Sharks, bears and ferocious wild cats are the known culprits for some of the most vicious animal attacks in the world.
There are around 70 shark attacks and 40 bear attacks reported globally each year – but these predators do not even rank amongst the top ten deadliest animals to humans.
The animals responsible for the most human fatalities are actually some of the smallest creatures in the wild, according to BBC Science Focus and data from the World Health Organization.
A tiny insect, weighing only 2.5 milligrams, kills the largest number of people each year by infecting them with deadly illnesses.
Similarly, an excruciating bite from a blood-sucking insect that you’ve possibly never heard of ends 10,000 lives annually.
Most shocking of all, however, is the mammal posing the largest threat to humans – which is responsible for around 400,000 deaths each year.
Hippos, snakes and lions are among the most dangerous animals, but some of the deadliest predators for mankind are a lot more surprising.
10. LIONS
Lions kill approximately 200 people each year. Their sharp claws can inflict deep wounds and their bite is strong enough to crack human bones and skulls. Pictured is Franco Luis Ferrada Roman being mauled by two lions after he broke into their enclosure in a Chilean zoo
Many people would assume the king of the jungle would be one of the biggest killers of mankind, but lions only kill around 200 people each year.
Their sharp claws can inflict deep wounds and their bite is strong enough to crack human bones and skulls, according to the BBC.
Lions attack out of hunger and in a bid to protect their young. They are also known to charge at creatures who get too close to their pride.
Even though lions aren’t as responsible for as many human deaths as other predators, the creatures are still incredibly dangerous. One of the most horrific lion attacks in recent history occurred at Chilean zoo in 2016.
Franco Luis Ferrada Roman, who survived the attack, broke into a lion enclosure and stripped naked before jumping into the middle.
Once he was inside, two lions pounced on him and began to ‘play’ with his body as other zookeepers attempted to intervene.
The two African lions were shot dead in order to save the man’s life as there were no fast-acting tranquilisers available at the time, the zoo director said.
Roman, 20, was dashed to hospital for treatment and was said to be in grave condition after suffering several injuries to his head and pelvic area.
According to reports at the time, a suicide note was discovered in the pocket of the young man. The note reportedly made allusions to the apocalypse as being a reason for his attempt to take his life.
9. HIPPOS
A hippo charged at a zoo keeper at the Changsha Ecological Zoo in China’s Hunan province in 2023 after he tried to break up its fight with another territorial bull in their enclosure
Although the species is a herbivore, hippos kill 500 humans annually, data revealed.
Hippos have incredibly sharp canines measuring up to half a metre in length and a bite force of 1,800 psi – nearly three times the bite force of a lion.
These teeth are typically used for fighting, but one bite could easily cut the human body in two, according to the BBC report.
Hippos are extremely territorial and have been known to tip over boats and attack humans who get too close to their habitats.
A hippo charged at a zoo keeper at the Changsha Ecological Zoo in China‘s Hunan province in 2023 after he tried to break up its fight with another territorial bull in their enclosure.
The zoo keeper – who had entered the enclosure to feed the animal – scrambled out of the pen in a desperate bid to avoid a fatal attack.
Amid the rush to run for his life, he slipped over on the wet concrete surface entrance with the hippo ready to launch what could have been a devastating assault.
With the furious hippo baring its huge teeth in a threatening display, the man used his arms and feet to prevent the hungry animal from closing in on him.
The hippo momentarily left its keeper alone as it continued to feed on greens but as the man stood back up, it charged at him again just as he was leaving the enclosure.
That time, however, he was able to run to safety.
8. ELEPHANTS
Last month, a ferocious elephant attacked a jeep full of tourists on safari at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka. The massive animal used its trunk to reach inside the vehicle, causing panic among the passengers. The elephant almost toppled the car with its efforts. The elephant even started to chase after the car until it realised the jeep was getting out of reach
Elephants kill a reported 600 people each year, typically by trampling.
The creatures are one of the most dangerous animals in the world, mostly due to their size and strength.
An African elephant can weigh up to eight tonnes and an Asian elephant up to five-and-a-half tonnes.
Elephants have been known to pick humans up with their trunks and smash them to the ground, as well as gore them with their tusks.
