10. Bears

There are only eight species of bears in the world and all of them can kill humans. Forget the cuddly teddy bears you used to have as a child, real bears are huge hulks of muscle, teeth and claws. They can run fast and have surprised many campers because they can climb up trees fast too. Bears do not go out of their way to attack humans but will also not think twice about charging a human who trespasses on their territory or threatens their young. An average of five to 10 people a year are killed in encounters with bears.

9. Sharks

Around 75 people around the world are attacked by sharks each year. Of that number an average of five to 10 of these attacks are fatal. The species of shark held responsible for most attacks is the Great White Shark which ranges in habitat from the coastlines of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, California to Alaska, the east coast and the gulf coast of the U.S.A., Hawaii, South America, the Mediterranean Sea, West Africa to Scandinavia, Japan and the eastern coastline of China and southern Russia. Coming in second in terms of attacks on humans is the tiger shark followed by the bull shark. Those seeking to protect sharks from overfishing by humans still insist the chances of people getting killed by a shark are overall still less than their chances of dying in a plane crash or getting hit by lightning.

8. Cape Buffalo

Cape buffalos are quite heavy, weighing in at 1.5 tons and, stand tall at 1.7 meters high and approximately 2.8 meters long. When these animals feel that they are in danger they attack head on, using their extremely sharp horns. Most animals will keep away, humans on the other hand are the only predator that the Cape Buffalo will come across. Statistically Cape buffalo are responsible for more human deaths in Africa than any other large animal.

7. Jellyfish

Every year millions of people swim in the sea, the domain of the jellyfish. Every year about a hundred or so people die from jellyfish stings. Currently the most dangerous species to humans is the box jellyfish of Australia, its tentacles have stingers that can pump venom into human skin, causing pain and discomfort at first. Fever and death usually follows. Unfortunately for humans poisonous jellyfish do not invade beaches all year round, they are seasonal creatures. However, when they are around and in large numbers local lifeguard services usually close off beaches.

6. Deer

While deer have antlers that can fatally gore a man, most deaths caused by deer are due to accidents on the highways. Deer that cross highways are often transfixed by vehicle headlights and freeze in place, this often leads to collisions along lonely stretches of highway in the U.S. and other parts of the world where there are deer. It is estimated 120 people are killed by deer every year.

5. Hippopotamus

These docile-looking water-going mammals are actually very vicious when provoked, marking territory or defending their young. Initially thought of as vegetarians, scientists were shocked to see them munch on meat when the situation was dire. They have also filmed a hippo eating crocodiles killed from territorial disputes and also another one feasting on an antelope stolen away from a crocodile. Hippos have huge incisors that can fatally gore other animals and humans. While they are bred for the water, they have no problems on land and have been known to run up to 30 miles per hour pursuing enemies, even outrunning humans. The biggest of them can grow up to weigh around three tons. In Africa it is estimated that some 2,900 people a year are killed by hippos.

4. Crocodiles

These beasts can grow up to terrifying lengths. The biggest living crocodile in captivity is an 18-footer in Australia, although the biggest ever caught was a 20-foot saltwater crocodile caught in the Philippines that died last February. What makes these things so dangerous? They are ambush masters in the water. A variety of colors lets them blend into their natural environment; they are able hold their breath for hours and swim silently underwater up to their unsuspecting prey. On land they may only be capable of sudden bursts of speed, but in the water they can move with lightning-quick reflexes and grab then drag prey under. An estimated 1,000 people are killed by crocodiles each year, most of them fishermen and people living beside huge rivers.

3. Scorpions

Scorpions are among the oldest creatures to ever live on earth. Thought by scientists to have evolved from sea-dwelling creatures that went on land, the scorpion has taken to land quite nicely, given that it has had millions of years to evolve and adapt. Today there are about between 1,300 to 2,000 different species of scorpions, but only 25 have a poison that is deadly to humans. However, not all scorpion stings are a guarantee of death. Some poisons just cause extreme discomfort and fever in the hardiest of humans, but others may experience paralysis, convulsions and cardiac arrest. Around 1,000 to 5,000 people are killed by scorpions every year.

2. Snakes

Snakes are blamed for an average of 50,000 kills a year around the world. While there are the occasional fatal bites on professional snake handlers, snake charmers and others involved in the herpetological business or studies, most deaths are from bites of snakes feeling threatened by human presence and activity. On top of the killer list is the Indian cobra. With many cities in India expanding into land that used to be jungles, snakes have been forced to deal with ever-encroaching human population and activity.

