Personal Injury in the Wild

PERSONAL INJURY in the d Eilelol Lions and tigers and mosquitoes? That's right – it may seem like sharks, bears or lions are the most dangerous creatures in the wild, but mosquitoes – those tiny little pests – cause more deaths worldwide each year than any of the other animals combined! Read on to see what other unexpected creatures you should look out for when you're traveling worldwide, or even just hanging out in your own backyard. Mother Nature's Most Wanted 2 deaths per year 3 3,000,000 k deaths per year 125,000 deaths per year 2,000 4 deaths per year deaths per year 600 800 Mosquito Snake Scorpion Big Cats Crocodile I am an ugly insect and I come in many sizes and species, only 25 of which are harmful to humans. I transfer my deadly venom by sting- ing with my sharp tail. I live all over the world, but most people see me in the Americas, Central Asia and Africa. I am an incredibly fast attacker, and once my jaw shuts, there is no prying it back open. I wait in the water for a perfect time to strike - and I can attack in the water or on land. Unlike my cousin the alligator, I can't be found in the U.S. I live in Africa and Australia. I may be a tiny, common pest There are 250 known species of us venomous snakes with the ability to kill a human. We move fast and strike quickly, attacking any part of the body that is accessible. Some of us even spit venom instead of having to infect our prey by biting. We only live in North America, Africa and Asia. We naturally prey on other ani- mals for food, and when we cross paths with a human, we sometimes treat them the same way. We tend to attack from behind and usually aim for the neck. We live in North America, India and Africa. who seems harmless - but in fact I am responsible for quickly spread- ing diseases like malaria and West Nile virus when I land on people and bite. I can be found living all over the world. Dangerous Aquatic Criminals Dogs: Not Always Man's Best Friend Don't Get Grizzled by a Grizly GREAT WHITE SHARK Planning a camping trip this weekend? I bet bug spray on your "To Bring" checklist, but what about bear spray? It's true, depending on your destination, the likelihood that you'll see a bear is slim - but just in case you encounter grizzly, be prepared! Bear repellent can shoot up to 10 feet away, so you don't have to get too close to your at- tacker to scare him off. It's like really strong pepper spray - made for bears. Think JAWS. I'm mean and dangerous, careful crossing my path. I live around Mexico, California, South Africa and Australia. While fatal dog attacks are not overly common, there are cer- tain dog breeds you may want to avoid to further lessen the likelihood of an attack. See below for a breakdown of breeds that might be more likely to attack. PIRANHA I have very sharp teeth for ripping flesh, and I prey on swimmers. I live in South America. PITBULL 60% ROTTWEILER 11% BELCHER'S SEA SNAKE My venom is the deadliest of any snake worldwide, but I rarely bite. I live around Australia, the Philippines, Thai- land and in the Indian Ocean. If you do see a bear - don't panic. Panicking can in- crease the likelihood of an attack. People are not griz- zlies' #1 food choice - so if you don't bother them, they likely won't bother you. BULLDOG 9% GER. SHEPERD 9% MARBLED CORN SNAIL Leave me be! If you pick me up, l'll release my venom and you will die. I live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. CHOW 6% OTHER 3% BLUE RINGED OCTOPUS I tend to stay away from humans, but beware - the venom in me can kill 26 people. I live in the Pacific Ocean. E NUMBER OF DEATHS > IN 2007 SOURCE: Information and statistics above are based on data, estimates and reports from AOL Travel; Yellowstone-Bearman; and DogsBite.org.