The Ten Deadliest Animals in the USA Which Are Best Avoided
In a country such as North America, where cities and counties exist so close to the natural forests, dangerous wildlife has been sometimes forced to wander into urban habitats lured by the scent of food or curiosity. Although experts feel that animals only attack to defend themselves, still harmless movements made by a human may well be construed as aggression by an animal making them extremely deadly. Yet extermination is not the answer unless we want to make such beautiful animals extinct. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond them, such animals are also the cause of a considerable number of human deaths every year which is why this list of the top ten deadliest animals in the USA.
10 The brown recluse spider
Common to the southern United States, the brown recluse spider is venomous and is recognized by its irregular shaped webs. It can easily get into tight spaces like cardboard boxes, shoes, drawers and gloves as well as clothes. The bite of a brown recluse gets itchy and painful within 2 to 8 hours. It damages the skin around the bite and in severe cases can even cause damage to blood vessels and muscles.
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9 American Alligator
Almost near extinction the American Alligator now thrives in swampland and lakes of the southeastern United States. It usually climbs onto land to bask in the sun and can even be spotted in trees. The Alligator will eat anything from frogs to birds animals and even humans. Between 2001 and 2007 12 deaths were reported by Alligator among which three were in Florida.
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8 Africanized Bee
Also called killer bees or honey bees they are defensive creatures to the point of aggression. Even if there exists a small threat to the hive they will attack in swarms chasing prey over a quarter of a mile. They will remain in aggression for almost 24 hours. Although one bee biting you isn’t serious, a swarm is an entirely different matter resulting in extreme pain, swelling and numbness. Every year at least forty to fifty people die because of being allergic to bee stings.
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7 White tailed deer
This is no Bambi. This deer is responsible for 29,000 human injuries and at least 200 deaths yearly. The main reason is an indirect one because of deer and vehicle collisions that amounts to almost 1.5 million a year. White tailed deer also transmit ticks that can cause Lyme disease.
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6 Gray Wolf
The gray wolf is found mainly near the great lakes, the northern Rockies and the southwestern United States. As the largest wild canine it has large teeth and a bite force twice that of domesticated dogs. It is so agile it can jump 16 feet with one leap. Wolves attack when provoked and travel in packs making them extremely dangerous. However fatalities are low concerning the gray wolf.
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5 The American Bison
Now this is one dangerous guy who can be deadly for humans. Each bison almost 6 feet tall can weight upto 1.5 tons and are easily the largest land animal in North America. However, they also kill hundreds of people yearly the majority in parks like Yellowstone where between 1980 and 1999 almost 79 people were injured from Bison attacks that ranged from gorging, puncture wounds to broken bones and even death.
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4 Cougars
Also called pumas or panthers these mountain cats are ferocious and live in the western United States. Cougars do not perceive humans as prey and attacks are uncommon. Till date there has been a record of 88 attacks and 20 fatalities since 1890. Cougars usually attack when they are starving where the juveniles wandering out of territory can become deadly and dangerous. The only way to ward off a cougar attack is to be loud and assertive. Always make direct eye contact and throw sticks or stones to scare it off. Never play dead or act passive as it senses fear and will attack going straight for the neck.
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3 Sharks
North America excels in its fair share of sharks. The pacific and Atlantic coasts are home to some of the most dangerous operators of the planet, the great white shark where the largest was caught off the coast of Canada. The big three man eating species, the tiger shark, the great white and the bull shark are native to North American coasts. USA in fact is the shark capital of the world where it accounts for 50% of global shark attacks. In California almost every fatality has been due to great white attacks but in Florida it is the Bull shark which has notched up maximum deaths. According to the ISAF, Smyrna beach in Florida is where you are most likely to be attacked by a shark.
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2 Snakes
This is one of the deadliest animals in the USA even though technically they are reptiles. The big three categorized as pit vipers are the cottonmouth, the Rattlesnake and the Copperhead among which the deadliest of the species is the diamondback rattlesnake, the largest venomous snake in the US. Diamondbacks grow up to 7 feet and deliver a powerful bite injecting haemotoxic venom. The poison acts instantly causing nausea, intense pain, tissue damage and swelling. Death can occur between 6 to 48 hours. 5,800 snake bites are reported on a yearly basis where fatalities account for 5 deaths yearly.
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1 Bears
Among the deadliest animals in the USA, this is definitely the big daddy with a ferocious reputation. However unless provoked, threatened or starving bears don’t usually attack. But!! If they do, then you can well imagine that massive paw with razor sharp claws swiping across your face. Surprisingly though when attacked by a bear the common advice is to fight back and don’t play dead. A grizzly’s bite is sufficient to crush a bowling ball.
‘The two man species of American bear are the Grizzly and black bears. Brown bears or grizzlies have declined in population and are mainly found in Idaho, Alaska, Montana, Washington and Wyoming. Grizzlies of course are the more aggressive species but black bears are more passive and sometimes venture into human habitats looking for food. A to stop a bear, bear spray has been proven to be more effective than guns.
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