We share the planet with some deadly creatures, but do you know what the most dangerous animals are? I bet you don't.
Number 15! The Shark. Natures perfect killing machine can smell one drop of blood from miles away and they grow up to 22,000 teeth in their lifetime. But how many human deaths? Only 10 per year. Number 14! The Wolf. Only an unfortunate few get torn apart by gangs of these. Around 10 per year. Number 13! The Lion. Their roar can be heard from 5 miles away, which you'd think would be enough to warn off the 100 people who get killed by lions each year. Number 12! The Elephant. These intelligent Goliaths remove 100 people from this planet every year. Number 11! The Hippopotamus. Hippos can be very aggressive and are able to outrun humans, which might explain why 500 people are killed by them every year. Number 10! The Crocodile. Crocs can live as long as humans. Speaking of humans, crocodiles kill around 1,000 of them each year.
Number 9! The Tapeworm. They might not look like much, but they can cause all sorts of problems which cause the death of 2,000 humans per year. Number 8! The Ascaris Worm. Ascaris is a parasitic worm that causes ascariasis, which 2,500 people are fatally affected by each year. Number 7! The Freshwater Snail. Somewhat surprisingly, the freshwater snail is a bringer of schistosomiasis, an unfortunate disease that wipes out 10,000 people each year. Number 6! The Assassin Bug. The clue is in the name here really. These bugs can transmit chagas disease, which attacks your intestines and heart, leading to the death of 10,000 people per year.
Number 5! The Tsetse Fly. The deadliest fly in the world, the tsetse fly is aggressive and carries a deadly parasite that kills 10,000 people per year with sleeping sickness. Number 4! The Dog. Man's best friend. Except when he's not. Every year, 25,000 people get ravaged by rabies following on from bites and scratches from infected dogs. Number 3! The Snake. Unsurprisingly, snakes are right up there. These venomous killing machines are responsible for the death of 50,000 people per year. Number 2! The Human. Perhaps unsurprisingly, mankind is one of the deadliest animals on the planet. Collectively, we're responsible for around 475,000 human deaths per year. Number 1! The Mosquito. The tiny mosquito packs a massive punch. Sitting in the
number 1 spot for deadliest animal on the planet, the mosquito is capable of spreading serious disease and kills a mind boggling 725,000 people every year. Remember that, next time you're thinking about how terrifying sharks are.
