The World's Most Dangerous Animal Probably Isn't What You Think

Let's be honest: There are some seriously terrifying animals waiting out there in the big bad world. But when it comes to outright killing people, which creatures come out on top? From snakes to bugs to killer crocs, here are the most dangerous animals in the world.

Many humans actually tend to be pretty fond of elephants, but don't go thinking for a second that they're as cuddly as you may think. The truth is, wherever elephants coexist with humans, there's bound to be conflict. According to National Geographic, elephants kill around 500 people every year, and they're becoming more and more aggressive as more human beings encroach on their territory. This is a particularly difficult problem because the rising human population in countries like Namibia means that poor farmers are having to establish new fields on lands occupied by hungry elephants. Of course, when elephants destroy a farmer's field, that farmer is likely to fight back with guns and poison.

But elephants are intelligent animals, and some biologists think they may actually be responding to the killings of herd members with a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result, adults might be driven to become more aggressive as a response to the breakdown of their herd structure, and younger elephants may be learning that aggressive behavior, too. In fact, one researcher has said that elephants in a region of Kenya are becoming aggressive to the locals but not to tourists, because they recognize the difference between the humans who regularly hunt them and those who don't.

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#Nature #Animals

Elephants | 0:14
Crocodiles | 1:24
Hippos | 2:12
Scorpions | 2:59
Assassin bugs | 4:09
Dogs | 5:29
Tapeworms and roundworms | 6:30
Snakes | 7:40
Tsetse flies | 8:40
Humans | 9:34
Mosquitos | 10:20