TOP ANIMALS THAT HUNT AND KILL HUMANS

 

When ranking animals by the number of human fatalities they cause annually due to predatory attacks, 

crocodiles and big cats are among the highest. The animals that kill the most humans overall are often vectors of disease, not active hunters for food. 

The following animals are the top predatory animals that actively hunt humans for food, ranked by estimated annual kill numbers:

• Crocodiles (Saltwater and Nile): An estimated 1,000 people are killed by crocodiles each year. The Nile and Saltwater crocodiles, in particular, are known to view humans as a potential food source, and their proximity to human populations in parts of Africa and Asia contributes significantly to the death toll.
• Lions: Lions are estimated to kill around 200-250 people per year. Man-eating prides and individuals have historically been a significant issue, particularly in certain regions of Africa.
• Tigers: While data on modern annual deaths varies, tigers have historically been one of the most prolific man-eaters, with individual tigers in the early 1900s killing hundreds of people. Today, attacks are less common but still occur, particularly in India's Sundarbans region.
• Bears: Fatal bear attacks are relatively rare (around 40 worldwide annually), but polar bears are the most likely species to actively predate on humans when nutritionally stressed. Most other bear attacks are defensive in nature.
• Leopards and Wolves: These animals are responsible for fewer deaths than the larger predators listed above on an annual basis in modern times, but notorious individual man-eating leopards and wolves have been recorded throughout history, particularly in India and Europe, due to specific circumstances like injury or habituation to humans. 

Distinction: Deadliest Animals Overall 

It is important to note that the animal responsible for the most human deaths overall is the mosquito, which causes approximately 725,000 to 1,000,000 deaths annually by transmitting diseases like malaria. 

Humans themselves are the second deadliest animal to other humans (homicide), with around 400,000 deaths per year.