Africa’s Most Dangerous Animals - The Top 7
7. The Desert Locusts
Though they don’t kill humans directly, the devastation they cause to crops has a direct effect on humans and so they warrant a slot in Africa’s top dangerous animals.
The Desert Locust is one of about a dozen species of short-horned grasshoppers that are known to change their behavior and form swarms of adults or bands of hoppers (wingless nymphs). They may spread over an enormous area of some 29 million square kilometres, extending over or into parts of 60 countries. This is more than 20% of the total land surface of the world.
The last major Locust plague outbreak occurred in the summer of 2004 in West and North Africa . The swarms migrated over the continent causing devastation, and in November 2004 appeared in northern Egypt, Jordan and Israel for the first time in 50 years.
One swarm in Morocco was between Tarfaya and Tan-Tan and was 230 km long, at least 150 m wide, and contained an estimated 69,000,000,000 locusts(69 billion), which were being used as a food resource by 33 different bird species.
Its estimated that the costs of fighting this upsurge could have exceeded US$400 million and harvest losses were valued at up to US$2.5 billion which had disastrous effects on the food security situation in West Africa.
Below is a short video showing swarms of locusts out on the rampage destroying vegetation in their paths
6. Lions
The most famous incidents of lions attacking humans are the Lions of Tsavo in Kenya during the construction of the Kenya-Uganda in the 20th century. While lions don’t normally attack humans, some (usually male) lions seem to seek out human prey.
Studies have been conducted regarding the man-eating habit of lions especially in Tanzania. Between the period of 1990 to 2005 at least 563 people in a village in Tanzania villagers were attacked and many eaten over this periodβa number far exceeding the more famed “Tsavo” incidents of a century earlier.
5. Crocodiles
African crocodiles have very strong and powerful jaws that they use to bite their prey with extreme force. Its said that the force of a crocodile bite is in excess of 5,000 pounds per square inch which is considered to be the strongest bite of any animal! Compare that to an 800 per square inch bite by a hyena.
Of the crocodile species, the Nile crocodile and the Saltwater species is the most dangerous to humans. Every year, hundreds of attacks are reported through out Africa. Because most of the occur in remote regions, its hard to get accurate data of the actual number of people killed by crocodiles
Its said that most attacks on humans by large Nile Crocodiles and Saltwater Crocodiles are completed within a few seconds. Crocodiles kill their victims by dragging them under water and drowning them.
4. Elephants
Being the largest land mammals, Elephants are among the world’s most potentially dangerous animals. Their huge size make them capable of crushing and killing any other land animal, including lions.
Adult male elephants go through something called musth. The animal becomes very aggressive and when in this state, a thick liquid secretion comes out through the temporal ducts from the temporal glands on the sides of the head. They say an elephant on Musth is aroused sexually or trying to be domineering but this is not conclusive. A musth elephant is extremely dangerous to humans and should be avoided at all costs.
It is claimed that an incident occurred in Africa where some young elephants attacked villages in what was said to be a revenge mission for the massive culling that took place on their herds in the 1970-80s. It seems the elephants never forgot and went on a payback mission.
3. Buffalo
Part of the “Big Five” wild animals in Africa, buffaloes are considered to be very dangerous animals especially the ones that are wounded. The Buffalo is a very strong animal which is respected by other animals including lions.
Apart from humans, they have very few natural predators. I could not find any official data to show the number of people killed by buffaloes but cases have been reported of people being killed or injured badly by these creatures when they cross paths.
2. Hippo
Looking at hippos, one might think they are sloppy, slow and sluggish animals. Don’t be fooled by appearances! Hippos can outrun you and and are believed to be the second most dangerous animals in Africa. Because of human/animal land conflict the hippos invade farmlands at night to feed and destroy the crops and this is where the problem starts. I’ve read this story of hippos going on the rampage and attacking people and spreading terror in the Niger.
1. Mosquito
The mosquitoes is the most dangerous animal in Africa. I thought it weired that a mosquito would be considered an animal but according to Wordnet.Princeton.edu, an animal is defined as “a living organism characterized by voluntary movement“. Mosquitoes are the carrier of the deadly virus that causes malaria, one of the world’s deadliest disease.
Stunning Facts:
- Malaria is responsible for nearly half of the deaths of children under the age of 5 years in Africa.
- It kills more than 2,800 children a day in Africa and according to Third World Network Features direct and indirect costs of malaria amounted to US $800 million in 1987 and were expected to reach US $1.8 billion annually in Africa by 1995.
- 80 to 90% of malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa where 90% of the infected people live.
- Other: Malaria kills 8,000 Brazilians yearly - more than AIDS and cholera combined!!