1. Mosquitoes

It is estimated that between 660,000 to 1,000,000 people each year are killed by the diseases mosquitoes carry. These diseases range from malaria to dengue and many are often fatal if not treated immediately. Mosquitoes are present in all countries in the world, they are even known to survive in harsh environments like volcanic craters and arctic regions. Mosquitoes have also been around for millions of years and are not going anywhere anytime soon.

10. Raccoon

 

These animals have their own societies and community. Just like man, the relationships within the community of raccoons are quite complicated. Raccoons possess dexterous hands and thumbs that allow them to utilize tools and solve problems. They are brave and extremely confident animals that are always in control of what they are doing. They are also fiercely loyal family members.

9. Squirrel

They are supposed to live only in the woodlands, but a squirrel’s intelligence allows them to adapt to any new surrounding. They have the ability to learn from their mistakes, which is why it is almost impossible to catch all of them because once they learn of the location and smell of your traps, they will cleverly avoid them. We may view them as annoying little creatures, but the bottom lines are that squirrels are cunning, determined and just plain stubborn.

8. Rat

Michael Jackson once sang about a rat that he begs for people to understand. They are disgusting and annoying little rodents, but they are actually quite similar to man. I mean, why else do you think scientists use them for laboratory experiments. They possess metacognition, an ability that man and other primates have. They use their senses keenly to detect bombs, landmines and even the bacteria that can cause tuberculosis. They also have emotions, like stress, excitement and remorse.

7. Pig

The movie “Babe” made us all fall in love with pigs. Pigs are actually smart animals. And despite popular notion, pigs are one of the cleanest animals around if they are given a choice. If you provide them with enough space, they will make sure to defecate in an area far from its dining and living spaces. Studies have also shown that they can actually be good in video games. Also, pigs have complex and amazing social lives. Do you know that mother pigs actually sing to the offspring while the latter are sucking and nursing? Pigs can also be tricky and sneaky little bastards. To get food, they will follow other pigs and then steal it from right under their noses. The victimized pigs will then come out wiser from it and will change their behavior so that they won’t be followed around too much and so that they will be prepared next time some other pig tries to steal from them.

6. African Gray Parrot

 

We all know how parrots can imitate and, well, parrot our every word. But none is as good as the African gray parrot. Experts say that this sociable, loving and intelligent animal actually has the intelligence equivalent to a five-year-old kid. African Gray Parrots have the ability to identify up to 50 various objects and recognize quantities up to six. They can also learn comparative concepts, as in which objects are bigger, smaller, similar and different. They can also recognize up to five shapes and seven colors. The most amazing thing is not just the fact that they have a vocabulary of up to 150 words, but that they actually know how to communicate and use the words properly. If they sense that you feel disappointed or annoyed, African Gray Parrots would say, “I’m sorry.”

5. Crow

They are smart and creative, with the highest IQ among all birds. They can be taught how to speak the human language, they can count, they can distinguish different complex shapes and they can also learn by observation. Crows have been known to throw nuts and shells along the road so that cars will drive through it and pop open the shells, allowing the animal to devour the contents. They also have the ability to build knives to cut leaves and grass. They have also been seen to grab wires so that they can use them as hooks to get prey out of its hiding places. They can also steal food, with some acting as decoys and lookouts.

4. Elephant

They have extremely large brains, even bigger than man’s when scaled to size. They are capable of altruism, sacrificing themselves for the betterment of the rest of the herd. They bury their dead properly, the only other animal to do besides man. They also know which leaves are medicinal and will chew on specific plants depending on the sickness they are feeling. They also have the ability to recognize themselves in the mirror.

3. Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees share practically the same DNA as humans, so this should not come as a surprise. They also have a better memory than any other animal in the world. They know how to utilize tools and they can communicate well with humans through sign language. They know how to attack their prey, utilizing complex flanking movements. They can even mentally manipulate other chimpanzees.

2. Bottlenose Dolphin

They actually have the ability to watch television on their own because of their ability to process acoustic and visual information at the same time. They can also recognize themselves in the mirror, which they use to inspect their own bodies. Their comprehension skills are way advanced and these animals understand numerical concepts as well. Studies have shown that they even have the ability to choose the “I don’t know” option during difficult tests.

1. Orangutan

When orangutans were taught how to use tools, experts initially chalked it up to routine training that other animals can also do. But when they were released to the wild, the orangutans started building a similar structure to protect themselves during the rain. The ability to understand the why, and not just the how and what, makes the orangutan the smartest animal in the world.

