25 Most Dangerous Animals in the World

Published on June 22, 2023 at 10:02 am by Insider Monkey Staff in Lists, News

In this article, we will take a look at the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

City life often makes us ignore the fact that there are a lot of different species we are unfamiliar with. We are fond of dogs, cats, and birds but I bet you cannot name every species of snake there exists in the world. Every year there are many more species that are discovered, each having its own advantages and dangers and there are still many that remain undiscovered.

What do we mean when we call an animal dangerous? A variety of sources listed dogs as the 4th deadliest animal in the world because they caused about 35,000 deaths in a given year. Mosquitoes were reported as the deadliest animals since they caused about 750,000 deaths in a given year. Even though the number of fatalities inflicted is a major factor in determining the degree of danger an animal poses to its surroundings, it is simply not enough to call it “dangerous”. A violent animal that carries predator-like instincts is more dangerous than an animal that may cause death after infecting a person. These very animals can wreak havoc if let loose in cities. Our list of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world, targets these violent and dangerous animals.

Some of these animals are actually quite stealthy in their method of hunting. Lions stalk their prey and, when close enough, they charge on their prey. They kill their victim by breaking its neck or suffocating it by clamping their jaws around the throat of the prey. Tigers have large, padded, feet that make it easier for them to remain stealthy and silently stalk their prey. Tigers are “ambush hunters”, they prefer sneaking up on their prey before ambushing them and effectively killing them with a bite to the neck or back of the head.

Dangerous animals do not just exist on land, but in the sea as well. When the electric eel senses a prey or feels threatened by a predator, it generates an electrical current that can release up to 600 volts. Human deaths from electric eels may be rare, but multiple shocks can cause respiratory or heart failure and people have been known to drown in shallow water after getting electrocuted. Octopus make use of their arms to capture their target. They then use their beaks and drill-like tongues to form a cavity in the target. Once there is a cavity, the octopus injects venomous saliva into the target which leads to paralysis, and then death. The more common blue-ringed octopus, Hapalochlaena Maculosa carries enough poison to kill 26 adults in just a few minutes.

Companies like Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA), The Walt Disney Company’s (NYSE: DIS), ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC), and AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AMC) host shows that consist of series and documentaries about nature and wildlife.

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Our Methodology

To compile this list of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world, we scoured the internet to find the most violent, aggressive, and venomous animals that exist in different parts of the world. We looked at various posts put up on Reddit and Quora. Upon learning the different species and the families that they belong to, we searched the internet for data regarding their respective bite forces, whether or not they exhibit aggressive behavior, their method of hunting, among many other factors. We narrowed our selection down to animals that exhibit aggressive and violent behavior or carry venomous toxins. Some of these on the list may not be familiar or common animals that you may know of and rather be a very specific species that is found in a certain area in the world. We want you to be wary of the potential things you may come into contact with if you decide to travel to those parts of the world that are ridden with some of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

So without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

25 Most Dangerous Animals in the World

25. Honey Bees

Dangerous Because of: Sting

According to data from CDC Statistics, During 2000–2017, a total of 1,109 deaths from hornet, wasp, and bee stings occurred, for an annual average of 62 deaths. Deaths ranged from a low of 43 in 2001 to a high of 89 in 2017. Approximately 80% of the deaths were among males. Honeybees generally attack only to defend their colony, but will also attack if they are seriously disturbed outside the nest. African bees can pursue victims for hundreds of meters. Since honeybees are more widespread, you’re more at risk to be stung by one of them as opposed to other bees or hornets. Anyone with an allergy can die from their sting.

24. Sydney Funnel Web Spider

Dangerous Because of: Venom that can cause Death within 15 minutes

The Sydney funnel-web spider is loaded with venom made up of complex toxic proteins that overpower the body’s nervous system and can cause death within 15 minutes. Male Sydney funnel-web spiders are relatively more dangerous, tending to hang out in small burrows or crevices in colonies of up to 100. Female funnel-web spiders rarely leave their webs. They are most commonly found within a 100-mile radius of Sydney, Australia.

