The United States of America is for the most part safe when it comes to wildlife creatures. Unlike dealing with the dangers in Africa & South America, North America is generally safe for hiking.

That being said, there are still occasional deaths that occur as a result of wildlife!

These are the 7 most dangerous wildlife creatures in the United States you should keep an eye out for.

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Spiders

Most spiders are not poisonous; however the feared black widow has extremely powerful neurotoxin venom which can potentially kill.

That being said, there have been very few deaths as a result of spider venom- only about 36 deaths in the past few years (or longer).

Most spiders are not dangerous, and don’t have the ability to even greatly hurt you. Spiders are more afraid of you than you are of them.

Because of the creepy & sneaky nature of spiders, it is easy to be afraid of them! Don’t worry though; spiders are nice to have in the wild because they reduce bug & pest populations.

Scorpions

Scorpions can be found only in desert climates in the Southwest. Like spiders, they look exceptionally creepy and many people are afraid to touch them.

Getting stung by a scorpion is a very painful experience. While not always deadly, it can produce “electric-like” pain where you get stung.

Other symptoms after getting stung include dizziness, feeling faint, passing out, and losing energy.

If you get attacked by a scorpion, it’s important that you go to a hospital immediately to receive a cure.

Getting attacked by a scorpion is rare however- they’re typically only in the desert and hide away from the paths. If you do locate a spider, it’s unlikely to attack you because of how giant you are compared to it.

Bees

Killer bees & wasps can actually be quite dangerous for several Americans with bee allergy!

It is important to get tested & know whether or not you’re allergic to bees. Most people aren’t, however if you are it’s very important to stay away from them.

Some people get a very powerful reaction when they get stung by bees, which can unfortunately kill them. Most other people are fine with getting stung. While not a pleasant experience, there is no long-term damage besides a lot of pain & swelling at the sting.

There have been a few rare instances in which swarms of bees have attacked people for no particular reason, eventually killing them. Why this happened is unknown to scientists.

Wolves

Wolves & other wild dog-like animals are typically not a threat, but if they have become “habituated” or used to human presence they may be more likely to attack humans because they won’t be as afraid of us.

Packs of wolves that are extremely hungry & aggravated by humans are the most dangerous.

Wolves typically go for young children or small people, rather than people that appear big and strong.

Projecting an aura of confidence will often deter wolves & other wild animals from messing with you though as they are great at reading body language.

Crocodiles

Crocodiles are “opportunitistic predators,” which means that they’ll eat anything that comes their way. They don’t typically hunt humans, except in rare instances.

Crocodiles typically eat birds & other small animals. They hide in the water then jump out and surprise the creature that unfortunately passed by.

Like wolves, crocodiles typically only attack humans when very hungry, aggravated, and when a young child or small human passes by.

Almost all attacks have occurred in Florida because of the high number of swamps & crocodile populations in that area.

Bears

Despite being so huge, bears are extremely fast. They can run upwards of 40MPH or 60KPH. This means that should you find yourself in combat with a bear, it’s not a good idea to try run away- they’ll catch you.

Bears are very territorial & protective of their young, so if you’re hiking up north and come into contact with ‘em, then back off slowly.

They very rarely attack humans. Like wolves, they respond well to body language. Don’t stare it in the eye or charge it. Don’t run away as it will trigger its instinctive predatory behaviors.

Look at its body, project self-confident body language, and slowly back away and you should be fine.

Bambi

The most dangerous wildlife creature in the USA, statistically speaking, is deer & Bambi!

This no doubt will surprise you. They look so cute & innocent! How could they be the most deadly wildlife creature in all of the USA? You were probably expecting something which looked a bit more evil & deadly.

The reason why deer are the most dangerous wildlife creatures in the USA is because they have a habit of walking out into roads during traffic.

Unsuspecting drivers will crash into them, and the deer body will smash through the windshield & kill them, or cause the driver to swerve off the road and crash.

It’s important that while driving to stay very alert. You never know if a deer will pop out and you’ll need to break. Don’t watch anything or text and drive. Don’t drive under the influence. Don’t drive sleepy.

Deer kill more Americans per year than any other wildlife animal! Be safe.

 

Thanks for reading, what do you think of this article?

-Wildlife x Team International