© Getty Images

Stonefish -

Named for their visual similarity to rocks, the stonefish are highly venomous and ready to attack with potent neurotoxins. Fatality from stonefish venom can occur within an hour.

© Shutterstock

Dogs -

Man's best friend can also be a nightmare. Attacks and bites from rabid dogs cause roughly 25,000 dog-related deaths each year.

© Shutterstock

Deer -

Deer-related fatalities cause around 130 deaths annually. And this is usually because people had to swerve to avoid a deer caught in their headlights on a dark country road.

© Shutterstock

Pufferfish -

Also known as the blowfish, they’re the second most poisonous vertebrate on the planet due to their potent neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. You'll find them as a delicacy in Japan, known as fugu.

© Shutterstock

Fire ants -

They might be little, but they're terribly fierce. Fire ants are dangerous because they rush to their victims in great numbers, bite, and then inject toxic venom.

© Shutterstock

Assassin bugs -

A fitting name! The assassin bug transmits a dangerous parasite through its feces. The parasite causes a condition known as Chagas disease, which can leave its victims with severe swelling of the heart or brain. This deadly phase of Chagas disease causes around 10,000 fatalities annually.

© Shutterstock

Alligators -

A human is 13 times more likely to get killed by a vending machine than by an alligator. But it does happen an average of once per year.

© Shutterstock

Jellyfish -

Being stung by a jellyfish will for sure ruin a good day at the beach. On a more serious note, out of 200,000 annual jellyfish stings, about 40 people are fatally wounded.

© Shutterstock

Horses -

Horses are usually very gentle with humans, but horse riding accidents lead to around 20 deaths around the world every year. Make sure to always listen to your riding instructor.

© Shutterstock

Snakes -

Snakes are the third most-deadly creatures in the world, causing around 50,000 deaths annually. Though the chances of dying from a snake bite in many places are near zero, some regions don't have immediate access to high-quality medical care.

© Shutterstock

Mosquitoes -

According to the World Health Organization, mosquito bites kill one million people each year, making them the planet's deadliest animal. Most of these are caused by malaria, as well as West Nile virus and dengue fever.

© Shutterstock

Freshwater snails -

Freshwater snails release the parasite that causes schistosomiasis in tropical and subtropical freshwater. It can cause problems such as rashes, digestive issues, infertility, and bladder cancer.

© Shutterstock

Golden poison dart frogs -

Found in a small range of rain forests along Colombia’s Pacific Coast, their poison, called batrachotoxin, is so potent that there’s enough in one frog to kill 10 grown men.

© Shutterstock

Sharks -

Sharks might have triggered a phobia for many after the infamous 1975 film 'Jaws,' but they only kill about five humans globally every year.

© Shutterstock

Crocodiles -

Crocodiles are opportunistic hunters who attack anything that comes into their habitat. Around a thousand people are fatally attacked by crocodiles every year.

© Shutterstock

Wolves -

Wolves are typically fearful of humans and avoid people when possible, but they can attack when in fear or provoked. Approximately a dozen people are killed by wolves annually.

© Shutterstock

Blue-ringed octopus -

Found in the Pacific Ocean around Australia and Japan, this docile animal will attack when threatened, packing a neurotoxin 1,000 times more powerful than cyanide.

© Shutterstock

Tigers -

Responsible for around 50 fatalities per year, tiger attacks are more common in India, but do occasionally happen in zoos as well, including a fatal incident at a San Francisco zoo in 2007.

© Shutterstock

Hippopotamuses -

Hippos are some of the most aggressive animals on the planet and will not hesitate to charge humans who get too close. They are responsible for roughly 500 deaths per year.

© Shutterstock

Cape buffalo -

These big animals are a relatively mild species when left alone, preferring to travel in massive herds. However, if they feel threatened or are wounded, they will attack. Cape buffalo are responsible for killing more hunters on the African continent than any other creature.

© Shutterstock

Lions -

Hunting is instinctive for lions, and they will view humans as prey, especially lions not raised in captivity. So don't go around playing with them!

© Shutterstock

Leopards -

Leopards aren't the fiercest of the big cats, but due to shrinking habitats, these felines have been known to attack. Around 30 humans on average are fatally attacked by leopards annually.

© Shutterstock

Elephants -

Elephants are herbivores, but if they feel threatened by poachers or overly aggressive tourists, this giant creature will attack.

© Shutterstock

Tsetse flies -

African sleeping sickness is caused by a parasite transmitted by the tsetse fly. And even if there is treatment for it, the number of deaths are still high, as it affects mostly rural areas where it's harder to find proper treatment.

© Shutterstock

Tapeworms -

A tapeworm usually makes its way into a human host through food or water contaminated with tapeworm eggs. People can go years without symptoms before the infection suddenly becomes serious.

© Shutterstock

Scorpions -

Only two kinds of scorpions have venom potent enough to kill a human being: the Israeli death stalker, and the Brazilian yellow scorpion. Children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable to the potent neurotoxins they carry.

© Shutterstock

Bees -

They might just be annoying to you, but for people with allergies it can get serious. Anaphylaxis from bee stings is one of the primary causes of death among people who are killed by bees.

© Shutterstock

Brazilian wandering spiders -

Bites from Brazilian wandering spiders are uncommon, but when it happens, human death can occur within two to six hours after a bite. This is typically a result of lung failure.

© Shutterstock

Humans -

Humans check in as the second-most deadly animal in terms of killing humans, after mosquitoes. This is mainly due to gun violence, causing almost half a million deaths annually. 

Sources: (Condé Nast Traveler) (CBS News) (CNET)

See also: The world’s toughest and most challenging jobs

© Getty Images