When thinking of the most dangerous animal in the world, some typical contenders usually come to mind. Images of lions, tigers, great white sharks, or other creatures with massive jaws and sharp teeth often make the list. However, what if I told you the most dangerous animal was much smaller? That's right, the animal that kills more humans each year than anything else is something that you come across almost every day.
This Animal Kills More Humans Than Anything Else
So, what is the most dangerous animal in the world? Well, technically, it is an insect and one you are all familiar with. The animal that kills more humans than anything else is the mosquito. It seems surprising considering that for most people, a mosquito bite is nothing more than an itchy nuisance. However, for many others, it is the cause of death.
Although small in size, this insect is vast in numbers. Experts estimate that there are over 110 trillion mosquitoes in the world. Even with only the female of the species biting humans, that still leaves a lot of mosquitoes ready for the biting. While their bite isn't deadly, the diseases that they can transmit with it are.
Diseases such as Malaria, the West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever, Zika, and more are all transmitted through the bite of a mosquito. BBC Science Focus shares that mosquitoes are responsible for "killing 725,000 humans per year through spreading diseases."
How Do Mosquitoes Compare?
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While 725,000 is a large number all on its own, let's see how it compares to some of the other deadliest animals in the world. To put it into perspective let's compare deaths by mosquitoes to deaths by other deadly animals.
For example, crocodiles are only responsible for 1,000 deaths a year. Dogs are responsible for 59,000 a year. Snakes, which are often feared, are still only responsible for 138,000 deaths a year. That means that mosquitoes kill more than 5x the amount of people annually than snake bites.
It is most likely due to the frequency with which we encounter them and the ease with which they strike us. So, next time you venture outdoors be sure to bring the bug spray.
