Which animals come to your mind when you think of most dangerous animals on the Earth? If you are thinking lions, sharks, rhinos, cobras – you’d be most certainly wrong.
The ten most dangerous animals in the world, according to National Geographic, are not at all what you’d expect. In fact, many of these animals we do not even consider dangerous – but they are more lethal than any other animals, we just don’t know it.
#10. Cape Buffalo – Nicknamed Black Death for a reason
In the continent of Africa, more hunters are killed by the cape buffaloes than any other animal. These gigantic buffaloes can grow up to be 6ft tall and weight more than 900 kg. Their attack tactics involve stalking and circling you as they try to corner you into a tight spot and then charge at you with full speed.
They usually mind their own business, but can attack you with a speed of about 60 kph when they feel one of their calves is threatened by you. Imagine a rock solid mass of 900 kg being hurled into your face with such ferocious speed! This simply means instant death.
#9. Cone Snail – Venom has no antidote, can kill you within 10 minutes
Cone snails may be gorgeous to look at, but do not be fooled by their looks and do not ever dare to touch them. They have six-inches long tentacles with concealed teeth full of a highly complex venom. This venom is called conotoxin, and it has no antidote.
The toxin causes instant paralysis and you will have ten minutes to live – barely enough time to smoke a cigarette, that is why it’s also called a cigarette snail. It is found in the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Indonesia.
#8. Golden Poison Dart Frog – A mere touch can kill you
The indigenous Emberá people have been lacing the tips of their arrows and darts with the skin of this frog – which makes their weapons instantly lethal. You would have also seen a similar frog appearing in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean where Captain Barbossa uses such a frog to lace his sword.
These frogs are found in northern part of South America, and grow up to be about two-inches large. And a single frog is so deadly it can kill 10 adult humans with its poison. Their venom is found on their skin so if you accidentally touch the frog then you’d be at immediate risk of paralysis and death.
#7. Box jellyfish – Venom will kill you even before you reach the shore
It’s almost invisible, so you won’t even see it coming for you if you are exploring the underwater ocean. Their bodies have about 15 tentacles, each of them as long as 10ft, and containing thousands of toxin cells. Their toxin attacks the heart, the skin, and the nervous system at the same time.
Good news is that there is an antidote for this.
Bad news is that the box jellyfish’s venom is so powerful that most of the victims die of shock and heart attacks even before they reach the shore. If you reach the shore in time, find treatment and escape death – even then you’d have extreme pain for weeks, and nasty scars will appear on your skin.
They are found in the ocean waters north of Australia, and are considered the most venomous marine creature in the world.
#6. Pufferfish – Venom 1200 times more deadly than Cyanide
Pufferfish, which is also called the blowfish, has venom almost everywhere in its body – skin, muscle tissue, liver, kidney, gonads, etc. You’d think that is a good enough reason to avoid it, but people in Japan and China actually eat this fish and consider it a delicacy.
Eating this fish is extremely risky and more dangerous than a wild encounter in the ocean. All the toxic parts need to be removed and only trained, licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it as a meal.
Even then, many people die every year from eating it, as the pufferfish toxin is 1200 times more deadly than cyanide. But that still doesn’t stop food daredevils from eating it.
#5. Black Mamba – Fastest snake in the world
Think you can outrun a snake? Think again.
Found in Southern and Eastern parts of Africa, black mamba can grow up to about 14ft long, and can chase you at the speed of about 20 kph. That may not seem like much but it is faster than most people. Also, it can raise 4ft of its body in the air while running and then strikes at a terrifying speed.
If you ever face one, just slowly back out and walk away – because when a black mamba bites, it bites multiple times and a single bite contains enough venom to kill ten people. If you are bitten and do not receive antivenom within 20 minutes, you’ll die for sure.
#4. Saltwater crocodile – Stronger jaw than a Tyrannosaurus Rex
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest, most aggressive, and more dangerous crocodiles in the world. They attack anything that comes in their way, and they are responsible for killing more people than Sharks.
They have strongest bite strength of any creature ever known at 3700 psi, which rivals the the bite strength of the most fearsome dinosaur ever – the great Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The saltwater crocodiles are 23ft or 7 meters long, and they are found in the Indo-Pacific ocean ranging from India and Vietnam to Australia.
#3. Tsetse fly – No cure, vaccine, or medicine available to protect you
World’s most dangerous fly, the Tsetse is about the same size as the ordinary house fly. This fly is a bloodsucking bug that will feast on your blood if it finds you on a warm sunny day, but their real danger is that they spread a microbial parasite into your bloodstream.
The parasite causes the infamous African sleeping sickness, which affects the nervous system and the brain, and eventually leads to death. There are no vaccines or medications available to stop this infection from spreading.
Best you can do is to avoid going into the bushes during the day, wear dull-coloured clothings as the fly is attracted to bright and dark colours, and then wear permethrin-treated clothes which keeps the flies away.
#2. Mosquitoes – Kill about a million people per year
There are more than 3000 species of mosquitoes and they are found everywhere in the world except Antarctica. Mosquitoes are so common and so large in numbers that it’s common to ignore them, and nobody would consider them very deadly.
But the truth is that mosquitoes are the largest carriers of many diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, encephalitis, chikungunya etc. that affect about 700 million people every year. Nearly a million people die every year from these diseases – according to WHO.
Thankfully, you can use mosquito nets and repellents to protect yourself, and cure is available as well. Most deaths are caused in rural and remote areas where the healthcare system is in a bad condition.
#1. Humans – The image below is enough evidence
Humans have killed about a billion humans in our recorded history of 10,000 years. And even before that we wiped out the entire species of Neanderthals when we moved out of Africa.
We have created nuclear bombs, we started capitalism and fascism which cause millions of deaths every year. We have also caused environmental destruction to the levels that Earth may not even recover from. We have driven thousands of animal species to extinction, contaminated the water and air and soil.
We are the only species in the history of Earth that has the power to destroy all life on Earth, including all the animals and plants.
Featured Image Courtesy: National Geographic
Comment here