In 2015, more than 1.5 million people were killed by animals. That’s a startling figure. To put it in perspective, that’s about the same number of people who died from HIV/AIDS or diabetes last year.
Some of the culprits are the usual suspects of the animal kingdom. Lions, for instance, with their incredible ability to stalk prey, are responsible for the deaths of about 100 people. Hippos, very territorial, are more dangerous, claiming about 500 lives. Crocodiles are even more deadly, killing 1,000 people.
But take a look at this interactive chart and you might be surprised to learn that the heavyweights of the animal kingdom do the least damage. Pound for pound, a shark isn’t that scary compared with many smaller creatures on the list. Explore this graphic to find out why.
(You can also learn more about one of the biggest killers here.)
gatesnotes
World’s Deadliest Animals
Total Deaths: 1.3 Million
Number of people killed by animals, 2015
Human, 36% 579,856 deaths
Each dot represents 500 human deaths. Total worldwide deaths from animals estimated at 1,537,166.
Mosquito
Sometimes the snake latches on and wrestles with their prey until the venom oozes into the wound.
NOTE: Total deaths are calculated from the animals displayed in the graphic only – does note feature deaths from any animal.
SOURCES: IHME, WHO, CrocBITE, FAO, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, International Shark Attack File, National Geographic, PBS, National Science Foundation, CDC, WWF, French Institute of Research for Development, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, Nature. All calculations have wide error margins.
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