fever. The WHO estimates that more than 700,000 deaths per year are caused by vector-borne illnesses collectively.
2. Human
The second deadliest animal on Earth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a human. An estimated 19,141 killings occur annually, 14,414 of which are blamed on weapons. Accordingly, there are 5.8 killings for per 100,000 people. Furthermore, 1.2 million people visited emergency rooms in 2018 as a result of assaults involving other people.
3. Scaled viper
Between 4.5 million and 5.4 million individuals are bitten by snakes annually, according to WHO estimates, of whom 1.8 million to 2.7 million experience clinical disease and 81,000 to 138,000 pass away. The saw-scaled viper is regarded as the deadliest snake, with the highest rate of global snakebite fatality of any other species.
4. Dogs
Tens of thousands of people die each year as a result of the viral and zoonotic disease rabies. Although any mammal can carry rabies, which is present on every continent except Antarctica, dogs are responsible for up to 99 percent of all human transmissions. The WHO estimates that rabies-related expenses total $8.6 billion annually, and that 40% of those harmed by rabid animals are youngsters under the age of 15.
5. Fly Tsetse
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| Photo Credit: istok |
The parasite transmission by infected tsetse flies is the cause of trypanosomiasis, a disease that is endemic to 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Without prompt medical attention, the condition is lethal. Fortunately, consistent control efforts over the past few decades have decreased the number of global cases, with just 977 recorded cases in 2018. Annual cases peaked in the tens of thousands up until 2009.
6. Assassin Bug
The assassin insect, like the tsetse fly, is notorious for the illness it transmits, Chagas disease. Between 6 and 7 million people worldwide, especially in metropolitan areas, are afflicted with Chagas disease, which is responsible for about 10,000 annual fatalities. Even usually only 30% of infected persons experience symptoms, these symptoms are frequently severe and can range from heart attacks to strokes.
7. Snail of freshwater
The schistosomiasis disease, which causes stomach pain and digestive problems, can develop when a parasite produced by infected freshwater snails penetrates human skin. The majority of infections occur when people engage in agricultural or recreational activities that expose them to contaminated water, and the groups that have the least access to hygienic facilities and medical care are most vulnerable. Schistosomiasis caused by snails is thought to cause 200,000 deaths worldwide each year, according to the WHO.
8. Roundworm Ascaris
Ascaris lumbricoides is the biggest roundworm known to parasitize the human gastrointestinal tract. Ascariasis, one of the most widespread parasitic infections on Earth, is caused by it and causes 60,000 fatalities annually.
Only around 15 percent of those with the disease experience symptoms, according to estimates of 800 million to 1.2 billion infected individuals.10 As a result, the illness frequently goes untreated for years until symptoms become severe enough to require medical care.
9. Tapeworm
Consuming contaminated water, eating undercooked infected pork, or practising poor hygiene are all causes of intestinal infection by tapeworms. When they affect the central nervous system, they can become extremely harmful and result in neurological symptoms like epileptic convulsions.
Up to 70% of epilepsy cases in higher-risk populations, where the condition can be harder to detect and is occasionally mistaken for witchcraft, are attributed to parasites. Taenia solium, also referred to as the "pork tapeworm," is one of the main causes of food-related fatalities worldwide.
10. African crocodile
Although many crocodile-related deaths each year go unreported, unrecorded, or unwitnessed, it is estimated that these sizable semi-aquatic reptiles are responsible for roughly 1,000 fatalities annually.
Given that it is typically seen as being more aggressive, the Nile crocodile is probably to blame for the majority of assaults. It can reach up to 1,600 pounds, making it one of Africa's largest freshwater crocodile species, and it is also one of the most common. Annual Nile crocodile assaults on humans and animals total around 300 in Mozambique and about 150 in Namibia, respectively.