Top 30 Most DANGEROUS Animals in the World
If you encounter one of these beasts in the wild, run! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the deadliest creatures and beasts to inhabit the planet.
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00:00The way they move, the way they hunt, the way they behave, there's no other snake that can touch a mamba.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the deadliest creatures and beasts to inhabit the planet.
00:12We won't be allowing humanity as part of our criteria for this list.
00:16And this is what a deadly sea wasp looks like.
00:21Number 30. Ticks.
00:23They may be small, but never underestimate the danger these tiny insects can pose to humans.
00:28Summertime means more time outdoors, and that means more chances for tick bites and the risk of Lyme disease.
00:35Ticks are a species of arachnid that can transmit a number of diseases to humans, including typhus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
00:42Additionally, certain subspecies of ticks, such as those found in Australia, can even cause temporary paralysis with their bites.
00:50After she found a tick buried in her hair.
00:52To make matters worse, the extremely tiny size of most ticks makes them difficult to find at first glance.
00:58This means that many victims of a tick's feeding process may not discover these parasites until it's too late,
01:04and a trip to the emergency room is on the horizon.
01:07Number 29. Nile crocodile.
01:10There's a very good reason why certain mythological creatures from ancient Egypt so often take the forms of animals,
01:16such as the hippopotamus or a crocodile.
01:19This is because these sorts of animals were often seen as river killers, sources of fear and awe.
01:25Perhaps this also applies to the fearsome reputation of the Nile crocodile,
01:30which consumes more human victims than nearly every other example of its species.
01:34This is what I've come to see, the wild behavior of the Nile crocodile.
01:39These man-eaters dwell primarily within African countries,
01:43We can't personally think of any place we'd want to run into this toothy beast, however.
01:48This has been the most awesome thing in my entire life.
01:51Have a look at this. Check out behind me.
01:54If I was James Bond, I could run over. Check him out. Like Steppenstock.
01:58Number 28. Assassin bugs.
02:00There are a lot of subdivisional types of assassin bugs,
02:03but the most common type of assassin bug is the crocodile.
02:07Like Steppenstock.
02:08Number 28. Assassin bugs.
02:11There are a lot of subdivisional categories out there of the Red Yuviati,
02:15a family of predatory bugs that are known for ambushing their prey and spreading disease.
02:20And this is the perpetrator.
02:28These assassin bugs are specifically known for passing along Chagas disease,
02:32a curious contagion with wide-ranging effects.
02:35Those afflicted with Chagas disease may not initially see symptoms
02:39greater than some swelling or pain at the bite point.
02:41Chagas disease does have some very recognizable signs, but they're rare.
02:46However, those that are left untreated could potentially see nerve damage
02:50or even heart disease later on in life, as a result of an assassin bug attack.
02:55Number 27. Indian red scorpion.
02:58An encounter with any kind of scorpion probably isn't ideal,
03:01but the Indian red scorpion is on a whole other level.
03:04This one, the Indian red scorpion, takes the prize as the most lethal of all.
03:10This dangerous arachnid is one of the deadliest of its kind,
03:13possessing a painful sting that afflicts its victims with multiple horrible symptoms.
03:18These include but are not limited to vomiting, sweating, shock,
03:22breathlessness, and a racing or abnormal heart rate.
03:25In countries like India, scorpion stings are a serious public health issue.
03:30Indian red scorpions have been known to tragically take the lives of children
03:34within their native India, although survival is achievable,
03:37as long as the patient receives immediate medical attention.
03:41Number 26. Inland taipan.
03:43Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
03:46I hate snakes, Doc! I hate them!
03:49The inland taipan is an extremely venomous serpent
03:52that's found primarily within Australia.
03:54But one bite from the inland taipan,
03:57which only releases about 44 milligrams of venom on average,
04:02could kill up to 220,000 mice.
04:05The toxicity of the inland taipan's venom is the strongest of its kind,
04:09with a single bite possessing enough lethal killing power to fell a hundred humans.
04:14Thankfully, the inland taipan's inherently reclusive nature
04:17means that it usually seeks to avoid a confrontation rather than instigate one.
04:22This latter approach can also be found in its cousin, the coastal taipan,
04:25which actively acts aggressively towards human invaders.
04:29That's a taipan.
04:33This essentially means that one should avoid any contact
04:36with either of these dangerous slithering animals.