A surge of fatal elephant attacks last year saw locals in Thailand arm themselves with homemade ‘ping pong’ bombs to scare off the animals.
Unfortunately, the devices seemed to have the opposite effect and made elephant encounters even more dangerous for villagers.
Last month, a ferocious elephant attacked a jeep full of tourists on safari at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka.
The massive animal used its trunk to reach inside the vehicle, causing panic among the passengers. The elephant almost toppled the car with its efforts.
The elephant even started to chase after the car until it realised the jeep was getting out of reach.
7. CROCODILES
Last month, a brazen tourist was attacked by a crocodile in the Philippines after climbing into its enclosure to pose for selfies. He was trapped in the pen in agony for up to 30 minutes before the crocodile’s caretaker risked his own life by climbing inside and rescuing him
While crocodiles have the strongest bite force of any animal in the world, the reptiles are only responsible for roughly 1,000 human fatalities this year.
The Nile crocodile has a bite force of up to 5,000 psi – the strongest in the world – and is known to crush its prey with its bite before swallowing it whole, BBC Science Focus reports.
The saltwater crocodile has second-most-powerful animal bite, with a bite force of 3,700 psi. This species is known to chomp down on their prey and perform a death roll, making the experience even more painful.
Last month, a brazen tourist was attacked by a crocodile in the Philippines after climbing into its enclosure to pose for selfies.
The male visitor, 29, is said to have mistaken the 15ft reptile for a statue at the zoo in Zamboanga Sibugay. He clambered over a chain-link fence and waded through the water before grinning as he produced his smartphone.
Horrified onlookers screamed at the man to leave as the angry female crocodile named Lalay surged toward him, sinking her fangs deep into his arm.
He wailed in pain as the predator clamps her jaws around his arm, refusing to let him leave the enclosure. She then latched onto his thigh and flipped over several times, trying to maim him in a brutal death roll – a savage method used by crocodiles to tear their prey apart.
The tourist was reportedly trapped in the pen in agony for up to 30 minutes before Lalay’s caretaker risked his own life by climbing inside and rescuing him. The reptile handler was said to have slammed a piece of cement onto Lalay’s head, prompting her to loosen her grip.
6. SCORPIONS
Scorpion stings account for approximately 3,000 deaths annually worldwide. Most scorpion stings are painful, but not life-threatening as only 25 species of the arachnids carry venom that is deadly to humans
Scorpion stings account for approximately 3,000 deaths annually worldwide.
Most scorpion stings are painful, but not life-threatening as only 25 species of the arachnids carry venom that is deadly to humans.
Scorpion stings can cause serious health complications, particularly in children – with some studies reporting higher mortality rates in young children.
Several instances of scorpion deaths have been recorded around the globe, primarily in regions with higher scorpion populations, like India, Brazil, and Egypt.
A five-year-old girl died in 2022 after being stung by a scorpion while trapped on an uninhabited island between the Greek and Turkish border.
A few years earlier, a 54-year-old Indian woman died after being stung by an Indian Red Scorpion.
5. ASSASSIN BUGS
Blood-sucking assassin bugs, which are the primary spreader of Chagas disease, are responsible for 10,000 human deaths per year
60 Minutes presenter Tom Steinfort was left flapping and jerking around in extreme agony after being deliberately bitten on the hand by an assassin bug in 2023
Blood-sucking assassin bugs, which are the primary spreader of Chagas disease, are responsible for 10,000 human deaths per year.
Named after the Brazilian doctor who discovered it in 1909, Chagas disease is a potentially deadly illness spread by blood-sucking insects.
The disease spreads easily through blood transfusions and can be passed from mother to child through the placenta during pregnancy.
Approximately a quarter of victims who contract the disease develop enlarged heart or intestines that can burst causing sudden death.
If caught early enough, the disease can be prevented with an intense 3-month drug treatment. However, because of the lengthy incubation period and costly medication, Chagas is often left untreated.
Assassin bugs are a serious threat in the regions of Central and South America.
A 60 Minutes reporter was left flapping and jerking around in extreme agony after being deliberately bitten on the hand by an assassin bug in 2023.
Presenter Tom Steinfort took on the challenge as part of an interview with ‘venom aficionado’ Dr Sam Robinson, who studies insect bites as part of research into drug discovery.
