The List of the 10 Most Dangerous Animals in the World

The world is indeed a wonderful place, full of incredible places that deserve to be visited and explored. But you must always be careful when traveling, especially when going to little-known areas or areas we are not used to living in. These are usually the areas where nature is the undisputed queen and where many different species of animals live, some of which are lethal. From large to smaller animals, from inland to marine ones; all different, yet one more dangerous than the other. That’s why you have to know which animals can harm you and even kill you and where they live.

And, that is exactly the reason why we’ve compiled this list of the 10 most dangerous animals in the world. Now, let’s check it out!

Animal	Location
Black buffalo	Sub-Saharan Africa
Cone snails	Tropical seas
Golden Frog	Western Colombian Andes
Cubozoa	Pacific and Indian Ocean
Pufferfish	Tropical seas
Black Mamba	Southern and Eastern Africa
Sea crocodile	Indo-Pacific
Moscow Tsetse	Sub-Saharan Africa
Mosquito	Everywhere
Human	Everywhere

10. Black Buffalo (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Known as Cape Buffalo in English, this animal lives in Sub-Saharan Africa, and there are about 900.000 specimens in the world. The name Cape, which means head, is given to this animal because of the shape of their horns.

They are pretty peaceful species when left alone, move in groups, and are often found around pools of water. The Black Buffalo is also called Black Death because when it feels threatened or some of their group is attacked, they attack back but with an attack that is difficult to get out of alive. In fact, this animal is the reason for the death of most hunters on the African continent. The ” threat” is surrounded and attacked by these animals which weigh up to a ton.

9. Horn Snail (Tropical Seas)

While dangerous are seen only the big ones and those that look threatening, sometimes, the most dangerous animals are small and look harmless. One of them is the horn snail, which attracts attention with its wonderful colored shells. This species is found in tropical seas, both, on the shore and the reef. Mostly, you might encounter them in Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Indonesia.

But be careful: small and beautiful does not mean harmless! In fact, they are one of the most poisonous snail species in the world. The poison is found in the little harpoons inside the shell, which must never be touched. Their bite is fatal, so you must immediately run to the emergency room and hope that something can be done. No wonder this snail is also known as the killer sea snail.

8. Golden Frog (Colombian Western Andes)

In eighth place, we find what might seem a harmless and beautiful frog; very small in size and with a golden color that immediately attracts attention. But, of course, not all that glitters is gold, and so the golden frog is actually the most dangerous of the Dendrobatidae family, a family of beautifully colored frogs that are extremely toxic to humans.

This small golden frog, also called an arrow frog, is found in the rainforests of the Western Colombian Andes and is really small – up to 55 millimeters. Its venom is extremely powerful, with one frog being able to kill 10 men with its poison. The real problem is that the glands that secrete it are located right under the skin, so even a single touch can be fatal.

7. Cubozoa (Pacific and Indian Ocean)

From land, we go to the ocean for the seventh most dangerous animal in the world, the Cubozoa. Better known as Box Jellyfish, this creature is found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but there’s also a high concentration found off the northern coast of Australia.

If you see one, make sure you stay as far away as possible, as this type of jellyfish is the most venomous marine animal. The poison is in the tiny teeth present on the tentacles, which can reach up to 3 meters in length. Many people, when stung, can’t even reach the shore or die from drowning. And, if anyone manages to get to the emergency room and get the antidote, they will still have to endure a few weeks of great pain.

6. Pufferfish (Tropical Seas)

The pufferfish is another very dangerous and deadly sea creature. It’s found in tropical seas around the world, with a high concentration in those around Japan, China, and the Philippines. It is the second most venomous vertebrate in the world, after the golden frog, but causes more deaths.

This fish produces a neurotoxin that is found on the skin, muscles, liver, kidneys, and gonads. But touching it is not the only reason for death. Namely, this fish is cooked and served to people in countries like Japan, by the name of Fugu. And, if the chefs who prepare aren’t trained and licensed to prepare it, there’s a great chance of dying from eating it. Actually, even when it’s prepared by trained and certified chefs, many people lose their lives due to lethal indigestion.

5. Black Mamba (Southern and Eastern Africa)

The poisonous snakes in the world are different, but the Black Mamba is particularly lethal due to its speed. It can reach up to 4 meters and it’s the fastest snake in the world. Its natural habitat is the savannah, in the southern and eastern parts of Africa.

It owes its name to its intense black internal coloring of the mouth, which it shows right before attacking. This snake attacks when it feels threatened and opens its mouth as an alarm signal – the last warning before an attack. If one gets bitten, it’s impossible to get out alive. It attacks silently and quickly, inflicting multiple bites on the victim.

4. Sea Crocodile (Indo-Pacific)

From Africa, we go to the Indo-Pacific, the vast area that includes all the tropical and subtropical areas of the Indian Ocean and the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Here, throughout the territory that passes from India to Vietnam and down to the north of Australia, is the fearsome marine crocodile.

This animal shouldn’t be confused with the alligator, which lives in Florida. The crocodile is, in fact, much more threatening and aggressive and attacks easily, even when it doesn’t feel threatened. A male crocodile can reach 5 meters in length, weigh 1 tonne, and can live up to 70 years. It’s very fast in, both, fresh and salt water and its attack is fatal. It grabs the victim with its mouth and exerts a very strong pressure from which it’s practically impossible to free itself. This animal is responsible for many human deaths every year.

3. Moscow Tsetse (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Reaching the podium, we find the Moscow tsetse – the deadliest fly in the world which is responsible for countless deaths every year. Very small in size (8-17 mm), this fly is found on the African continent, in the Sub-Saharan area, especially in the more central regions.

What makes it deadly is that it carries a subtle and dangerous disease, the sleeping sickness, known by the name African trypanosomiasis. The disease involves joint pain, intermittent fever, swollen lymph nodes, and even heart changes. It also involves neurological changes at a more advanced stage, such as anxiety, sweating, mood swings, and more. If not treated promptly and correctly, it leads to death.

2. Mosquito (worldwide)

Ok, so this may actually surprise you, but the mosquito is actually the second most dangerous animal in the world. This very small insect (3-9 mm) is present in any part of the planet (except for Antarctica), especially during the summer. And, more or less, we are all continually annoyed by it.

But why is it so dangerous? Well, it’s not for its sting, which causes swelling and itching, but for the diseases it carries from man to man. Some mosquito species, such as Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex, transmit diseases such as malaria, chikungunya, yellow fever, dengue fever, Nile virus, and zika virus. And, while there’s nothing you can do to make this species disappear, you can protect yourself by using repellents and other useful equipment if you go to places where these diseases are present. Also, you can get vaccinated against some of the diseases when traveling to these areas.

1. Humans (worldwide)

And we come to the first position on our list, where we find the most dangerous creature of all – the humans. Yes, that’s true – we, the humans, are the most dangerous animal in the world. Human is the species that kills the most every year and has killed the most in all life on earth, with other humans and animals as victims.

Just think of all the wars, especially the First and Second World Wars, which caused a very high number of deaths. Also, think of all the violence that occurs every day in the world. And, we don’t refer only to direct deaths but also the deaths caused by our behavior. The way we act kills us and all the environment, with global warming and environmental pollution being the leading causes of death in the world.