04:39Number 25. Blue-ringed octopus.
04:42The world of dangerous octopi is one that's usually reserved for movies,
04:46such as the one designed by Ray Harryhausen for the film It Came From Beneath the Sea.
04:53Look out!
04:56Look out!
04:59The reality, however, is that the blue-ringed octopus exists,
05:02and it arrives armed with a powerful neurotoxin.
05:05The demeanor of the blue-ringed octopus is similar to that of the inland taipan
05:09in that it generally doesn't seek out attention.
05:12However, if it's disturbed, beware.
05:14You'll see I'm wearing gloves, guys, for a reason right now.
05:16This is a really good way to get a nip.
05:20That is not what I want.
05:21The bites of these underwater animals are not very painful,
05:25but this aforementioned neurotoxin is deadly,
05:27and can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and death only mere moments after contact.
05:33It's like all kinds of emotions right now.
05:35Number 24. Anacondas.
05:38The lethality of anacondas thankfully doesn't really apply to humans
05:41since these aggressive predators don't, as a rule, seek us out for confrontations.
05:46Put my hands up, fat-ass bastard!
05:49Oh, shit!
05:53That said, these powerful serpents are still incredibly dangerous members of the animal kingdom
05:58thanks to their incredible constrictive prowess.
06:01They can hunt and kill animals much larger than they are,
06:04including sheep and even jungle cats such as jaguars.
06:07The jaguar senses danger, but can't see the anaconda.
06:11That's not too shabby considering anacondas actually aren't even venomous.
06:15Interactions between humans and anacondas may not occur as often as they do in the movies,
06:20but the curious can rest assured knowing that these apex predators almost always come out on top.
06:34Number 23. Komodo dragon.
06:37Speaking of apex predators,
06:38the Komodo dragon is the king of the hill when it comes to modern-day tyrant lizards.
06:44Okay, big fella. It's all right. It's okay.
06:47They are the largest living example of the lizard species today
06:51and dominate hunting grounds and food chains wherever they're found,
06:54primarily within the island of Indonesia.
06:57They're known to hunt by stealth, utilizing patience to pounce and tear open their victims.
07:02The Komodo dragon is also known to scavenge graves for carrion
07:06or eat basically whatever's in front of it during its sparse feeding times.
07:09Okay, now that felt like more of a bite.
07:12This lengthy time between hunts thankfully lowers the Komodo dragon's historical relationship with humans,
07:17although encounters between the two have been known to be fatal.
07:21Number 22. Golden poison frog.
07:24It just sort of says it all right in the name, doesn't it?
07:26He's so much more orange than I thought.
07:29Oh my god.
07:32The golden poison frog possesses one of the most intense and potent toxins in the world,
07:37The danger here lies within the frog's actual skin,
07:40meaning that one needs to either touch or eat the golden poison frog in order for this toxin to take effect.
07:45By the time Alonzo hands the frog to me,
07:48I need gloves to prevent even the tiniest amount of the toxin
07:52seeping into my bloodstream through my skin, or I'd be dead.
07:56Should this occur, however, the secretion of its batrachotoxin will cause paralysis,
08:01respiratory failure, and death in a most dramatic and painful fashion.
08:05The golden poison frog is found primarily within the Colombian rainforest,
08:08but their deadly and dangerous reputation endures far beyond the confines of the underbrush.
08:13Number 21. Cone snail.
08:16The tiny, humble snail may not be the first animal that comes to one's mind
08:19when thinking about danger levels, but therein lies the irony.
08:22This siphon acts as a breathing tube and a warning.
08:27Emerging from the sediment is its owner, a six-legged snake.
08:32Emerging from the sediment is its owner, a six-inch-long toxic killer.
08:36The cone snail is beautiful on the outside, but deadly on the inside,
08:40since these underwater creatures are extremely poisonous.
08:44Some smaller species possess little danger to humans,
08:47but the larger and more aggressive examples often employ tiny harpoon projectiles
08:51that can pierce even protected divers.
08:54Made of modified tooth, the harpoon can be launched by a quick muscular contraction.
09:00These stings then transmit the cone snail's potent toxin,
09:03which causes numbness, swelling, blurred vision, paralysis, and eventually death.
09:08There is no known antivenom.
09:11Number 20. Killer whale.
09:14Also known as orcas or the wolves of the sea, killer whales earn the killer in their name.