Footage of the excruciating incident showed Steinfort hopping around and flapping his arms after being stung on the hand.
A bite from an assassin bug is extremely painful as the same salivary secretion is injected through the skin as they use to kill their prey.
Symptoms of a bite include intense burning sensations followed by a lump at the site of the bite lasting for several days.
4. DOGS
Man’s best friend is responsible for 59,000 deaths per year.
Seven dog attack deaths were recorded across England and Wales in the year ending June 2024, the Office for National Statistics reports, however this data may be an underestimate due to registration delays.
Although deaths from dog attacks are relatively uncommon, WHO reports that dogs are the ‘main source of human rabies deaths’.
Dogs contribute to up to 99 per cent of all human rabies transmissions, according to the healthy authority.
Rabies can be transmitted by saliva through bites, scratches, and direct contact with infected areas.
3. SNAKES
Last October, a man was forced to bite a giant anaconda to stop himself from being crushed to death in a Brazilian river
Snakes kill 138,000 people around the world each year, according to WHO data.
Around three times as many people are left with amputations and other permanent disabilities caused by snakebites, the data states.
The majority of snake bite incidents occur in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The most common snake deaths occur from venomous bites.
A study published in Nature Communications in 2022 revealed that the majority of deaths from snake venom occurred in South Asia – the area from Afghanistan to Sri Lanka, including Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
In India specifically, the mortality rate was calculated to be four deaths by snakebite for every 100,000 people – much higher than the global average of 0.8.
The region of sub-Saharan Africa came second, with Nigeria having the greatest number of deaths of 1,460, according to the report.
Last October, a man was forced to bite a giant anaconda to stop himself from being crushed to death in a Brazilian river.
In a desperate bid to save himself, the man chomped down on the snake near its head, while another man grabbed its tail and a third tried to uncoil the water boa from a wooden boat.
More than half a minute passes until it eventually gives up and unwraps itself from its would-be victim.
2. HUMANS
The second deadliest threat to humans are other humans, with around 400,000 homicides recorded per year. Pictured is the crime scene of a fatal shooting in Throggs Neck, Bronx, New York City on April 13, 2025
The second deadliest threat to humans are other humans, with around 400,000 homicides recorded per year.
The global homicide rate per population of 100,000 was 6.2 in 2019, World Health Organization (WHO) data revealed.
Around 80 per cent of homicides occurred in males, with the highest rates among males ages 15 to 29.
The homicide rate in England and Wales in the year ending March 2024 was 9.5 per million population, according to the Office for National Statistics.
This rate is ‘relatively low’ when compared to regions such as the Americas or Africa, which in 2021 recorded rates of 150 and 127 per million, respectively.
1. MOSQUITOES
Russian tourist Vladislav Larionov, 34, died from malaria on April 10 after being bitten by a mosquito during a holiday in Zanzibar. He is pictured with his wife Kamila
Mosquitoes are the ‘world’s deadliest animal’, killing more than 725,000 people each year. They infect millions of people with illnesses, including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, Zika and West Nile virus.
Malaria is a major cause of illness and death worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were an estimated 249 million malaria cases and 608,000 deaths in 2022.
Just last month, a Russian tourist died from malaria after being bitten by a mosquito during a holiday in Zanzibar.
Vladislav Larionov, 34, and his pregnant wife Kamila had travelled to Zanzibar at the end of February.
Upon returning to Ulyanovsk, Russia, Larionov developed flu-like symptoms, including a high fever of 39°C (102.2°F). Initially misdiagnosed as influenza, his condition deteriorated, leading to hospitalisation and a diagnosis of malaria.
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Larionov died on April 10, after spending a month in intensive care.
Africa accounts for 95 per cent of malaria infections worldwide and 96 per cent of deaths, BBC Science Focus reports.
UK health authorities also issued an urgent warning to travellers in March record number of deadly dengue fever cases were imported into Britain last year.
The disease was historically known as ‘breakbone fever’ in the 1700s because the pain it caused was so severe people felt like their bones were breaking.
Cases of the tropical disease, which can cause agonising pain in the joints and muscles, landing in the UK surged to 904 in 2024, the highest level ever recorded.
Officials have now urged travellers to take precautions to prevent catching the virus, which is spread by mosquito bites, while overseas.
