The deadliest animals in the world based on the number of human deaths per year is not a creature that humans usually find scary, such as a lion or snake. Mosquitos are by far the deadliest creature in the world when it comes to annual human deaths, causing around one million deaths per year, compared to 100,000 deaths from snakes and 250 from lions. Perhaps surpringly, dogs are the third deadliest animal to humans. Dogs are responsible for around 30,000 human deaths per year, with the vast majority of these deaths resulting from rabies that is transmitted from the dog.
Malaria
Mosquitos are the deadliest creature in the world because they transmit a number of deadly diseases, the worst of which is malaria. Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite that results in fever, chills, headache, vomiting and, if left untreated, death. Malaria disproportionately affects poorer regions of the world such as Africa and South-East Asia. In 2020, there were around 627,000 deaths from malaria worldwide.
Mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S.
The most common mosquito-borne diseases reported in the United States include West Nile virus, malaria, and dengue viruses. Many of these cases, however, are from travelers who contracted the disease in another country - this is especially true for malaria, Zika, and dengue. In 2018, the states of California, New York, and Texas reported the highest number of mosquito-borne disease cases in the United States.
Deadliest animals worldwide by annual number of human deaths as of 2022*
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
FAR & WIDE. (May 2, 2022). Deadliest animals worldwide by annual number of human deaths as of 2022* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/448169/deadliest-creatures-in-the-world-by-number-of-human-deaths/
FAR & WIDE. "Deadliest animals worldwide by annual number of human deaths as of 2022*." Chart. May 2, 2022. Statista. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/448169/deadliest-creatures-in-the-world-by-number-of-human-deaths/
FAR & WIDE. (2022). Deadliest animals worldwide by annual number of human deaths as of 2022*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/448169/deadliest-creatures-in-the-world-by-number-of-human-deaths/
FAR & WIDE. "Deadliest Animals Worldwide by Annual Number of Human Deaths as of 2022*." Statista, Statista Inc., 2 May 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/448169/deadliest-creatures-in-the-world-by-number-of-human-deaths/
FAR & WIDE, Deadliest animals worldwide by annual number of human deaths as of 2022* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/448169/deadliest-creatures-in-the-world-by-number-of-human-deaths/ (last visited December 12, 2024)
Deadliest animals worldwide by annual number of human deaths as of 2022* [Graph], FAR & WIDE, May 2, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/448169/deadliest-creatures-in-the-world-by-number-of-human-deaths/