# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/41 "2006-10-02T03:17:17Z")
Besides a deer on the road, copperhead here. Pretty rare but i did see one on a golf course once. Never saw a rattler. There are bear around here, in theory, and several small wild cats. There’s a lot a state-protected forests, so I assume the latter two are there. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/42 "2006-10-02T03:25:58Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] 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. [/QUOTE] Yeah. Prior to 1980 it was a pretty good way to ruin your day, but now if you can get the magic needle quickly enough (and you usually can), it should be okay. Contrary to what most Americans like to believe, you’re pretty safe wandering about most parts of Australia. Thirst might actually be the biggest danger in some areas, but as long as you stay out of croc country in the north, there’s not a lot that wants to kill you. Out of the cities, probably snakes are the biggest danger, but even then there aren’t many fatalities. Being bitten by a funnel web spider usually involves disturbing their burrows, or just not taking very simple common sense precautions. Humans are the most dangerous animal around here. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/43 "2006-10-02T03:48:08Z")
Deer, copperheads, old drivers, drunk drivers, road rage, pissed off spouse, … ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/44 "2006-10-02T04:07:50Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] Some quick Googling suggests there were 11 alligator-caused fatalities between 1948 and 2001. [/QUOTE] Misleading stat, I’m afraid, since for much of that time period alligators were an endangered species and Florida was relatively undeveloped. In recent years the population of alligators has exploded, and that has been concurrent with explosive growth of human development in Florida. Future attacks in larger numbers are to be expected. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/45 "2006-10-02T04:26:01Z")
Polar Bear. The occasional and somewhat lost Grizzly. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/46 "2006-10-02T05:02:43Z")
Deer/car, dogs, cougar (if you’re lucky), porcupine (perhaps), irate bull sea lion, bees, wasps, rattlesnakes. Squirrel dropping a nut on your head at just the right angle. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/47 "2006-10-02T05:04:33Z")
Oh, yeah, and meth addicts on the hoof. ---
**Author:** ![2lazy2pee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/4bbf92/32.png) [@2lazy2pee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2lazy2pee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/48 "2006-10-02T05:51:47Z")
[QUOTE=KlondikeGeoff] In southern AZ, outside of humans\*, would say, 1. Mountain lions 2. Africanized bees 3. Rattlers 4. Mosquitos (West Nile virus) - What was Groucho’s quote? Something to th effect of, “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” [/QUOTE] Living in Tucson myself, I’d have to agree with you. Bears come pretty close to the city outskirts, too, but since they’re not human predators, I’d say the biggest danger from them is getting between a mama black bear and her cubs. We also have coral snakes, and although their venom is highly toxic, they’re not normally aggressive or proe to biting. They account for less than 1% of all snake bites in a year. ---
**Author:** ![2lazy2pee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/4bbf92/32.png) [@2lazy2pee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2lazy2pee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/49 "2006-10-02T05:52:56Z")
\*prone to biting ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/50 "2006-10-02T06:05:06Z")
You may enjoy [these statistics](http://www.wemjournal.org/wmsonline/?request=get-document&issn=1080-6032&volume=012&issue=03&page=0168) about work-related + animal-related deaths in the U.S. It is broken down by animal — cattle, ironically, lead — but not by animals within a region. Fascinating stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/51 "2006-10-02T06:22:34Z")
Definitely the American Alligator. -foxy ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/52 "2006-10-02T08:12:40Z")
Car drivers and drunk/drugged tourists coming to Sanfermines. Sometimes both collude, causing a collision of immoral proportions. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/53 "2006-10-02T12:06:47Z")
I commute to the Barossa Valley to work and judging by the roadsides I’d say that kangaroos are my biggest animal threat, particularly as I’m quite often travelling home at dusk lately. They’re not the best thing to drive into at high speed. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/54 "2006-10-02T12:35:31Z")
Inside Tokyo all we have are some unsually large and aggressive crows. Attacks aren’t that uncommon, but no deaths have been reported as far as I know. I guess if one smacked into you while cycling in traffic you could end up squished. The rivers and harbors here are full of jellyfish, but I have no idea how harmful they are. In any case, the general pollution will probably do more damage to you if you fall in. Out of the city and up into the woods, you have a chance of encountering a wild boar or possibly even a black bear. Both have been known to kill people. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/55 "2006-10-02T12:46:25Z")
As far as carnivores or hostile animals, there’s the black bear and a couple of types of venomous snakes. However, if you look beyond an animal attack, you’re much more likely to die in a traffic accident hitting a deer or wild turkey. Either one coming through the windshield can ruin your entire day. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/56 "2006-10-02T12:52:33Z")
Ontario doesn’t have that many bear attacks, so the answer in my neck of the woods, if we discount allergic reactions and just go for the most vicious animal, is probably… … Dogs. Domestic dog attacks probably kill more people in Ontario than any other animal. And I bet it’s true of a lot of other places cited so far, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/57 "2006-10-02T13:36:48Z")
Historically, mosquito-borne disease has been the killer in my part of Texas. In the old days, malaria & yellow fever killed many a Houstonian. My grandmother got dengue fever around 1920 & recovered. I remember the “fogging trucks” spreading DDT throughout the area back in the 1950’s. Since then, there’ve been fewer deaths from mosquitos; the jury’s still out on DDT effects. West Nile Virus/Fever is new to the area but still kills humans. Here’s a summary of Zoonotic Diseases in Texas. > **[Zoonotic Disease Cases | Texas DSHS](https://www.dshs.texas.gov/animal-safety-zoonosis/zoonotic-disease-cases)** > > Learn more about the different types of zoonotic diseases and be aware of the zoonotic disease cases reported in Texas from year to year. We’ve got venemous snakes & spiders here, but very few fatalities. However, you won’t find ME out wading through floodwaters. Not fond of water moccasins. Gators are thriving in our swampier suburbs. Occasionally Animal Control has to remove a big one, but no humans have been hurt. Earlier this year, a bat was found in a Houston-area boy’s bedroom. The bat was released & the boy showed no signs of a bite. So he didn’t get any treatment; by the time rabies developed, it was too late. Can’t find any figures on allergic reactions to the many biting creatures down here. And armadillos can carry leprosy, although it’s pretty rare & quite treatable nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/58 "2006-10-02T13:39:11Z")
For me personally, Cottonmouths have been more hazardous than any other animal here in SW FLA. I’ve been in close proximity to gators in the wild several times without incident but twice i’ve almost stepped on smallish Cottonmouths. The second time was in town on the sidewalk along a major roadway, of all places. I’ve never had a run-in with a rattler despite hiking around pine flats and other uplands. And the Skunk-ape is generally friendly so long as you give him some Slim-Jims or booze. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/59 "2006-10-02T13:49:22Z")
Well I guess if those bleeding pigeons all decided to take a dump at the same time as I was washing the car I’d be a goner. 'Cos the fuckers never miss ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828/60 "2006-10-02T15:16:11Z")
Eastern Colorado: Rattlesnake, but only if you’re so far out in the boonies that you can’t get to a hospital within the requisite hour. And it’d have to be in the right spot – face, upper torso, neck. Get bit by a prairie rattler on the ankle or leg, you probably have a couple of hours before things start to go bad. Livestock can be deadly, too. Inexperienced ranch hands can get trampled or gored by cattle, or thrown from a horse. The most dangerous animal, of course, is the two-legged kind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-geographic-area-what-animal-is-most-likely-to-kill-you/374828.md?page=4)