They are not the dogs you can ask to fetch or the cats you can cuddle. Neither are they the goldfish or hamsters that your kids can take care of. These animals are best viewed from afar. They are the most dangerous animals in the world.

African Elephant

The largest land animal in the world may seem cute and friendly, but are certainly no Dumbo. They are extremely smart and have long memories brought about by their massive 11-pound brain. They can hear anyone coming from afar because of their big ears. They can smell anything and anyone from a mile away. Not that they would run away from you, as their mammoth size makes them big enough to tangle with anybody, even the mighty lion. And they are unpredictable, sometimes attacking for seemingly no reason from half a kilometer away. They are fast, with speeds that would leave even Usain Bolt in their dust. And they have awesome strength, with the ability to knock down trees with 4-feet thick trunks, or to flip a rhinoceros up to 14 feet above their heads into the air.

African Lion

Lions can grow up to more than 9 feet tall, weigh up to 550 pounds, run over 50 miles per hour over 100 meters, jump up 4 feet into the air, and leap down 40 feet from the top. And they can do all these running and jumping around with a prey in their mouth. If those still do not scare you, lions move around in packs. They hunt by surrounding a target and ambushing it. And they are also smart animals. There have been instances when they have slashed the tires of Safari vehicles carrying tourists. Guides have learned to ward them off by playing recordings of elephants trumpeting and stomping.

Sea Wasp Box Jellyfish

They may look squishy and all, but just try antagonizing them. They are packed with the most lethal venom in the sea. While it only weighs 4.5 pounds, it has 15 tentacles that can reach up to 10 feet. Their venom emits a glow that will scare off other sea creatures. They feed on shrimps, small fishes, and other box jellyfish. Even just a slight sting could cause agonizing pain. Just ask the thousands of victims of jellyfish bites each year. In extreme situations when a victim gets wrapped around the sea wasp’s tentacles, the heart may stop beating within 3 minutes. The muscles may also get paralyzed even sooner than that.

Inland Taipan Snake

This is the counterpart of the sea wasp box jellyfish, in the sense that the inland taipan snake has the most lethal venom on land. The ironic thing about it is that snake actually has a very passive temperament that provided they are devenomized, they actually make good aquarium pets. They feed on rodents and only attack when cornered and provoked. There have been no human deaths recorded from a taipan attack yet, and that’s probably because they are located deep in the outback. But in case an attack happens, good luck to the victim. It can inject up to 110,000 micrograms of venom, when a lethal dose only requires 30 micrograms. The venom contains taipoxin, one of the most powerful natural toxins. An anti venom exists that is 100% guaranteed, but you have to do it within 45 minutes, and even then, you should have a resting pulse. If you run, you will probably drop dead within 300 meters. Remember that this is the outback, and there’s no hospital within 200 miles.

Polar Bear

At 1,500 pounds, a polar bear can actually rip off your head with one swing. They eat elephant seals for breakfast, and those animals are not exactly tiny beings. It is the largest carnivore on land, and is considered the largest bear in the world. Good thing they are limited to the Arctic, where the human population is relatively sparse. Cuddly and cute, but they are dangerous and menacing.

Mosquito

They can breed in the smallest body of water, say, a soda cap. And they breed a lot and they do it fast. They transmit diseases between humans and other animals. West Nile, roundworms, tularemia, dengue, yellow fever, and malaria…these are just some of the diseases that they can transmit. Mosquitoes are tiny but mighty.

Shark

Over 20 feet long, weighs 2.5 tons, and can swim more than five times faster than any Olympic 100-meter freestyle champion. It can detect the slightest movement and smell blood from five miles away. It can sense any action because of its sensory organ on the head called the Ampullae of Lorenzini. This allows them an extraordinary sense of perception that even superheroes could only dream of.

Cape Buffalo

This animal can grow up to 2,000 pounds and still run 40 miles per hour for more than 100 meters. They are responsible for more human deaths than any other animal in Africa, often goring or trampling them to death. And the weird thing is that they attack without any need for provocation. It is legal to hunt them in Africa, but hunters usually avoid them because if you miss your shot, the buffalo will make you regret it.

Clostridium Botulinum

It is present everywhere, from the desert to the South Pole, on land and under the sea. No creature is immune to this bacterium. A mere .000001-milligram for every kilogram is enough to kill any organism. A teaspoon has the capacity to kill every American, and 4 kilograms can wipe out the human race. It can survive boiling water for 10 minutes. It’s a good thing that it takes a lot for the bacterium to become active and dangerous. Even if you swallow dirt with this toxin, it still won’t grow because of the acid in your digestive tract.

