Most dangerous areas for large predator attacks on humans

[Rex Sanders]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-is-a-large-predator-most-likely-to-attack-you/

But they didn’t report how often humans attack and kill large predators. I’m pretty sure the humans are way ahead.

— Rex

[Luke Schmidt]

Slothbears best out tigers, I’m guessing there are more of them.

[Roger Caffin]

Interesting that the Australian Gov’t has managed to suppress any mention of Australian Drop Bears. They seem to be worried about the effect on the tourist trade.

Cheers

[John K]

Understand the stats are about large carnivore attacks. That being said, hippos are pretty dangerous and I think top the list for deadly attacks of any animal at around 500 deaths annually.

[LARRY W]

Roger, sure drop bears are dangerous but everyone knows the chupacabra is truly the stuff of nightmares.

Seriously though, they did leave out water based predators it seems. Can think of lots of those.

[Philip Tschersich]

I was thinking, “huh, sloth bear. Doesn’t sound so bad.”

Holy cow….

 

 

[Ethan A.]

Why are humans missing from the predator list? They would absolutely dwarf all the others.

I’m sure I saw a Sloth Bear at the San Diego Zoo, but the plate on the enclosure identified it as a Moon Bear (which I looked up and which is also known as the Asiatic Black Bear). Is a Sloth Bear the same animal?

 

[MJ H]

A Himalayan black bear is responsible for what I believe is the most recent serious bear attack on a human in Pennsylvania.  It was in a “zoo” at a resort.

[David Thomas]

This map suggests your risks increase greatly when carrying a national parks pass: 

While this diagram shows how to essentially eliminate all risk:

[David Thomas]

Philip: Neither tigers nor sloth bears are legal to have as pets in Alaska.  I wondered if it’s because they’re deadly to humans since no other large mammalian predators are on the “clean list”:

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=pets.exotic#

But, no, it’s because they could cause mischief if they escape.  Alligators and crocodiles are allowed (and obviously wouldn’t survive the winter).

[obx hiker]

Hmmm test of critical reading skills:

The chart copied above appears to indicate that the second leading wild critter killer of humans in the USA and Mexico; leading brown bears is……….. Coyotes??  Coyote America indeed.

Oh now reading more carefully I see that is the graph of attacks. By ‘large’ predators. Even if the size is based on the length of their furry hair which makes them apparently resemble Cujo in the vision of many. OTOH now they are apparently crossing with timber wolves and domestic dogs (presumably Large domestic dogs) some say the eastern ‘coyote’ is becoming a new breed of coywuffdog. Maybe they can eliminate the Burmese Pythons in La Florida.

 

[Jerry Adams]

american black bear, not coyote

those color charts are difficult to interpret

[Rex Sanders]

The original journal article has charts with better labels:

https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001946

David – That must be why I keep forgetting to take my National Parks pass when I go. Can’t be injuries and, um, um, um, old age :-)

— Rex

Despite what scientists say, correlation IS causation. Do your own research! 😜

[obx hiker]

Thanks Rex: Noted the above linked report has a section titled ” Main Attack Patterns” . The whole report worthy of the small relative time for careful reading imho.

Coyotes are Second after American Black Bears and it’s attacks not fatalities.

[Jerry Adams]

ohhh…  I could see how there are many coyote attacks

I hear them a lot but don’t see them very often.  Except in the city.

[DWR D]

well… er… that category ‘predatory unprovoked’ could be a bit subjective and ‘point of view’ dependent… I don’t imagine they got the bear’s side of the story :)))

[AK Granola]

I don’t see the value of this chart or the report without considering the total numbers of people in these wildlife areas, as well as the other causes of morbidity and mortality. What is the purpose of knowing this? To rally for wildlife elimination? I wish all “studies” had to state the reason for doing the study.

Let’s talk insect stings and car accidents and mass shootings, if you want to worry about real threats. In 2020, America had 19,384 gun murders (twice that many gun deaths if you count in accidents and suicides). I wrote to my senator to ask how he was going to prevent more mass shootings and his response was that he will do whatever it takes to uphold the 2nd amendment and ensure that every American has the right to own as many of whatever kind of weapons they want. It’s a death cult.

Bring on the bears! They’re nicer.

[David Thomas]

One of my responses to the whole “Can any handgun (.357, .44, 10mm) suffice for bear protection versus a 12-gauge with slugs or a .300 Win Mag or larger rifle?” debate, is to instead carry a breath analyzer.  On the logic that while Alaska averages 1/2 a human fatality from bears annually, we also have 37 drunk driving deaths, so you’re 74 times more likely to die from drunk driving/drivers than from Yogi.

[Monte Masterson]

The study did say “terrestrial” carnivores and I assume that is to include only mammals because crocodiles kill far more people annually (approx 1000) than any other apex predator. Of course speaking of reptiles vipers such as the cobra, Russel’s viper, Black Mamba, etc kill on average around 110,000 per year.

[Jerry Adams]

riffing on David’s diagrams which I just noticed, terrestrial means they’re on earth, not Mars or Venus

[obx hiker]

Then there’s spiders. They’re everywhere except the Polar regions and above 6700 meters on Everest for example but still live at greater elevation than any other ‘creature’

There’s also meteorites to consider.

[BlackHatGuy]

“crocodiles kill far more people annually (approx 1000) than any other apex predator.”

But they’re so cuddly!

🤗 from aww

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