The most dangerous animals in the world

by DAILY SABAH Dec 22, 2020 1:18 pm +03 +03:00

Golden Poison Dart Frog

Mostly found in South America, this brightly colored frog is the most venomous vertebrate in the world. Merely touching it can cause death, though deforestation has pushed species close to extinction.

Tapeworm

Not really visible to the naked eye immediately, this parasite is the transmitter of infections. Humans catch one of these usually by eating raw or undercooked meat and due to their almost nonexistent symptoms, they can cause death.

Mosquito

They may be small, but they are still one of the most dangerous creatures in the world as carriers of a slew of diseases – malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and Zika just to name a few. They thrive practically everywhere in the world, except Antarctica.

Tsetse Fly

This is no ordinary fly despite being the size of a regular house fly. They suck blood and spread parasites that are the cause of the African sleeping sickness. These bugs can be found in sub-Saharan countries.

Stonefish

These are the world’s most venomous fish and can be found off the coasts of Australia, Indonesia and India.

Box Jellyfish

Found in the waters of northern Australia this jellyfish is considered the most venomous marine animal in the world.

Assassin Bug

This bug lives up to its name: It bites, sucks blood and transmits an illness that causes infection and inflammation. This animal can be found pretty much all around the world, except Australia, and causes about 10,000 deaths per year.

Black Mamba

While there are many dangerous snakes out there, the black mamba is especially fearsome due to its speed. They do not attack unprovoked but once they do attack, they’ll bite repeatedly. The venom delivered can kill up to 10 people and is deadly if an antidote is not administered within 20 minutes. These snakes can be found in southern and eastern Africa.

Blue-Ringed Octopus

The poison this octopus spews out for its defense is enough to kill more than 20 humans within moments. But despite being dangerous, it measures a few mere centimeters and can be found in Australia, the Philippines, India and Japan.

Cone Snail

Despite its pretty shell, this snail is a force to be reckoned with. Found in tropical waters and usually in shallow places, the snail will jab you with a venom known as conotoxin, making it the most poisonous species of snails in the world. Rushing to the hospital is essential since there is no antivenom.

Pufferfish

While initially found in tropical seas, this fish – the world's second-most poisonous vertebrate – has found its way into Turkey’s waters as well.

Saltwater Crocodile

The largest of its species, these are very short-tempered, provoke easily and are aggressive to anything that moves. This fearsome hunter can be found in parts of India, Vietnam and Australia.

Cape Buffalo

Usually a calm animal, it is very defensive if threatened or injured. Weighing up to 1 ton, they’ll run everything down in their path and being at the delivering end of the horns rarely ends well.

Humans

No surprise here, as humans are animals as well. Humanity has been killing each other for thousands of years, and deaths from war alone are estimated to have reached up to 1 billion.

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