09:19These highly intelligent apex predators hunt a variety of prey,
09:23ranging from fish and seals to even sharks and whales.
09:30While there have been some incidents between wild killer whales and people,
09:34fatal attacks have yet to be recorded.
09:36However, it's a different story for killer whales in captivity.
09:40With no apparent warning, the killer whale grabs his feet
09:43and pulls him underwater for close to a minute.
09:46Then it brings him to the surface where the trainer pets the whale, tries to calm it.
09:51Since the late 1960s, there have been dozens of incidents involving captive killer whales attacking humans.
09:57These have resulted in injuries and even fatalities,
10:00generating lots of discussion surrounding the controversy of keeping them in captivity.
10:09One killer whale in particular, known as Tilikum,
10:12was involved in the deaths of three people, including two of his trainers.
10:17Number 19. Deathstalker scorpion.
10:20This little guy is one of the reasons scorpions have such a bad rep,
10:24as it's responsible for three quarters of scorpion-related deaths annually,
10:28with young children and the elderly especially at risk.
10:31The third most venomous scorpion in the world,
10:34the Deathstalker's venom is extremely potent and painful,
10:38and is actually resistant to treatment.
10:40Though healthy adults won't necessarily die from its sting,
10:43much anti-venom would likely be required.
10:46It's found primarily throughout North Africa and the Middle East,
10:49so if you're in the neighborhood, watch out.
10:52Number 18. Cassowary.
10:55If you're looking for proof that birds are related to dinosaurs,
10:58look no further than the cassowary.
11:00Armed with powerful legs and dagger-like claws,
11:03the cassowary can deliver a kick that will break bones and slice through flesh.
11:08While these large birds are cautious around humans,
11:11more than a hundred instances of people being attacked by cassowaries have been reported,
11:15most of which involved food.
11:17Thankfully, fatalities are rare.
11:19Though it's possible for the cassowary to be partially domesticated,
11:23owning one can still be dangerous.
11:25In April 2019, a Florida man was killed by a cassowary he raised
11:30when it fatally injured him after he fell down.
11:39The cassowary's potential for harm has earned it the title of the world's most dangerous bird.
11:44Number 17. Pufferfish.
11:47While not the biggest or most ferocious entry on our list,
11:50the pufferfish is nevertheless extremely dangerous.
11:54If inflating its body doesn't discourage predators,
11:57then its high levels of toxicity sure do.
12:06Pufferfish possess tetrodotoxin,
12:08which is over a thousand times more lethal than cyanide.
12:12A single pufferfish has enough tetrodotoxin to kill 30 adult humans.
12:25In Japan, pufferfish known as fugu are considered a delicacy.
12:30But only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it,
12:33as even the slightest mistake could prove fatal.
12:36In 1958, the number of people who died from fugu poisoning peaked at 176,
12:48but has decreased over time,
12:50with about 20 fatalities being reported in Japan since the turn of the 21st century.
12:59To this day, no known antidote exists.
13:04Number 16. Cape buffalo.
13:06When you think of the most dangerous animals in Africa,
13:09the cape buffalo may not be your first or even fifth thought.
13:13They're responsible for hundreds of deaths every year, however,
13:16and eagerly go after jeeps and trucks, overturning them with ease.
13:21They're sometimes referred to as the Black Death,
13:24and have been known to fight off crocodiles and lions.
13:27Their ability to run at 40 miles an hour despite weighing 2,000 pounds
13:32makes them one of the most dangerous animals in not only Africa, but the entire world.
13:38Number 15. Japanese giant hornet.
13:41Afraid of bugs? Then these hornets are your worst nightmare.
13:51The largest of its kind on Earth,
13:53Japanese giant hornets are feared for their highly potent venom,
13:57which can kill a person if stung enough times.
14:00Even if the venom doesn't kill right away,
14:02those unfortunate enough to be stung by one are forced to endure intense, searing pain.
14:08On average, these insects kill an estimated 10 to 50 people a year in Japan,
14:13and injure many more.
14:19Recently spotted in the United States,
14:21this invasive species poses a significant threat to honeybee populations and the larger ecosystem.
14:28With such a terrifying reputation,
14:30it's no wonder they were given the nickname murder hornets.
14:34Number 14. Grizzly bear.
14:36Weighing between 400 to 800 pounds on average,
14:40the grizzly bear is a force to be feared.