Source of Data
- Wikipedia
- Youtube
- FAO.com
- Archive.idrc.ca
- BBC.com
Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think 
:-)
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September 18th, 2007 16:26
WOW, 5000 per sq meter, unbelievable CROCS RULE
October 7th, 2007 13:50
i love the pictures of the wild animals hopefully ill discover alot more
October 17th, 2007 14:42
My goodness
we are going to tanzania
hope we dont get eaten by lions
:/
arrg
haha
SO excited though
eeeeeeeee
xx
October 18th, 2007 06:12
so long as you dont step out of the tour van you are safe
Please send us photos of Tanzania when you come back
October 24th, 2007 22:20
i got attacked by a buffallo in tanzania
October 25th, 2007 05:28
sorry alice..hope you were not hurt! buffalos are indeed very nasty creatures to be close to
October 25th, 2007 21:27
it was a walking safari, it trod on my leg leaving a lovely big scar and broke my mums ribs and liver damage, broke my dads collar bone and ribs.. note to self..never go on a walking safari
December 8th, 2007 23:52
dear africas animals peoples my name is kayla and i am doing a report on africas most ferosouse animals well i am 13 and in the 7th grade and i would liek you to grant me promision to use your website in my report and if you will alow me to i am not going to copy it trust me i will write it in my own words but i just want promision to use it well write me back @ kiwi_freak98@yahoo.com Sincerly Kayla
December 13th, 2007 06:03
hello kayla
we give you permission to use our website for your report. Thanks
February 6th, 2008 09:17
i love lions i would love to go to afica and live there to look after them
February 26th, 2008 17:35
HIPPOS CANT BE THE MOST DANGEROUS!!!!!!!! I’M SAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 29th, 2008 01:02
1.human 2.mosquito 3.fly 4.hippo 5.croc 6.buffalo 7.lion
May 30th, 2008 19:25
I di not now that Elephants were so dangerous to be on here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 4th, 2008 10:52
What about Leopards?????
June 26th, 2008 09:18
what about snakes????aren’t they like really dangerous in africa????y’know snakes like black mamba or even the tiny egyptian asp????curious!!!!
July 23rd, 2008 09:38
What are the big four / five animals in Africa?
August 27th, 2008 18:51
How about Spotted Hyenas!?!? One of them can be up to 200 LBS and have the 2nd strongest jaw power (1000 LBS of biting pressure) just behind a Crocodile… they can fight any lions together simply because that one clan can have up to 80 members…. now imagine 80 bloodthirsty hyenas eating you alive? They always work together, so many Hyenas are MUCCCCCHHH more deadly than a Pride of Lions….
September 3rd, 2008 16:07
mambas are actually shy not agressive hyenas are scavengers.
September 3rd, 2008 16:10
killing the most are 1.mosquito 2.human 3.crocodile 4.elephant 5.hippo 6.lion 7.buffalo
September 15th, 2008 03:58
most animals kill to survive………… just dont hurt them……..do not expose your self to them…… they will not bother you……… humans are themost dangerous living organism on earth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 22nd, 2008 22:10
wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow
October 20th, 2008 15:21
Generally OK with the informtion, but the photo of the Nile Crocodile is wrong, thats an American Alligator.
November 2nd, 2008 22:48
So me and some friends are on our way to the Rocklands, South africa.. near capetown. Is this considered to be a somewhat dangerous area??? Any info would help! thanks
November 27th, 2008 05:20
sure 1. mosqito 2. poisoned snake 3. buffalo 4. hipo 5. elephant 6. lion 7. crocodile
November 27th, 2008 05:27
yes dear JW take care of snake at Rockland n before going there be sure of ur haelth n take anti malaria tablets
January 4th, 2009 19:32
i got stung by a jellyfish once and it hurt but all i had to do was keep it under the salt water and then it felt better.and it was on my rist and on the vain….
March 4th, 2009 22:35
Hello. Great job. This is a great story. Thanks!
March 28th, 2009 23:25
Same with kayla really. I’ve got a report on desert animals and i need permission to use this website. So, what do you say?
March 30th, 2009 07:46
Patrick, you may use our website to complie your report but ensure you credit http://www.africapoint.net. Best regards.
April 1st, 2009 09:30
i love wild animals and i am going to there soon Tanzania i am soo exiting about it …..
April 16th, 2009 16:26
Can i use it for a report i’ll give you credit and write it in my own words,
Thanks
Rose
Editor: Hi Rose, feel free to use the report but you must credit Africapoint.net. Cheers!
April 17th, 2009 22:02
One time when I went to Africa, I was wearing completley red, and when a bufflo came i jumped back into my jeep. Sweep Niblets…P.S Join my Fan Club! <3 miley
April 17th, 2009 22:02
hehe
April 23rd, 2009 16:18
Thanks for letting me use your website I got a A+.
April 26th, 2009 01:07
thanks a lot! your website realy helped me! i love it!
May 22nd, 2009 23:18
interesting stuff, although i wouldnt really consider locusts or mosquitoes to be animals.
-Jack
May 29th, 2009 23:03
Woops! I am in Rwanda for a short construction project, and freaking out of this small bug!
June 4th, 2009 16:42
OMG!
goin 2 Tanzania on experdition!
ahh.!gonna poo myself!ha
hope dont get killed by any animal
but cant wait…sooo excited
woop woop!
xxx
June 29th, 2009 13:09
hello i didnt know mosquitos were the most deadly i thought it was rhino
:-O who knew? lol