Asia has fascinated western societies since its discovery. Its rich culture and exotic animals have captured the imaginations of countless generations.
I was watching a documentary on tigers the other day, and I started thinking about the dangerous animals in Asia. This inspired me to create my list of the five most dangerous animals in Asia. A couple points before we begin. I know mosquitoes kill more people than anything else ever. I don’t care, they’re boring and I don’t want to write about them. Also, this list is based on subjective criteria, not number of kills. Some of these animals will just cause you pain and you wouldn't want to meet them in the forest. Now let us begin.
The tiger has an important place in Asia’s life and culture. It appears frequently throughout the mythology of all the countries in which it appears, generally as a figure of strength and power. It’s generally treated with a healthy respect borne of its danger to humans. While it won’t attack people unless provoked or hungry, clashes are common enough. Recently the issue has become even more common as human encroachment and deforestation means the shrinking habitat of the tiger frequently extends into populated areas. Six people have died and twelve more have been mauled in Bangladesh in the last few months alone after the tigers’ habitat was partially destroyed by a cyclone. They are immensely strong and deadly predators. Treat them with the respect they deserve.
When I think of deadly snakes, movies have trained my mind to think of the cobra. It’s not as dangerous as brown snakes or other poisonous creatures, but it’s still very nasty. The king cobra is the world’s longest venomous snake, reaching lengths of up to 20 feet. Its venom is a neurotoxin, and it is very dangerous. It’s one of the most venomous snakes on the continent, and it can kill a human with a single bite. Thankfully, most of the snake’s bites don’t inject fatal amounts of venom, although the mortality rate is close to 75% when it gives you a full on bite.
The camel spider is very widespread, found in deserts from Iraq to China and beyond. They’re not venomous, but they will bite humans and their bite is immensely painful. They’re perhaps scarier than they are dangerous, but they’re scary enough that I’m going to include them on this list because I never want to meet one. For one thing, they will scream at you! They can run very quickly, as fast as a human in many cases, and will utter a scream while they chase things. They can also jump up to four feet in the air. The spider loves shadows, and so if you’re in a desert and happen to be the only thing casting a shadow for a long way around you might find one chasing you to stay in your shadow. Freaky stuff.
The krait is a type of snake found in India and Southeast Asia. The nocturnal animals are immensely poisonous, with a neurotoxic venom more than 16 times deadlier than the cobra’s. The banded krait can allegedly reach more than 7 feet in length. They are nocturnal animals that are aggressive at night. Their bite is fatal to 85% of people bitten, although there is an effective antivenin now so the number is much lower. The venom is particularly painful, and causes paralysis and a slow, agonizing death. You do not want to meet one.
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20 comments
zhokuai (not verified) says:
Mar 20th, 2008 at 6am
Bull. The most dangerous animal in Asia is the mosquito. Mosquito-borne malaria kills more people in Asia every year than all of these creatures combined, by an order of magnitude or greater.
lazyval (not verified) says:
Mar 20th, 2008 at 1pm
There's a famous Russian riddle: what's the most dangerous animal you can meet in taiga? Apparently - it's human. If I where in Asia I would fear people more than anything else.
shaan (not verified) says:
May 6th, 2008 at 6pm
hey that's not the case
we asians are very warm people.
come to asia and you will experience it
WingedWolf (not verified) says:
May 12th, 2008 at 6am
Camel spiders do not scream, leap, or chase people--sorry. They may follow a person's shadow, to escape the hot desert sun. They cannot run as fast as a human--they clock in at at a top speed of a mere 10 mph.
The largest species of camel spider is about 6 inches long, which is a fair size for something that looks creepy. They aren't aggressive toward larger creatures (such as humans)--they eat insects. They aren't actually a spider, and are nonvenomous--so they could give you a pinch, but not really harm you with their bite.