14:43While they may not actively hunt humans,
14:45urban expansion into their territory has made grizzlies more dangerous,
14:49as they've come to associate humans with food.
14:52While rare, attacks from grizzlies are often fatal.
14:59Mother grizzlies are especially dangerous,
15:03as they're more likely to attack if they feel their cubs are threatened.
15:07Along with their enhanced sense of smell and powerful claws,
15:10grizzlies can easily outrun humans,
15:13and have a bite force strong enough to crush bowling balls.
15:25When heading out to grizzly country,
15:27knowing how to navigate an encounter with one could mean the difference between life and death.
15:39Number 13. Brazilian wandering spider.
15:41Unlike most spiders,
15:43this creepy crawly does not make its home in a web or lair.
15:47Rather, it lives a nomadic lifestyle,
15:50hunting and ambushing its prey.
15:53This makes the Brazilian wandering spider even more dangerous,
15:56as it often wanders into human settlements.
15:59Known for hiding in dark places such as boots and shoes,
16:02these spiders thus bite people in self-defense.
16:10While its venom can be treated with anti-venom,
16:13it is still the most potent poison of any spider.
16:16It directly targets the nervous system.
16:19Which can potentially be fatal,
16:21making it extremely dangerous,
16:23especially for children.
16:29We'd expect nothing less from a spider whose genus translates to murderous.
16:33Number 12. African elephant.
16:35Elephants are one of the most popular creatures on the planet,
16:38but that doesn't make them any less dangerous.
16:40They've been known to become extremely aggressive without warning,
16:44making them one of the more unpredictable animals on the planet.
16:47This is especially dangerous because they frequently come into contact with people,
16:51through safaris and other ventures.
16:53It seems like at least once a year,
16:55there's a story about an elephant wandering into a village
16:58and trampling dozens of people.
17:10Number 11. Honey badger.
17:12Considered the most fearless animal alive by the Guinness Book of World Records,
17:16the honey badger is one of nature's most relentless hunters.
17:19It possesses powerful claws and fangs that can break open tortoise shells.
17:28It also has a strong resistance to venom,
17:30and a loose but thick hide tough enough to resist blows from a machete.
17:35The honey badger won't hesitate to challenge and even repel much larger predators,
17:39such as leopards and lions.
17:46The noise that they make, it's this...
17:49They rattle a lot when they are agitated,
17:52and it's quite a fearsome noise to hear,
17:54so it intimidates the lions, I'm sure.
17:56They're also highly intelligent,
17:58or can escape from or break into secure enclosures.
18:02Because they often attack livestock and bee farms,
18:05they increasingly get into conflicts with humans.
18:07She goes up to the top, she pulls the second one out,
18:10and then he pulls it open.
18:16When provoked, they are terrifying,
18:18and will fight to the death if escape is impossible.
18:21Honey badger don't care.
18:26While hippos may not necessarily come across as an extremely dangerous animal,
18:30they are aggressive,
18:32and have been known to attack people without provocation.
18:35They're usually found in Africa,
18:37and are one of the larger animals responsible for killing the most humans on that continent.
18:41Despite weighing several thousand pounds,
18:44a hippo can run as fast as 20 miles per hour,
18:47and has an extremely powerful mouth.
18:50They can decimate safari vehicles without breaking a sweat.
18:57The largest reptile in the world,
18:59saltwater crocodiles are extremely dangerous,
19:02and are responsible for attacking hundreds of people every year.
19:06They're found all over the world in all sorts of habitats,
19:09including both saltwater and freshwater.
19:15They have the strongest bite of any animal currently in existence,
19:19with their jaws capable of applying over 3,500 pounds of pressure per square inch.
19:25They have an alarming tendency to consider humans as their prey,
19:29although only if we venture into their territory.
19:33Bull shark
19:35Alongside great white and tiger sharks,
19:38the bull shark is one of three shark species most likely to attack humans unprovoked.
19:43While the great white has been implicated in more unprovoked attacks on humans,
19:47several factors make the bull shark more dangerous to humans than any other shark species.
19:58These include its high aggression level,
20:00a much more powerful bite force than the great white,
20:02and, most dangerous of all,
20:04its ability to thrive in both saltwater and freshwater sources.
20:16In rare cases, bull sharks have even been sighted going far up both the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
20:23Some experts believe that the bull shark was responsible for the Jersey Shore attacks of 1916,
20:28an event that inspired the novel Jaws.
