# In Your Geographic Area, What Animal Is Most Likely to Kill You? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 1, 2006, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828 "2006-10-01T13:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/21 "2006-10-01T18:52:07Z")
[QUOTE=capybara] Poorly cooked fugu? (Vancouver metro) Oh, actually, irate agressive barred owls in the woods. [/QUOTE] Haven’t there been cougars in Van? Not just older ladies, either. Around here (Maryland), I have no idea. I don’t know of any venomous snakes or predatory mammals. Do woodchucks kill? At home (Alberta rockies and prairies) it’d be either a rattlesnake (flatlands) or a grizzly or cougar (mountains). ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/22 "2006-10-01T19:16:44Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] Around here (Maryland), I have no idea. ). [/QUOTE] Timber Rattlesnakes and Black Bears can be found - mainly in Western Maryland. There are Sharks in the Bay - but there has never been a recorded shark attack in 400 years of recorded history. OTOH Steve Irwin taught us Sting Rays are Dangerous - and there are plenty of them in the Bay and it is possible to be injured by one in Maryland … just ask [Capt. John Smith](http://www.emedicinehealth.com/stingray_injury/article_em.htm) I am pretty sure the answer to the OP, under the rules set by him though, is White Tail Deer aka “Invisible Pedestrians”. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/23 "2006-10-01T19:20:53Z")
[QUOTE=jimmmy] Timber Rattlesnakes and Black Bears can be found - mainly in Western Maryland. There are Sharks in the Bay - but there has never been a recorded shark attack in 400 years of recorded history. OTOH Steve Irwin taught us Sting Rays are Dangerous - and there are plenty of them in the Bay and it is possible to be injured by one in Maryland … just ask [Capt. John Smith](http://www.emedicinehealth.com/stingray_injury/article_em.htm) I am pretty sure the answer to the OP, under the rules set by him though, is White Tail Deer aka “Invisible Pedestrians”. [/QUOTE] I’m in Baltimore County (close in) and I’ve only ever seen a black snake. Rest assured, I give even them a wide berth; I don’t go out deep enough in the bay for a shark to kill me. Actually, come to think of it, I’ve never gone swimming in the bay, only Rehoboth and Ocean City (on the ocean). Thanks for the info, though! ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/24 "2006-10-01T20:18:12Z")
_Homo Sapiens_. Seriously. This **is** the Middle East, after all… ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/25 "2006-10-01T20:45:39Z")
For suburban southern Oregon, I’m going to guess either rattlesnakes (I killed three this summer already, but the rate of death is so low) or bears, because people lure them in with food. Raccoons and possums are good bets too, but I’d only expect to die from rabies. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/26 "2006-10-01T20:52:51Z")
Hmmm. We’ve got a decent proportion of Britain’s adder population, so at least we _have_ a venomous snake, but they’re wimps. Probably it’s either bees, through allergies, or deer, through road accidents. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/27 "2006-10-01T21:05:12Z")
Well in the city, not much but if I take the hour drive into the mountains then I would go for bear, moose, or elk. A few years ago a co-worker of mine got mauled by a bear during a morning jog (She is just fine now). (Banff) However, I object to the exception of cows on that list. In my hometown I was chased by angry cows on more than one occasion, once while I was walking to school. The other times I admit, I was asking for it. A warning to hikers, don’t get between a cow and its saltlick, they don’t like it. (Central B.C) ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/28 "2006-10-01T21:11:23Z")
Here in the southwestern US, after _Homo Sapiens_, the most dangerous local animals are probably something along the lines of a Rattlesnake (which are usually at least considerate enough to warn you first) or a Scorpion, depending on what allergies I may have. I knew a guy in Texas who got bit by a Copperhead. Aside from some minor swelling around the bite, he was fine until they gave him antivenom, which he was apparantly VERY allergic to. Fortunately, this is the kind of thing they evidentally watch for in hospitals, so they were able to take care of that, and he left the hospital the next day or the day after. Very tough old guy. There are the mosquitos, but from what I’ve heard, West Nile is supposedly incompatible with the more common mosquito breeds out here, but I may be wrong there. In any case, it’s very rare. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/29 "2006-10-01T21:13:15Z")
Homo sapiens. [Zombies, specifically.](http://www.mellonjam.com/comic.php?date=2005-02-13) But to hear my other roommate, you’d think it was field mice. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/30 "2006-10-01T22:07:54Z")