There are many creatures scarier than this one, from actual spiders to scorpians.
fread (not verified) says:
Jun 10th, 2008 at 2pm
these animals are pretty dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ivo (not verified) says:
Jun 26th, 2008 at 1pm
Camel spider:
For one thing, they will scream at you! They can run very quickly, as fast as a human in many cases, and will utter a scream while they chase things. They can also jump up to four feet in the air.
* Not true
TheSpanishInquisition (not verified) says:
Jul 24th, 2008 at 4am
Putting the camel spider at number 2 seems very strange. You probably shouldn't have called it 5 most dangerous animals in Asia if you're going to include a harmless animal. Maybe 5 scariest or something, but for someone representing a website that claims to push for an educated environmental view you may want to stop perpetuating the already ludicrous fear that humans have of harmless animals such as the aforementioned camel spider. In fact I'd say that while all the other animals mentioned are indeed somewhat dangerous, if we are knowledgeable about their behavior then we have nothing to fear. As for the snakes I and many other people have successfully handled venomous reptiles(not with my bare hands, Steve Irwin was good... but perhaps not very wise)on multiple occasions and understand that with proper education there is nothing to fear and as long as you take the precaution to look where you're walking the odds of a snake, spider, or pretty much anything harming you is minuscule.
Devin (not verified) says:
Jan 27th, 2009 at 6pm
the camal spider is the bomb if i find one it will be a keeper
Anonymous (not verified) says:
Feb 10th, 2009 at 3pm
the camel pider don't chase people thats what scientists says you are so wrong because they don't chase people but if provoqued they will attak you by giving you a bite but in most caises they are not painful (True fact)
Azer0 (not verified) says:
Mar 6th, 2009 at 10am
Nice list.
But your information on the camel spider seems to be just a collection of myths about the creature..
They do not scream.. Or chase people.. and cannot jump 4 feet either..
Most of these myths were created by US soldiers in Iraq..
Sorry, but your should have just plagiarized wikipedia instead of writing things that are untrue.
dickyinurmouth (not verified) says:
May 14th, 2009 at 5pm
i think that this stuff is bull...i mean seriously a tiger dude i could tame one in 10 minutes and a friggen camel bug like common dude wat happened to a t-rex like.. nipples man just nipples
Dangerous Animals (not verified) says:
May 23rd, 2009 at 9am
Are these ranked according to how many people are killed by these animals?
-Jack
Jon (not verified) says:
Jul 11th, 2009 at 8am
I really don't know how credible this list could be because just looking at the misinformation in #2 makes me upset. The camel spider cannot scream. Period. I know this because they live in New Mexico, where I live. In fact we find several in the house every day. They can't jump either. They can run fast, but not so fast that you usually can't catch them and they rarely ever go full tilt. No they don't like heat or light, and yes they can bite very hard, but I have yet to even have one even act aggressive towards me. I catch these and put them outside all the time.
mona (not verified) says:
Jul 13th, 2009 at 11am
amazing facts, but i just dont understand is camel spider an animal?
well m impressed by the facts.
Morgan (not verified) says:
Jul 18th, 2009 at 10pm
I honestly didn't think that the tiger was the most dangerous animal in Asia, but then again, i don't live in Asia and I have never even been to Asia in my life so how should I know. But I really don't think that the tiger is the MOST dangerous animal at all.
Farlopitecus (not verified) says:
Jul 31st, 2009 at 6pm
"Camel spiders" are not spiders. They're from a distinct family, Solifugae
Jill (not verified) says:
Oct 7th, 2009 at 1am
I don't care if the camel spider is dangerous or not! All the knowledge in the world would not keep me from running like hell is I saw one. It's frigging scary.
sam (not verified) says:
Dec 6th, 2009 at 9pm
The 10 Most Dangerous Animals On The Planet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np7uU42reus
steve (not verified) says:
Mar 8th, 2010 at 8pm
The 10 Most Dangerous Animals On The Planet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np7uU42reus
sir jorge (not verified) says:
A good reason not to go to Asia now.