20:33Native to the Indian subcontinent,
20:35sloth bears may look adorable and fluffy, but they're extremely aggressive.
20:39They have a reputation for regularly attacking humans more than any other bear.
20:52With human populations growing and their territory decreasing,
20:56human and sloth bear encounters have gradually increased
20:59as the animals wander into towns in search of food.
21:05Due to their poor eyesight, sloth bears are easily startled
21:09and thus more likely to lash out in self-defense or to defend their cubs.
21:14Between 1998 and 2000,
21:16137 sloth bear attacks, including 11 fatalities,
21:21occurred in the North Belospore Forest Division in the state of Chhattisgarh.
21:27In 1957, a specimen known as the Sloth Bear of Mysore
21:32achieved notoriety for killing at least 12 people and seriously injuring over 20 others.
21:41Take one look at an African lion and you know that you are putting your life at risk
21:46just by getting within striking distance of the animal.
21:49This doesn't seem to stop humans from going on safaris or attempting to tame them, however.
21:53As a result, hundreds of people die every year at the hands of the African lion.
21:58Luckily, they do not actively seek out humans,
22:01but their amazing speed and razor-sharp teeth and claws
22:05mean that if they do decide to make you their prey, you are in a lot of trouble.
22:18Raised in the harsh environment of the Arctic Circle,
22:21polar bears have evolved into one of the world's apex predators.
22:24Reaching heights of more than 9 feet and weighing over 1,000 pounds,
22:29the polar bear is the largest terrestrial carnivore on Earth.
22:39While normally cautious by nature,
22:41hungry polar bears will kill and eat virtually anything big or small, including humans.
22:52One of the most powerful animals on the planet.
22:55With the loss of their habitat due to climate change and a lack of fear towards people,
22:59more and more polar bears are drawn towards human populations in search of food.
23:09Given the polar bear's immense size, powerful claws and teeth capable of tearing a human to shreds,
23:15any encounter can prove fatal.
23:18Number 4. Tiger
23:20As one of the world's most iconic animals,
23:23the tiger has left its mark in history, mythology, and popular culture.
23:27Along with being the largest cat species, tigers can be divided into several subspecies,
23:33such as the common Bengal tiger and the Siberian tiger.
23:36With jaws strong enough to crush the throats of its prey,
23:39and paws capable of inflicting heavy blows,
23:42tigers are apex predators that are praised and feared for their legendary strength and hunting prowess.
23:59Some tigers have even acquired a fearsome reputation for being man-eaters,
24:03with the most infamous being the Chumbawat tiger,
24:06which allegedly killed more than 400 people over the course of 7 years at the turn of the 20th century.
24:21Number 3. Box jellyfish
24:24If you come across one of these creatures while scuba diving or floating in the sea,
24:28get away as fast as possible.
24:30The box jellyfish is one of the most venomous animals on the entire planet,
24:35a category that includes frogs, scorpions, and snakes.
24:38It can possess as many as 60 tentacles,
24:42and their sting can kill a human,
24:44either by paralyzing them, which leads to drowning,
24:47or by stopping their heart.
24:49Luckily, many people survive encounters with the box jellyfish,
24:53but not without first experiencing excruciating pain.
24:57Number 2. Black mamba snake
25:00Despite being the second most venomous snake in the world,
25:03the black mamba makes our list because it is the most feared snake in all of Africa,
25:07which is saying something.
25:09Their bite has been called the kiss of death,
25:12and it can kill a human in less than 10 hours if not treated effectively.
25:17While the black mamba usually tries to flee from humans,
25:20they will attack if they feel threatened,
25:22delivering deadly strikes in rapid succession.
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25:49Number 1. Mosquito
25:51With a list that includes crocodiles, lions, and sharks,
25:55it may be difficult to believe that mosquitoes are the most dangerous animals on the planet.
25:59While they won't eat you,
26:01this small insect is responsible for killing over a million people each year
26:05because it spreads diseases,
26:07the most famous of which is malaria.
26:09In fact, they're said to transfer diseases to over 700 million people annually.
26:14They are located all over the world,
26:17from tropical areas to cold climates,
26:19and are responsible for more human deaths than all the other animals on this list put together.
26:26Which of these creatures haunts your nightmares?
26:28Let us know in the comments.