23. Box Jellyfish

Dangerous Because of: Poisonous tentacles that can grow up to 10 feet

The box jellyfish comes in a lot of varieties, with the most dangerous ones residing in the Indo-Pacific region and northern Australia. This Australian box jellyfish or Chironex Fleckeri is considered the most venomous marine animal. The floating translucent fishes may not look that dangerous, but have one of the most venomous and painful stings known to man. Their tentacles are capable of growing up to 10 feet long and are covered in tiny darts laced with poison. The sting of a box jellyfish can cause paralysis, cardiac arrest, or even death almost immediately. Box jellyfish are one of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

22. Stonefish

Dangerous Because of: 13 venomous spines that can cause a painful death

Stonefish have camouflaged bodies that aid them in sitting at the bottom of the ocean. They stealthily wait for their prey to swim by before surprising them with an attack. They have 13 spines lined across their back and they use these to release venom. The Reef Stonefish is the most venomous of their kind. It has thirteen stout spines in the dorsal fin which can inject a highly toxic venom. The venom causes intense pain and is believed to have killed many Pacific and Indian Ocean islanders. Stonefish are one of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

21. Eels

Dangerous Because of: Pharyngeal jaws with backward-pointing teeth

Eels are often mistaken for sea snakes. However, despite not being actual snakes, eels are one of the most dangerous fish in the ocean. Some eels are more dangerous than others. The electric eel is capable of generating an electrical current that can release up to 600 volts. Human deaths from electric eels may be rare, but multiple shocks can cause respiratory or heart failure and people have been known to drown in shallow water after getting electrocuted. Moray eels are by far the most dangerous amongst the different types of eels. Moray eels range in length from 6 inches to 12 feet or longer and are usually vividly marked or colored. They have pharyngeal jaws in their throats. When the main jaws close on an unlucky fish, the second set launches forward into the mouth, and tears the prey with backward-pointing teeth, and drags it back into the throat. They are known to attack humans only when bothered, and they can be quite dangerous when they are bothered, which makes them one of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world. Moray eel bites are infamously painful and can cause extensive bleeding.

20. Deathstalker Scorpion

Dangerous Because of: Aggressiveness and venomous sting

The deathstalker scorpion is known to be the world’s most venomous scorpion. It grows to about 11 centimeters in length but is responsible for 3 quarters of all scorpion deaths in the world. The Deathstalker Scorpion is quick to administer its sting and venom shortly after coming in contact with its victim and is aggressive both in captivity and in the wild. This aggressiveness in the nature of the deathstalker scorpion makes it stand among the 25 most dangerous animals in the world. Between 2005 and 2015, the U.S. Poison Control Center sent 16,275 people to healthcare facilities due to scorpion stings, more than half of which occurred in the state of Arizona.

19. Hyena

Dangerous Because of: Bloodthirst after developing a taste for a species

Hyenas are not members of the dog or cat families, even though they may be mistaken for belonging to those. They have a family of their own known as Hyaenidae. There are a further four types of hyenas, the striped hyena, the spotted hyena, the brown hyena, and the aardwolf. The spotted hyena is known for its laugh. Both the spotted hyena and the striped hyena are powerful predators, capable of killing humans. They have been known to hunt humans in instances when food was scarce. Hyenas can become relentless in pursuit and hunt especially when they develop a taste for human flesh, which makes them some of the most bloodthirsty and most dangerous animals in the world.

18. Blue Ringed Octopus

Dangerous Because of: Capable of killing 26 adults in a matter of minutes

Octopus make use of their muscular arms to get a hold of their target. They then form a cavity in their prey using their drill-like tongues to inject venomous saliva which can cause paralysis and death. The blue-ringed octopus, Hapalochlaena Maculosa carries enough poison to kill 26 adults in just a few minutes. The venom in this octopus has no cure, and those who have known to survive its sting remain paralyzed for the rest of their lives.

17. African Buffalo

Dangerous Because of: Aggressive nature and massive size

The African buffalo is characterized by heavy and ridged horns that are used to fight against predators or for dominance against other males. These horns, combined with their natural aggressive nature and massive size, make them exceptionally dangerous. In addition to charging other animals, the buffalo can also attack humans. In East Africa, they are known for breaking down fences to raid cultivated crops, which often results in deadly accidents. Buffaloes are responsible for about 200 victims a year and are undoubtedly one of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

16. Brown Bear

Dangerous Because of: Bite force of 1160 PSI

Brown or grizzly bears are believed to be relatively more aggressive than other types of bears, such as black bears. The average brown bear encounter is more dangerous, 3.5 times more likely to result in injury, than the average polar bear encounter, and 21 times more dangerous than the average black bear encounter. Brown bears are especially dangerous because of the force of their bite, which has been measured at over 8 megapascals or 1160 psi and can even crush a bowling ball.

