10 American Animals That Can Kill You
Animal lovers Beware. From tamest to deadliest, here's America's
10 most dangerous animal killers. Whatever you do, don't get too close.10. The Grizzly Bear
The real version of the "teddy bear" is not as cute and cuddly as little children would like to think. Roaming some of America's most scenic areas, the Grizzly Bear is a monster of the wild who knows his place and makes everyone else aware of it.
Contrary to popular opinion, DO NOT play dead when you see one, and don't run screaming either. Once they rear on their hind legs you know you are in trouble so back away slowly and don't let the bear sense your fear. Do this, and you may avoid being trampled, mauled and savaged.
9. The Shark
Thanks to movies such as Jaws and Deep Blue Sea, the shark has become the most feared creature of the deep, and with good reason. While they usually won't bother you if you don't bother them, they WILL be attracted to you if you are wearing bright colors such as orange and red, and will rip you apart in the fastest way possible.
The only ones that WILL kill you are the Tiger, Great White, Ocean White tip and Bull Sharks, which all like to lurk in the waters around Florida. A word of advice: Don't watch the before mentioned movies before you take a dip because the paranoia is likely to keep you out of the water!
8. The Mountain Lion
OK, multiply the size of your house cat by at least 5 and you'll be faced with one of America's most dangerous animals. Roaming the mountains of North America, these mighty creatures certainly mean business. Mountain Lions are found in many of the country's National Parks and the best method of attack is to get into a boxing match with them, with extra points awarded for punching them in the nose and eyes.
7. The Scorpion
Among the ugliest of America's deadliest creatures is the scorpion. Known for its deadly curved tail, these deadly stingers come to life at night, while snoozing in low areas during the day.
They have a known habit of creeping into sleeping bags of campers, so be sure to shake your bag out before you get too snug.
6. The Venomous Snake
Ophidiophobia is something that many people (including myself) suffer from (And for good reason). The poison- filled Eastern Diamondback, Texas Coral Snake and Mojave Rattlesnake, are just 3 of the many American species able to send you to an early death in just one bite. These scheming, slippery snakes slither into the list at sixth place, but in my mind, should be much further up the ladder!
5. Killer Bees
Macaulay Culkin died from them in My Girl so it should come as no big shock that killer bees make this list. However, a new brand of bees is on the market and is the result of an experiment gone horribly wrong. These evil little critters travel in packs and rage an attack as soon as they hear you coming with a lawnmower or trimmer.
Think you can run and hide? Think again because these stingers will chase you as far as 1000 feet and for up to 10 hours. So next time you go out to mow your lawn, make sure you have some comfortable running shoes on.
4. The Bison (Buffalo)
Trust us, you don't want a home anywhere near where the buffalo roam.
While only dangerous if you hunt them, these huge monsters can commonly be found in some of the country's national parks and kill more humans than grizzly's do. The best way to avoid them; Don't hunt them!
3. The Black Widow Spider
While most spiders give people the creepy crawlies, it's only the deadliest ones we should be really worried about.
The black widow spider is among these and can kill with a single bite. Unfortunately there is not much you can do about them except hope you don't come across one.
2. The Mosquito
The humble mosquito takes second place on America's list of most dangerous animals. This annoying pest doesn't just buzz in your ear and give you horrible itchy bites; it is also responsible for diseases such as malaria, elephantiasis, yellow fever, dengue fever and West Nile Virus.
These little blood suckers are now prevalent in the US so make sure you stock up on repellant before you even consider camping.
1. White Tailed Deer
Bambi tops the list as America's biggest killer. Surprised? Many wouldn't think these cute, little innocent animals would even make the list, but these cuddly little creatures are responsible for 130 American deaths and 29,000 injuries per year. How you ask? Well, by running in front of cars and causing people to crash, which essentially results in $1 billion worth of insurance claims.
Most are also usually infested with ticks that carry Lyme disease, which jump on and infect 13,000 people a year. So next time you are watching the Disney classic, think twice about just how cute Bambi really is.
- Chrissy
Chrissy Barton is a blogger and content writer for Jurnii Car Rentals, America's new travel focused online rental car company. She writes frequently for the Jurnii Car Rentals Blog, and enjoys travel in the U.S and abroad.
