Africa is one of the most fascinating continents on the planet. It has some of the most spectacular landscapes and some of the most ferocious animals. But the continent is also known for the dangers it poses both to its inhabitants and for visitors. If you’re about to travel to Africa, you need to know which animals are the most dangerous to humans.
Mosquitoes tend to be seen as the most dangerous followed closely by hippopotamuses.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes kill most humans in Africa. Hundreds of thousands of cases might even go unreported on the continent. There are many types of deadly mosquitoes in Africa. The continent is known as a breeding ground for various mosquitoes that are responsible for carrying all types of viruses. Even before Coronavirus, Africa struggled with its range of fatal viruses mostly spread by mosquitoes.
West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever, or the Zika virus are just a few of the problematic viruses that are spread by mosquitoes. Some of their effects can be mitigated by taking a vaccine before traveling to Africa. If you plan a trip to the continent, you should check the recommended vaccines for each country as it can take a while for you to get an appointment at your local hospital for the medical antibody.
Hippopotamus
Hippos can weigh more than 1 ton when they reach adult life. Their large size and their aggressive behavior make them some of the most ferocious animals in the African kingdom. These animals are known to be troublesome and largely defensive of their territories. When you see a hippo, it knows that you are in its territory and an attack is imminent. Male hippos tend to be the most territorial. A few thousand Africans die by hippo attacks each year.
African elephant
Elephants are some of the most dangerous animals in Africa in the right conditions. Most of the time, elephants aren’t looking to attack humans. But these animals which often weigh more than 7 tons are often reported to have killed people.
What statistics don’t tell us is how these deaths occur. It turns out many of the deaths are caused by poachers who enter the breeding ground of elephants that feel threatened. Poachers don’t stop at any sign and elephants are often left with no choice but to charge and trample over humans killing them on the spot.
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile is one of Africa’s biggest predators. It can sit still for hours waiting for humans to come to them. It launches a quick attachment that usually only takes a few seconds. Most victims are people around the Nile that are using the large river for fishing or transportation. Nile crocodiles rarely attach boats as they normally wait for a clear opportunity to attack a human or animals.
Lions
Lions are considered the most powerful animal in Africa by the ratio of strength to speed. Most lions don’t see humans as the perfect target as they prefer other animals. But they can kill humans in certain conditions.
It is believed between 200 and 300 people are killed by lions in Africa every year. Most of these deaths are not on safaris as you might first believe. Most deaths find local victims living their normal lives when lions make their way into a village or when humans enter the hunting territory of these ferocious animals.
Black Mamba
The Black Mamba is the most dangerous snake in Africa. It has been seen as a constant threat and one that few people can truly defend against. Chances are that it’s already too late to run when you see a Black Mamba as this snake is very fast as well. It can outrun you and it can jump for that dangerous bite.
It’s not the bite itself that’s so dangerous but the venom from the snake. It has been estimated that the venom from a single Black Mamba can kill a small group of people easily. If you are bitten by the snake, you need to rush to the hospital. Without the proper antidote, the snake’s bite is fatal to all humans. You have a window of just a few hours to take action after the bite. In case you can back up easily when you see the snake, you might still have a chance of getting away which is always better than hospital treatment.
Cape buffalo
This type of African buffalo is not kidding in the presence of humans. Aggressive by nature, the buffalo is also very powerful. An adult Cape buffalo can weigh more than 1 ton and the scariest aspect is that it rarely travels alone. This is why human victims are often cornered by a herd of buffalos as they rarely attack their own. With their long powerful horns, they gore their victims ferociously. The most you can do is to avoid these buffalos altogether. You especially need to stay clear of baby buffalos as adults will attack soon in a protective effort.