Traveling is such an exciting proposition. It gets even more exciting if you head out to exotic places seldom visited by tourists. It becomes most thrilling if it will land you in some of the most difficult runways and airplane approaches on earth. Here is a list of the top 10 most dangerous airports in the world.

10. Qamdo Bamda Airport, Tibet

It is also known as the Changdu Bangda Airport, this airport is located in Bamda, Qamdo in Tibet in China. It is considered as the highest airport in the world at an elevation of 4,334 meters. It also has the longest publicly-used paved runway in the world at 5.5 kilometers. The thin air in the place means that passengers alighting from the plane may feel some dizziness and light headedness. The engines of aircrafts must also put up with more stress as the higher elevation means that less thrust is produced.

9. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Saba Island

The Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport is located in the Netherlands’ island in the Caribbean called Saba. Its runways have a length of only 400 meters and end with a cliff drop to the sea. High hills also flank one side of the runway. It is so dangerous that it has been officially declared as closed to traffic, although the Civil Aviation Authority of the Netherlands Antilles grants some exceptions.

8. Gustaf III Airport, Saint Barthelemy

Also known as Saint Barthelemy Airport or St. Jean Airport, Gustaf III Airport is located in the French-administered Caribbean island of Saint Barthelemy. It was named after the 18^th century king of Sweden after he bought the island from France, though it was later sold back in 1878. The airport has a short runway that usually accommodates only small aircrafts of less than 20 passengers. The runway is at the base of a slope that ends on the beach. Planes exercise caution during the approach because of the hilltop traffic. Planes taking off do so right over the heads of people sunbathing at the beach.

7. Ice Runway, Antarctica

The Ice Runway is owned by the United States and is the principal airstrip for the country’s Antarctic program during the summer field season. While there are a couple of other runways in the area, namely Williams Field and Pegasus Field, the Ice Runway was developed for passenger transportation in order to free up the capacity for cargo space brought by the C17 aircraft. It can handle wheeled aircraft, including the Boeing 757. While pilots say that the surface is as stable as cement during landing, the problem occurs when the plane comes to a stop as it can sink the ice, though only in inches.

6. Courchevel Airport, France

Courchevel Airport is an airport that serves the ski area in the French Alps. It has an upslope runway that is adjacent to a popular area for ski runs. Aircrafts cannot make landings during fogs or low clouds because of the airport’s lack of instrument approach procedures. Its runway measures only 525 meters long. It primarily serves only small fixed winged aircrafts and helicopters. The airfield itself has an elevation of 6,588 meters.

5. Barra International Airport, Scotland

Barra International Airport is also known as the Barra Eoligarry Airport. It is located in Barra Island in Outer Hebrides in Scotland. It is the only airport in the world that actually uses a beach as a runway. When high tide comes, the runways actually go under the sea. Thus, flights are scheduled based on the tide. The airport has short runways, with three runways forming a triangle marked by permanent wooden poles at the ends. Small aircrafts like Twin Otters can land into the wind.

4. Toncontin International Airport, Honduras

Toncontin International Airport is also known as the Teniente Coronel Hernan Acosta Mejia Airport. It is located in Tegucigalpa in Honduras and serves both civilian and military aircrafts. It has a short runway and is extremely close to mountain terrains. Its runways are significantly shorter than other international airports, despite recent efforts to extend its length. The single asphalt runway measures only 2,163 meters and sits at an elevation of 1,005 meters.

3. Tenzing Hillary Airport, Nepal

Tenzing Hillary Airport is also known as Lukia Airport. It is named after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first people to reach the peak of Mount Everest. It is located in the place where hikers begin their climb to the base camp of Mount Everest. It is almost always beset with high winds and cloud cover, making visibility unpredictable even though the skies may be clear and the sun is shining in the capital of Kathmandu. The runway measures only 460 meters and can only accommodate small planes and helicopters. Due to the terrain, arriving planes can use only one runway. Departing aircrafts use another.

2. Madeira Airport, Portugal

Madeira Airport is also known as Santa Catarina Airport or Funchal Airport. It is located in Madeira Island in Portugal. The ocean and high mountains surround the runway. Once infamous for its short runway, Portuguese authorities were able to double it through outstanding engineering. Instead of reclaiming land from the sea, they decided to build a series of 180 columns measuring 70 meters tall. The ingenuity shown in extending the runway earned the airport recognition from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.

