Mosquitoes are infamously the world’s deadliest animal, killing up to a million people every year.
In the UK, however, our 36 native mosquito species pose little in the way of threat, so they don’t feature in the three-way tie for the title of UK’s deadliest creature.
Nor do we have marauding bears, prides of lions and snakes that can kill you with a lick.
But we do have the most unassuming deadly animals, of which walkers should be especially cautious.
Some fella on TikTok there wearing a muzzle in solidarity with his XL bully, 2024 is off to a flyer pic.twitter.com/o2l8AGnMAP
— LauraGatesPhotography (@_laurag23) January 1, 2024
BBC Science Focus said the most deadly animal in the UK will come as no surprise, it is the household dog. Rishi Sunak recently added American XL bully dogs to the list of banned breeds after a rise in dog-related deaths.
Other breeds are thought to be responsible for other tragic deaths also. As of September 30, 2023, there were 16 deaths in England and Wales caused by dog bites or strikes, which is the highest number in the period from 2001 to 2023. This is more than double the six deaths recorded in 2022.
Bees and wasps also have a claim to the title of Britain’s biggest danger. For the 0.5 per cent of the population who are allergic to the venom in their stings, the resulting anaphylaxis can be fatal. It causes the death of between two and nine people in the UK every year.
The deadly killer is less obvious. It’s the cow.
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Despite coming across as four-legged hippies of the fields, grazing and generally lounging about, cows attack up to 4,000 people in the UK every year.
And around five of those people die from their injuries. Most deaths are among the farming community, but walkers can be at risk too. In the wild, cattle are a prey species, so new mothers are primed to defend their calves.
Most accidents occur when natural boundaries are ignored. Cattle can injure people by knocking them down and trampling or lying on them.
