British walkers warned as deadliest creatures revealed
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
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.
Recommended reading:
Man films wild poisonous snakes crawling around in UK
Steve Backshall warns dangerous animals are coming to UK
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits to witness rare Sturgeon Moon in coming days - when and where to see it
Many people claim to struggle with sleep during the rare event The full Sturgeon Moon is set to rise on Saturday, August 9, and many Brits are preparing for a potentially sleepless night. Named after North America's largest fish, the August full moon - known as the 'Sturgeon Moon', will be visible in the UK at 8.54am. This name originates from the large number of sturgeon fish that were typically found in North America's Great Lakes around this time of year. In the UK, it is also known as the Corn Moon, a nod to the start of the harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere when crops are abundant. An increasing number of people are reporting symptoms of 'full moon insomnia', attributing their vivid dreams, midnight awakenings, and difficulty falling asleep to the lunar cycle. And there may be some truth to these claims. Interest in lunar cycles has surged, with Google searches for this year's Sturgeon Moon increasing by 650 per cent. Social media platforms are awash with videos discussing how full moons disrupt sleep, with one TikTok video garnering over 68,000 views and sparking a lively debate in the comments section. A recent poll conducted by Dreams found that 62 per cent of respondents believe the moon affects their sleep. Nearly half (48 per cent) confirmed that their sleep is disrupted every time there is a full moon. Additionally, 37 per cent reported having trouble falling asleep, 31 per cent experienced vivid or strange dreams, and 25 per cent woke up in the middle of the night. Dreams' sleep expert Sammy Margo has offered her insight on the popular topic, disclosing whether there's more to it than moonlight and myths, and what steps you can take to guarantee a peaceful night's rest, even during a full moon. "Multiple studies have found that during the full moon phase, people may experience shorter sleep durations, lower sleep efficiency, and reduced melatonin levels," says Sammy. "So, while there's a strong psychological element to the full moon effect, biology may also be playing a part." Below Sammy explains why and offers her top tips to beat the Sturgeon Moon slump:. Moon proof your room 'The full moon increases natural light at night, and that brightness, even if it is subtle, may suppress melatonin - the hormone that helps regulate sleep. Use blackout curtains or a comfortable eye mask to block out the extra moonlight and keep your sleep environment as dark as possible. A properly dark room helps your body stay in sync with its natural sleep-wake cycle.' Try this moonlight mimicry hack 'In the evening before the full moon, make sure you watch the sunset for about 5 to 10 minutes, as the gradual descent into darkness will signal melatonin production through your eyes' light-sensitive cells As well as this, make sure the lights in your home are either warm toned, dim or wear blue light blocking glasses. This may trick your brain into syncing with the natural light-dark cycle before the moon gets too bright.' Create a calming 'moon wind-down' 'Resist the urge to scroll through full moon TikToks before bed. Instead, turn that energy into something restorative. Try a simple bedtime ritual with low-light activities like reading, deep breathing - such as lion's breath, a technique where you inhale deeply through the nose and exhale forcefully through the mouth while sticking out your tongue to release tension - or alternate nostril breathing, where you gently close one nostril at a time while breathing in and out through the other, helping to balance the nervous system and quiet the mind. Just five minutes can help calm the nervous system, release tension, and ease your body into rest mode." Bedding texture trick "During a full moon, your body can be subtly overstimulated without you even realising it. One simple trick? Swap your usual duvet for a different texture - try using a soft blanket instead or layer a different fabric on top. "This small change in sensory input can help interrupt the overactive thought loops that keep you awake. It's a bit like flipping your pillow to the cool side." Try 'lunar logging' to clear your mind 'The full moon can stir up emotions and mental clutter, so try writing in a 'moon mood log' before bed. Jot down your thoughts, worries, or even tomorrow's to-do list to offload your mind and help to prevent middle-of-the-night wakeups. And if you're feeling off, that's okay, blame the moon, then let it go. Give the moon credit, then shift your focus to what you can control: your mindset, your environment, and your routine. Lunar logging isn't just about clearing your head, it's about setting yourself up for the best night's sleep possible.'