15. Great White Shark

Dangerous Because of: Serrated teeth

Even though sharks are a critical part of the marine environment and must be protected, they are labeled as dangerous, indiscriminate killers that eat anything in sight. Some shark species are aggressive, such as the great white shark, tiger shark, and bull shark. The great white is the most dangerous shark with a recorded 314 unprovoked attacks on humans. White sharks are more likely to inflict fatalities since they are commonly found in areas where humans enter the water and have more deadly, serrated teeth.

14. Honey Badgers

Dangerous Because of: Fearlessness

Honey badgers hold the reputation of being the meanest animal in the world. While honey badgers have everything they need to be dangerous, there are very few reported attacks on humans. Honey badgers usually only attack when surprised by predators, which often happens when they are digging. They turn around and bite their attacker. The honey badger can survive the bites of some very dangerous creatures. They eat scorpions and snakes, and they have an unusually strong immunity to venom. Birds, bees, scorpions, and snakes are their usual prey, but honey badgers have been known to occasionally attack antelopes and buffalos too.

13. Bulls

Dangerous Because of: Aggressive nature

Bulls are dangerous and unpredictable and can seriously injure or kill their handlers or bystanders. Bulls are naturally dangerous animals and can be territorial. They attack if bothered during breeding, or to show their dominance, or even because they are just being playful.

12. African Elephant

Dangerous Because of: Charging pace up to 30 MPH

Elephants are among the most intelligent mammals, and they display a range of emotions. They have been known to laugh, cry, and play. However, mostly because of their size, elephants occasionally kill people. The African savanna elephant is the largest of the elephant species. If you haven’t seen a raging elephant before on TV or the internet, these animals have been known to destroy and kill in bouts of rage. An elephant can charge at a pace of up to 30 miles per hour.

11. Hippopotamus

Dangerous Because of: Fast, aggressive, and unpredictable

The hippo is among the 25 most dangerous animals in the world due to its highly aggressive and unpredictable nature. They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth. You can never outrun or outswim a hippo. On land, Hippos have been reported to run up to a speed of 30 km/h over short distances. Every year across Africa, hippos kill an estimated 500 people.

10. Nile Crocodile

Dangerous Because of: Bite force of 5000 PSI

Nile crocodiles or Crocodylus Niloticus were responsible for at least 480 attacks on people and 123 fatalities in Africa between 2010 and 2014. They are large and fearless and can kill everything from a jackrabbit to a full-sized hippopotamus. A Nile crocodile can weigh more than 1,600 pounds is extremely widespread. In Mozambique, there are over 300 Nile crocodile attacks annually, and in Namibia, there are about 150 on both humans and cattle. The Nile crocodile’s bite force has been recorded to reach 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi). That’s almost five times the bite force of a lion and about 30 times that of an average human being. The Nile crocodile stands among the top 10 of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

9. Komodo Dragon

Dangerous Because of: No antivenom for their strong bite

Komodo dragons eat and hunt whatever they can find, even humans. They’ve been known to dig up graves and eat remains of other animals. They have shark-like teeth and are very stealthy hunters. Rather than injecting venom directly via a forceful bite, the dragons use a bite-and-pull motion to ease the toxin into wounds during a sustained and frenzied attack and slowly kill their prey with bacteria, making them one of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

8. Black Mamba

Dangerous Because of: Fangs that can grow up to 6.5 mm and only 2 drops are needed to kill

Black mambas are fast, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive. They have been blamed for numerous human deaths. The black mamba has a very precise and fast striking speed, giving poison faster than you can react to its bite. The black mamba is born with two to three drops of venom per fang. It is a front-fanged snake, with fangs up to 6.5 mm in length, located at the front of the upper jaw. It takes only about two drops of venom to kill an adult human being. The bite of a black mamba can cause a collapse in humans within 45 minutes or less and within about 7 to 15 hours, if the victim is left untreated the symptoms worsen to respiratory failure, cardiovascular collapse, and death. This deadly snake cemented its standing among the 25 most dangerous animals in the world.

7. Saw Scaled Viper

Dangerous Because of: High snakebite mortality rate

Saw-scaled vipers are relatively smaller in size, but their aggressive nature and lethal venom make them one of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world. According to estimates by the WHO, between 4.5 million and 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes each year, of which 1.8 million to 2.7 million develop clinical illness, and 81,000 to 138,000 die. When it comes to snakes, the saw-scaled viper is considered the most deadly, causing a higher global snakebite mortality rate than any other species.

