Despite being the most advanced animal species, humans face more than a thousand ways to die daily. In the many ways, attack by other animals is one of them, but not in a way you would imagine. Picture this: when you think about an animal that can threaten your life, a snake is probably the first one that comes to mind. Elephants, lions, and crocodiles might also make the list. What if I told you the animal that kills the most humans is tiny, noisy mosquitos, would you believe it? Well, read on to find out how so.
What Animal Kills the Most Humans in the World?
As hinted above, mosquitoes kill the most humans every year. Surprising as it may be, specific mosquito species are responsible for more than a million human deaths reported worldwide. When a blood-feeding mosquito ingests pathogens while biting a host, it can transfer them to other hosts.
While malaria may be what comes to mind when parasitic diseases spread by mosquitos are mentioned, the insects can transmit other diseases, too. They include dengue fever, filariasis, and yellow fever.
Do Pigs Eat Humans?
Pigs are known to eat almost everything, including humans! Though rarely, cases of pigs eating humans have been reported. For instance, in 2012, a farmer based in Oregon, United States, was attacked and eaten by pigs after he accidentally fell into their enclosure. After some time, a concerned relative went looking for him, but he was only met by the victim’s dentures.
A List of Animals That Kill the Most Humans
Besides mosquitos, who are at the forefront of causing deadly diseases to humans, below is a list of animals that kill the most humans. While it’s true that different sources have varying data, our list is solely based on the number of humans killed per year.
Snakes (100,000 Deaths)
Given the many dangerous snake species available worldwide, there is no surprise that snakes are one of the animals that kill the most humans. Concrete data shows that the serpents kill between 50,000 to 100,000 people every year. These are very scary numbers considering that, of the roughly 725 snake species, only about 250 of them can kill humans.
The venomous ones rely on their venom to kill their targets. On the other hand, nonvenomous snakes either swallow their prey whole or suffocate them by constriction.
Dogs (30,000 Deaths)
Dogs are colloquially known as “man’s best friend.” Unfortunately, that is not often the case, as the animals are responsible for more than 30,000 human deaths every year. The most common way through which a dog can kill a person is by infecting them with rabies. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal.
However, dog attacks can result in human deaths in other ways, including:
- Cervical fracture of the spine
- Sir embolism
- Blunt force trauma
- Heart attack
- Sepsis
- Decapitation
Even in cases where dog attacks don’t cause deaths, they can significantly alter a person’s way of life. For instance, they can cause broken bones, bruising, wounds, loss of limbs, soft tissue injuries, and disfigurement. Dog attacks are so prevalent that they attract lawsuits.
Freshwater Snails (20,000 Deaths)
Yes, you read that right! Freshwater snails are among the animals that kill the most humans. With over 20,000 deaths reported worldwide every year, the creatures are very dangerous. Freshwater snails carry schistosomiasis, one of the world’s deadliest parasites.
They may not be able to bite or cause significant physical injuries to humans, but freshwater snails are a nightmare, especially for people in South America, Africa, and Asia.
Assassin Bugs (12,000 Deaths)
Like freshwater snails, assassin bugs do not directly kill humans but carry and spread a parasite that can. When they bite, their “kiss” can help spread the parasite that causes Chagas disease. According to statistics, over 12,000 people succumb to assassin bug-related diseases every year.
Tsetse Flies (10,000 Deaths)
Commonly found in tropical Africa, tsetse flies are famous for their bites, which can cause animal trypanosomiasis, popularly known as sleeping sickness. Unfortunately, the disease can be fatal; it is responsible for over 10,000 human deaths every year.
Scorpions (3,250)
Scorpions are predatory arachnids mostly found in deserts. Given that they are found in regions least inhabited by humans, the fact that they still manage to kill more than 3,250 people yearly makes them very scary. Additionally, only about 25 scorpion species (less than 1%) have the venom capable of threatening a person’s life.
Ascaris Roundworms and Tapeworms (2,500 Deaths)
Most of the animals discussed here majorly “attack humans externally.” On the other hand, Ascaris roundworms are found in an affected person’s small intestines, where they cause havoc. It is estimated that these worms are responsible for over 2,500 human deaths every year.
They achieve this by causing intestinal obstruction. These roundworms can compromise nutritional status, affect cognitive processes, and induce reactions like granuloma in less severe cases.
Although not as deadly as Ascaris roundworms, Tapeworms are also responsible for causing human deaths. Reliable data shows that they kill more than 700 people every year.
Crocodiles (1,000 Deaths)
Looking at the physical structure of a crocodile, you already know they can be deadly. True to this, statistics show that the reptiles are responsible for more than 1000 human deaths yearly. The Nile and the saltwater crocodiles are the most dangerous. They claim lots of lives in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Hippopotamuses and Elephants (500 Deaths Each)
Hippopotamuses and elephants are among the animals that charge at humans the most. They are incredibly aggressive, with hippos frequently charging at small boats while elephants vandalize cars with humans. The two are responsible for causing over 500 deaths each every year.
Lions (250)
Widely recognized as the king of the jungle, lions are among the animals that kill the most humans. Mostly prevalent in the savannahs, these huge cats kill approximately 250 people every year.
Other animals that kill the most humans include African cape buffaloes, deer, and bees.
The Key Takeaway
Mosquitos are the animals that kill the most humans, which is quite surprising. Others like snakes, lions, elephants, and hippos are generally more expected because of their build and aggressiveness. Note that this list only adheres to the number of kills the listed animals make yearly. Also, animals like mosquitos, assassin bugs, freshwater snails, and tsetse flies do not harm humans directly. On the contrary, they are vectors that transmit deadly parasites and diseases.