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Insomniacs say natural supplement helps them sleep through the night... and science says they're right
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Sleep-deprived Americans are turning to a common drugstore supplement in droves after Reddit users hailed magnesium as a 'game-changer' for insomnia. Fans claim magnesium glycinate, a gentler form of the mineral, helps them drift off without digestive distress. Magnesium glycinate is having a moment, with wellness experts, TikTok influencers, and some sleep specialists singing its praises online for its ability to improve sleep and reduce anxiety. Magnesium is commonly found in legumes, peanut butter, leafy greens, soybeans, among many other foods. It is critical for hundreds of basic biochemical processes, including muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, the ability of cells to create proteins, and blood pressure regulation. It also calms the nervous system before bed, relaxes the muscles, and helps produce the sleep hormone melatonin. Over 70 million Americans struggle with insomnia, and around a quarter of Americans experience daytime sleepiness as a result. Magnesium has been shown in double-blind placebo-controlled trials, the research gold standard, to extend a person's time asleep, improve sleep quality, increase the concentration of melatonin, and decrease the stress hormone cortisol. For sleep improvement, it is crucial to choose magnesium glycinate over magnesium citrate, which is a laxative. The recommended daily amount of magnesium is 320 milligrams (mg) a day for women and 420 mg a day for men. Blood tests can show whether someone is deficient in magnesium, which can lead to muscle cramps and fatigue, or more serious conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The normal range for blood magnesium is 1.7 to 2.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). One fan of the supplement on Reddit said: 'It does really improve my sleep in my own experience. 'When I tried magnesium, it's the first time in like decades that I'm sleeping straight for like eight to nine hours. I used to sleep like six hours a day.' Another person said: 'Magnesium did wonders for my restless legs and overall capability to rest. Great stuff!' A third added: 'I've taken magnesium for the past five years and swear by it.' Some people mentioned, though, that the benefits to their sleep were short-lived, with one saying: 'It's effects wore off after doing it two nights in a row or so.' Some combine it with other supplements for a boost. A commenter said she takes magnesium glycinate combined with calcium and zinc, 'and I believe it has helped me.' Nature's Bounty magnesium glycinate $19.99 Shop The three-part nighttime cocktail can bring out several benefits, such as enhancing muscle relaxation and melatonin synthesis, boosting GABA (which slows down brain activity), and supporting deeper sleep. The trio may also stabilize circadian rhythms. Magnesium glycinate is well-absorbed in the body, making it more effective, and its gentle nature on the stomach makes it a popular choice for people who struggle to fall asleep or sleep through the night. A 2012 double-blind, randomized clinical trial suggests that magnesium supplementation may significantly improve both subjective and objective measures of insomnia in older adults, offering a potential alternative to conventional sleep medications. The study, conducted among 46 elderly people, found that an eight-week regimen of 500 mg of magnesium daily led to notable improvements in sleep duration, efficiency, and key hormonal markers linked to sleep regulation. The findings, while they seem small, were statistically significant improvements. They revealed that compared to placebo, the magnesium group experienced statistically significant increases in sleep time by 0.2 percent and sleep efficiency increased by three percent, alongside reductions in sleep onset latency by two percent and insomnia severity scores down by 0.06 percent. Biomarkers such as serum renin, an enzyme that helps regulate blood pressure, and melatonin rose significantly, by more than 0.1 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. Cortisol levels associated with wakefulness declined significantly by 0.8 percent, suggesting that magnesium plays a dual role in modulating both brain chemical pathways and the body's circadian rhythm. Getting too little sleep, generally considered to be fewer than seven hours, contributes to several health issues, including bloating, brittle nails, overeating, diabetes, and poor skin. It can also leave people with too little energy to exercise and be active. Past research has shown that ghrelin, a hormone promoting hunger, increases with insufficient sleep, while leptin, a hormone contributing to satiety perception, decreases. Poor sleep hygiene has also been linked to inflammation in the body, which can spur the growth of cancer cells, and a higher risk of heart attack or stroke, dementia, and autoimmune disorders.
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I just gave birth... here is the shocking truth about being postpartum
A mom has revealed a little-known side effect of giving birth - declaring all new mothers should be taught about it in the hospital. Mom-of-three Gabi Mika was stunned to find that the pain isn't over after having a baby - recalling the agony she experienced when urinating for the first time. 'What no one tells you about postpartum,' Gabi wrote on the TikTok video, which was taken a day after giving birth. Commenting on her protruding stomach, the mom noted it still looked like she was pregnant - but assured viewers 'there's nothing in there anymore.' 'What people don't know is the effort in what you have to do after you go pee right after you give birth,' she explained. Noting it was a 'long process' due to the preparation, Gabi showed viewers what goes into her post-urination care. 'First you get the pad ready,' she explained, before reaching for an ice pack to help ease the swelling. She then brought out a supply of witch-hazel pads - which she described as cooling pads - that she carefully placed over the top of the ice pack. But Gabi was not done there as she then squirted witch-hazel foam over the top of the pads themselves. She said that after going to the bathroom, she sprays herself with 'numbing, cooling' spray, before attaching her pad to disposable underwear. 'If you need to go pee postpartum, it's a long process and something I didn't know before I started having kids,' she shared. In the caption, Gabi wrote: 'Six months since this wild ride. I had no idea what I was getting into the first time around or how much of a process it was just to get up and go to the bathroom.' And dozens of viewers flooded to the comments to share their own worries and experiences. 'My goodness. Will they walk me through it after I have the baby? Cause I know you just did but now I'm nervous!' one user wrote. 'I'm not even scared about the labor but the aftercare? Someone give it to me straight, how long do we have to wear these? Is it a couple of days? Weeks? Like how long will I be swollen and sore and will need to use the bottle on the toilet? Can someone just give me a rundown? I'm genuinely freaking out,' one follower frantically asked. 'I'm more scared for the postpartum after care than the actual birth,' a scared user chimed in. OB/GYN Dr. David Ghozland told the Daily Mail that a whopping 60 percent of new mothers he sees have problems with pain, burning or they cannot urinate at all after delivery. 'The simple procedure is transformed into a kind of ordeal through swelling, stitches, and temporary nerve problems,' he explained. 'This is exacerbated by epidurals and long labors so that women are sometimes shocked to learn at the end of it all how much power they have surrendered.' Dr. Ghozland added he gives his patients a peri bottle (a bottle designed to gently cleanse of the perineal area, the area between the genitals and the anus) after childbirth or surgery and taught how to use warm water each and every time after urination. 'This is a simple measure that relieves most people instantly and prevents infection,' he shared. According to Pregnancy Birth and Baby, around one in three females experience urinary incontinence after having a baby. 'After giving birth, you might leak urine when you laugh, cough, sneeze, lift something or exercise,' the site shared. They explained that pregnancy hormones, the weight of your uterus and having a vaginal birth can all stretch the pelvic floor muscles that support your bladder. 'Doing pelvic floor exercises every day during pregnancy and after birth can help prevent and treat urinary incontinence,' it stated. 'If lifestyle changes and pelvic floor exercises don't help, surgery may be an option.'
