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.