If you were to die by squirrel it’s more likely that it killed you by running in front of your car causing you to swerve to miss it (or hit it if you’re a sicko) and sending you careening head on into an 18-wheeler than by giving you rabies. Same goes for opossums. Neither species are high on the rabies carrier lists. Other Floridians have checked in already, but we have alligators, crocodiles, various and poisonous snakes. And little old ladies in cadillacs. ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/31 "2006-10-01T22:17:36Z")
I’m thinking banana slugs. They might just gross me to death. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/32 "2006-10-01T22:29:44Z")
[QUOTE=Oregon sunshine] I’m thinking banana slugs. They might just gross me to death. [/QUOTE] Slugs, of all kinds, are evil. I will argue this one till I’m blue in the face. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/33 "2006-10-01T23:01:02Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Slugs, of all kinds, are evil. I will argue this one till I’m blue in the face. [/QUOTE] Did I ever tell you about the time I was witness to a slug orgy? Seriously. Full moon, dark of night - they were crawling (uh…oozing) all over my birdbath, up and down the sides and covering the bowl, writhing around one another in twos and threes. It was, quite possibly, the most disgusting thing I’ve ever witnessed, yet somehow I felt awed and moved to write poetry about it. I had another beer and a nice lie down, instead. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/34 "2006-10-01T23:38:54Z")
In my particular part of suburban Sydney, probably a funnel-web spider, assuming I don’t get to the local hospital quickly enough after being bitten. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/35 "2006-10-02T00:12:15Z")
Here at UChicago, I’d say squirrels. There are more squirrels than students on campus, I swear. One day they will start thinking past their next nut and have a rebellion. On a more serious note, other than other humans I don’t think I’ll have to be worried about being killed by any animals any time soon. Living in south Chicago and all. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/36 "2006-10-02T01:01:59Z")
I live in inner-urban Melbourne, and the only ‘wild’ animals around here are possums. They might bite and scratch you if threatened, but I’ve never heard of anyone being killed by one. We’ve got redback spiders, but death by redback is extremely rare. I’d say the most likely scenario is falling in the Yarra river and getting screwed by e-coli bacteria. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/37 "2006-10-02T01:14:10Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] Other Floridians have checked in already, but we have alligators, crocodiles, various and poisonous snakes. And little old ladies in cadillacs. [/QUOTE] Has there ever even been a verified instance of a fatality from crocodile attack in Florida, though? I was under the impression that their range was still fairly restricted. There’s hardly ever more than one gator-related death in a single year either, if I recall correctly; this year was a major anomaly with three so far, I believe. My guess would be that death by snakebite is more common, but not by much-- a quick check seems to indicate that there are only ten snakebite deaths per year in the entire U.S. So I’m guessing that the Cadillacs probably win by a huge margin, followed by bees and wasps, and maybe dogs if you take into account child maulings. In my particular geographical area, the most likely cause of death is ferrets, which enjoy darting in front of your feet and potentially causing a fatal fall. Of course my geographical area only encompasses my apartment, but in fairness I hardly ever go outside if I can avoid it. There’s bees out there. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/38 "2006-10-02T01:15:47Z")
Discounting packs of feral dogs or deer related automobile accidents, I guess the most dangerous fauna would be the white-tailed deer directly. The only predator of any size around these parts is the coyote and I’d prefer the odds of fighting a a single angry coyote to the death than a single angry full-grown buck deer. Of course, the chance of either thinking they needed to fight me to the death is approximately zero so I’m pretty safe. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/39 "2006-10-02T01:21:51Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] There’s hardly ever more than one gator-related death in a single year either, if I recall correctly; this year was a major anomaly with three so far, I believe. [/QUOTE] Some quick Googling suggests there were 11 alligator-caused fatalities between 1948 and 2001. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/40 "2006-10-02T01:29:25Z")
Deer and coyotes have been spotted near here. Possums and raccoons are likelier to attack, if rabid. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828.md?page=3)