Five countries with the deadliest wildlife on Earth (and five with almost none at all)

Telegraph

15-05-2025

The allure of potentially lethal wildlife is often the reason we visit a country in the first place. Lions and tigers may be dangerous carnivores, but Africa and India would have fewer visitors without them. Viewed from the safety of a safari vehicle, the adrenaline rush is not so much from fear as pure, visceral excitement. Most deadly species, however, do not have quite the same allure. Giant reptiles, venomous snakes and spiders, and disease-carrying insects also pose significant health and safety threats.
So, to help you seek out – or avoid – the world's deadliest wildlife, we've selected five countries with more than their fair share of dangerous animals – and five with hardly any at all.
Five countries with deadly wildlife
Australia
The Land Down Under is renowned for its lethal wildlife. Twenty out of 25 of the world's most venomous snake species are native to Australia, including the most venomous of them all, the inland taipan, whose venom can kill in under an hour.
The aggressive Australian funnel-web spider injects potentially lethal toxins through its teeth, while off the north coast, the many species of box jellyfish have a sting that can lead to cardiac arrest. Also, beware the stonefish. This master of camouflage, found along the Great Barrier Reef and the Sunshine Coast, is the most venomous fish in the world.
India
Not all India's lethal predators are restricted to its national parks: the Bengal tiger and Indian leopard can be a significant threat when humans encroach on their territory.
Sloth bears are not carnivorous, yet they attack more people than any other bear. Venomous snakes, including the common krait, Indian cobra, Russell's viper and saw-scaled viper, cause a high number of fatalities each year, while saltwater crocodiles inhabit India's southern coast and rivers. Indian elephants can also be volatile and aggressive if surprised or feeling under threat. And it's not just the big animals – as in many other parts of the world, mosquitoes spread malaria and dengue fever, both of which can be fatal.
United States
This one might surprise you – but remember, the bigger the country, the more likely it is to have some deadly residents, and the USA is no exception. The American alligator, found primarily in the south-eastern states, is fast, strong and has a deadly bite. Its snakes include the rattlesnake, cottonmouth, and copperhead, all potentially lethal.
Bears, including grizzlies and black bears, although typically avoiding human contact, can be extremely dangerous if provoked or surprised. Spiders like the black widow and brown recluse are also extremely venomous.
Brazil
Brazil's Amazon rainforest is home to many dangerous species. The aggressive fer-de-lance is the most venomous snake in the Americas, causing more deaths than any other reptile. The shock from an electric eel can incapacitate a human, and the bullet ant has one of the most painful stings known to man.
The venom of the Brazilian wandering spider is potentially lethal, while the brightly coloured poison dart frog injects dangerous toxins. Anaconda snakes up to 30ft long are constrictors that suffocate their prey, although no human victims have been reported to date, and the Amazonian jaguar has a bite that can crush bones but will only attack if provoked.
South Africa
South Africa, like many countries on the African continent, is home to many deadly carnivores, most of which are found in the national parks. However, communities living around their borders – and, on occasion, tourists – sometimes come into lethal contact with elephants and hippos. South Africa is also home to venomous creatures such as the puff adder and black mamba snakes, whose bites can be lethal if not treated promptly. Crocodiles also lurk in the country's rivers and lakes.
Five countries with almost no dangerous creatures
New Zealand
Chief among New Zealand's non-threatening species is the kiwi, a flightless bird and the symbol of the country. With its long beak and sensitive nostrils, the kiwi is primarily nocturnal and uses its keen sense of smell to forage for insects and worms.
New Zealand's South Island is also home to Hector's dolphin, the world's smallest and rarest marine dolphin, with its rounded dorsal fins and playful personality. The inquisitive kea, a mountain parrot, is known for its intelligence and problem-solving abilities while the tuatara, a lizard-like reptile, has a parietal (third) eye on the top of its head and two rows of teeth on its upper jaw.
Dominica
The Caribbean island of Dominica, aka 'Nature Island' due to the biodiversity of its rainforests, mountains and coral reefs, has no deadly snakes or large predators.
The Sisserou parrot, its national bird, famous for its iridescent green, purple, and blue feathers, is most often seen in the island's mountainous regions alongside three species of hummingbird: the purple throated carib; the green throated carib; and the tiny Antillean crested. Sperm whales can also be found in the seas around the island. However, lionfish, an invasive species found in Caribbean waters, has venomous spines that can cause painful stings.
Norway
The Eurasian Elk, known locally as the moose, is the largest member of the deer family, weighing up to 700kg and measuring up to two metres at the shoulder. The antlers of a male can extend up to 1.75 metres across. The Atlantic puffin, another of Norway's headline species, is found along the rocky cliffs of coastal islands such as Røst, in the Lofoten archipelago. The Arctic fox is a master of adaptation whose thick white winter fur, perfect camouflage in the snow, changes to brown and grey in summer.
Singapore
Surprisingly, perhaps, the city-state of Singapore is home to a number of inspiring wildlife species – almost all completely harmless. The Sunda pangolin, with its armour-like scales and ability to fold up into a ball, although critically endangered, is a flagship species for the country's wildlife preservation.
Avian species include the oriental pied hornbill, a large bird with black and white plumage and a yellow beak, while otters and water monitor lizards, sometimes up to 10ft long, are found near waterways and canals. Singapore's 'City in Nature' initiative is a network of green corridors that connect natural habitats throughout the island. However, long-tailed macaques have adapted to the urban environment and can sometimes be aggressive.
Iceland
The Icelandic horse, often only the size of a pony, is famous both for its purity – it is the only breed of horse in Iceland – and its characteristic 'tolt'. The latter falls somewhere between a trot and a canter, with one foot always in contact with the ground. As in Norway, the Arctic fox, called a 'melrakki' in Icelandic, is one of the island's most resilient species, while the coastline hosts large colonies of gulls, terns, and guillemots. Off-shore, humpback whales weighing up to 40 tons migrate to Icelandic waters during the summer months.