GabyOn Earth, there are several super predators that could lay claim to this title. However, the deadliest representative of the animal kingdom is neither fierce nor strong. Let’s ponder this for a moment! Before we reveal this unassuming killer, let’s consider who it might be. Despite their fearsome reputation, sharks actually kill an average of about 10 people each year worldwide (though there has been a slight uptick in 2023). In comparison, falling coconuts claim around 150 lives annually, making sharks look like amateurs in the killing game.
What about bears? Approximately 750,000 black bears roam rural North America. How many people do they typically attack each year? Just one. Even cows surpass bears and sharks: in the U.S. alone, they kill between 20 and 22 people each year. Alright, but what can we say about poisonous creatures? The spiders we often fear are responsible for surprisingly few fatal bites, especially since the development of antivenoms in the 20th century. The same goes for snake bites. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified snake bites as a “neglected tropical disease.” Despite this, around 140,000 people die from them globally each year. That number is staggering, but it pales in comparison to the statistics of the planet’s top killer. So, who is it?
Every year, this tiny creature kills between 700,000 and 2.5 million people. And that creature is the mosquito! Mosquitoes are carriers of various diseases, the deadliest of which is malaria. This disease claims about 600,000 lives annually. Additionally, in 200 million cases, people become incapacitated for several days. The disease primarily affects those living in tropical and subtropical regions. In countries with the highest infection rates, the most vulnerable are small children, who have yet to develop immunity, as well as pregnant women.
In recent years, malaria has posed a significant threat to residents of countries less familiar with it. This is largely due to its mass importation from regions where it is endemic. For instance, the south of France is currently facing this illness, as reported by IFLScience. However, malaria is not the only disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Dengue fever, a viral infection also prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas, as well as in some regions of the U.S., is considered less severe than malaria. While most people recover over time, it remains extremely unpleasant for those who contract it. There are also other mosquito-borne diseases, including the West Nile virus, which can cause neurological illness leading to death. Currently, there is no cure for this infection.
Thus, despite their small size, mosquitoes are the deadliest killers in the world. With the intensifying effects of global warming, they may expand their destructive reach into regions previously untouched.
