What Are The Top 3 Human-Killing Animals In America?

Have you ever wondered which animals kill the most people in North America?

The folks over at Outforia have provided a list as well as many other animal attack statistics you can read here.

Here’s their look at the top three human killers.

Brown Bear

People Killed: 70

Brown bears are the most dangerous wild animal in North America, having killed at least 70 people in the last 50 years. These huge creatures are fiercely territorial and don’t take kindly to humans that get too close, and they have also been known to kill people for food. With immense power and weight behind their sharp claws, as well as a bite that will shatter your bones, these creatures are best avoided at all costs.

Shark

People Killed: 57

Sharks kill the second-highest number of people in North America each year, with 57 recorded human deaths as a result of shark attacks since 1970. Unlike many attacks from land-based animals, shark attacks often catch humans completely by surprise. As we are particularly vulnerable whilst in the water, shark attacks are even more dangerous than you might expect from a creature with several sets of razor-sharp teeth, as escape is incredibly difficult and the risk of drowning is ever-present.

Snake

People Killed: 57

Snakes are tied with sharks for being the second most deadly animal in North America, having also killed 57 people since 1970. Deadly snakes like the rattlesnake, copperhead, and cottonmouth can all be encountered in the United States, though the vast majority of fatalities are attributed to rattlesnake bites. Snakes are the only animal on our list that kill their prey using venom, and they often hide in tall grass, undergrowth, or rocky pits, waiting for an unsuspecting victim to pass by.

There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there as to what you should do in the event of stumbling upon a dangerous wild animal. As every creature is different, with its own individual dangers and triggers, this advice needs to be tailored to the specific animal that you’re dealing with.

Editor’s Note: Black bears are number four on the list and their numbers are growing in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. If there were as many grizzlies as there were black bears there would probably be 500 plus fatal brown bear/grizzly attacks. Black bears are far more common and live in 41 of 50 states, much of Canada and into Mexico. They are not nearly as likely to attack humans but there is a difference. Many grizzly attacks are territorial so the advice for a grizzly attack is to play dead if it pounces on you. If a black bear attacks, the advice is to fight back. A vast majority of black bear attacks are predatory meaning they are wanting to eat the people they are attacking so you must fight back. Some grizzly attacks are predatory but most are territorial.