1. Gibraltar International Airport, Gibraltar

Gibraltar International Airport is a civilian airport in the British territory of Gibraltar. The airport’s runway intersects with Winston Churchill Avenue, the main road leading to the border with Spain. Traffic therefore has to be stopped every time a plane lands or departs. The terminal features the scenic Rock of Gibraltar in its background. Though considered a British territory in which the ownership is disputed by Spain, the airport is also widely used by people going to or coming from the nearby Spanish areas of Costa del Sol and Campo de Gibraltar

10. Safra A. Catz

Safra Catz is an American businesswoman. Starting in April 2011, she is the Chief Financial Officer and Co-president of Oracle Corporation where she reports to the founder Larry Ellison. She earned her degree at the University of Pennsylvania in the year 1983. She was known for driving the efforts to acquire PeopleSoft which is their rival. She was considered the 12th most powerful businesswoman by Fortune and ranked 16th by Forbes in 2009. She had a total compensation of $51,695,742 in 2011.

9. Mark V. Hurd

Mark Hurd is a director, co-president and board member of Oracle. He was also the past chairman and president of Hewlett-Packard. He is also a member of an elite council of professionals in IT companies. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Baylor University. In the year 2008 his total compensation was $33,952,237 and in the year 2011 it went up to $51,697,623. This successful person believes in the concept of “pay for performance”.

8. David M. Zaslav

Since January 2007, he was the Chief Executive Officer and President of Discovery Communications. He was the previous executive of NBC Universal. David Zaslav earned his degree at Binghamton University and also graduated from Boston University School of Law with honors. His first profession was an attorney in New York. He played an important part in the founding of CNBC and MSNBC. His total compensation for 2011 was $52,404,119.

7. Eduardo H. Cue

Since September 2011, Eduardo Cue is the Senior Vice President of Apple, Inc. He oversees content stores of Apple like the iBook store, iTunes Store and the revolutionary App Store. He is among the veterans of Apple and is a leader of many amazing people in the company. He contributed a lot in the milestones of the company like the online store of Apple in the year 1998, in 2003 the ITunes Music Store and in the year 2008 the App store. He gained $52,952,975 total compensation in 2011.

6. Ronald B. Johnson

Ronald Johnson is currently the CEO of J.C. Penney. Before getting his recent position, He was Senior Vice President at Apple and he lead their retail operation. He was among the pioneers of the concept of Genius Bar and Apple Retail Stores. He earned his Master Degree in Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. His total compensation in 2011 reached $53,281,505.

5. Leslie Moonves

Leslie Moonves is the Chief Executive and President of the CBS Corporation. He was the director of ZeniMax Media starting from 1999. He had a chance to work with 20th Century Fox Television where he was in-charge in pay and syndication of cable programming. In the same company, he also became Vice President leading the mini-series and movies. He earned $68,422,211 as total compensation in 2011.

4. Larry J. Ellison

Larry Ellison is the chief executive and co-founder of Oracle Corporation. He is considered to be the sixth wealthiest man in the world with his stock in the Oracle Company. He was able to make a database project for the CIA which was named “Oracle”. In the year 1977 he established Software Development Laboratories together with two partners. The name of the company changed to Relational Software, Inc. and now became Oracle. His total compensation in the year 2011 is $96,160,696.

3 . Eric E. Schmidt

Eric Schmidt is a businessman, software engineer and the executive chairman of the well-known Google Company. In the year 2013, he was considered as the 138th richest person in the world. In the early days of his career, he was among the authors of Lex Software for the Unix computer OS. Starting 1997, he was the chief executive of Novell until 2001. Since 2001 he works as the CEO of Google. His estimated wealth is $8.2 billion.

2. David Simon

David Simon is a journalist, author, producer and writer of television series. He was the producer and writer of NBC series: Homicide: Life on the Street. Also, he is the one who created the television series The Wire on HBO. In the series, he served as the head writer, executive producer and show runner. He is currently the Chief Executive officer and chairman of the Simon Property Group. He earned a total compensation of $137,166,545 in 2011.

1. Tim Cook

Tim Cook is now the CEO and Business Executive of Apple Inc. Mr. Cook joined apple in the year 1998 and is the successor of the late Steve Jobs. His first designation was Senior Vice President in the company’s operation worldwide. He had done a lot of initiatives which contributed a lot to the success of the company. In 2011 he had a total compensation of $377,996,537.