6. Polar Bears

Dangerous Because of: Fast and skilled apex predators

We have reached the end of part 1 of the 25 most dangerous animals in the world, with polar bears. Polar bears threaten human life and property. Throughout the polar bear’s range, attacks on humans and property continue to rise. According to WWF, In recent years, more than 20 direct attacks on humans have been reported within the polar bear’s range. They’re also dangerous because they’re skilled apex predators: they can easily outrun a human, and knock its head off with a swing of its pawed fist.

5. Leopard

Dangerous Because of: Get more lethal and aggressive when wounded

Leopards are not only dangerous and tough, but they’re also brave. Leopards are not known to run from a fight. Unlike most animals that run away and hide when they are wounded, leopards actually become more aggressive and therefore more dangerous. They are fast, vicious, and have been known to attack humans for nothing more than a midnight snack.

Photo by Bibake Uppal on Unsplash

4. Tiger

Dangerous Because of: Canine teeth that can grow up to 3 inches

Tigers are the largest member of the cat family. Their only rivals are lions. While wild tigers are found in different parts of Asia, the country of India holds about 70% of them. In India, tigers have a history of attacking human visitors to zoos who either enter or place their hands into tiger enclosures. Tigers are also known to attack people in the wild, especially in the Sundarbans, a region of forests and swampland straddling the border between India and Bangladesh. Boasting the longest canine teeth (2.5 to 3 inches) of all cats, Bengal tigers present a fearsome display. they also have the force to back it up, delivering a bite force of more than a thousand pounds-per-square-inch (PSI) of pressure, almost twice as much bite force as the lion.

Photo by A G on Unsplash

3. Saltwater Crocodile

Dangerous Because of: Bite force of 3,700 PSI

The saltwater crocodile underlined its fearsome reputation by being the only species to exhibit agitated tail twitching followed by lunging head strikes on its opponents. The Saltwater Crocodile can grow up to 23 feet in length, weigh more than a ton, and its species is known to kill hundreds each year. Florida’s alligators may be scary, but not as much as the short-tempered, easily provoked, and aggressive toward anything that crosses its path saltwater crocodile. These ferocious killers are especially dangerous as they’re remarkable swimmers in both salt and fresh water and can strike quickly with a bite delivering 3,700 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure.

2. Lion

Dangerous Because of: Sharp claws and teeth that allow for an easy kill

The infamous king of the jungle, the lion is a majestic yet dangerous big cat. They are dangerous because of their sharp claws and sharp teeth. They are also huge, and can effortlessly suffocate any animal. Lions are not only dangerous to other animals or their prey but also humans It comes as no surprise that these muscular big cats are some of the most dangerous animals in the world. In Tanzania alone, African lions attacked 1,000 people between the years 1994 and 2014. Lions stalk their prey and when close enough, attempt a short charge on their prey, trying either to pounce on their target or knock it over. They then kill their victim by breaking its neck or suffocating it by clamping their jaws around the victim’s throat. Lions have a bite force of 650 PSI, not the highest number on our list but mind you, humans chomp into a well-done steak at only about 200 PSI.

Photo by Mika Brandt on Unsplash

1. Jaguar

Dangerous Because of: Bite force of 2000 PSI and instantaneous killing

The word ‘jaguar’ comes from the indigenous word ‘Yaguar’, which means ‘he who kills with one leap’. The jaguars’ stronghold is in Brazil, it may hold around half of the estimated 170,000 wild jaguars. Most of these big cats are found in the Amazon rainforest and the Pantanal, the largest tropical wetland. They can grow up to 170cm long, not including their impressive tails which can be up to 80cm. Jaguars are opportunistic hunters and can prey upon almost anything they come across. Capybaras, deer, tortoises, iguanas, armadillos, fish, birds, and monkeys are just some of the prey that jaguars eat. They can even tackle South America’s largest animal, the tapir, and huge predators like caiman. Jaguar attacks on humans rarely occur in the wild. When they do, they are often fatal. Jaguars hunt both in the day and at night and usually travel up to 10km (over 6 miles) a night when hunting and they have a bite force of 2000 PSI, the highest of all the big cats. During a hunt, jaguars take advantage of their strong jaws and sharp teeth. They catch their prey by the head and chop down to make the kill. Other cats go for the neck when killing prey.