Animals that hunt humans include alligators, bears, snakes, eagles, and catfish.
Animals that hunt humans are not something you hear about every day. In fact, most people think that animals would never attack human beings because we’re the largest and strongest creatures on Earth.
But as it turns out, there are many animals in this world who could easily kill a human with little to no effort at all.
Animals That Hunt Humans Attack Count
Individual man-eater death tolls include:
- 436 — Champawat tiger (Nepal/India)
- 400 — Leopard of Panar (Northern India)
- 300+ — Gustave (crocodile) (Burundi), rumoured
- 150 — Leopard of the Central Provinces of India
- 135 — Tsavo’s man-eating lions (Kenya)
- 125+ — Leopard of Rudraprayag (India)
- 113 — Beast of Gévaudan (France)
- 50+ — Tigers of Chowgarh (India)
- 42 — Leopard of Gummalapur (India)
- 22 — Kirov wolf attacks (Russia) and Wolves of Turku (Finland)
- 18 — Beast of Sarlat (likely a rabid wolf) (France)
- 17 — Wolves of Ashta (India)
- 15 — Tigress of Jowlagiri (Jowlagiri)
- 13 — Wolves of Hazaribagh (India)
- 12 — Wolf of Gysinge (Sweden) and sloth bear of Mysore (India)
- 11 — Port St-John Shark Attacks (South Africa Second Beach 2001–Present)
- 7 — Tiger of Mundachipallam (South India) and Sankebetsu brown bear incident (Japan)
- 6 — Mfuwe man eating lion (Zambia) and Crocodile of Bang Mood (Thailand)
- 4 — Wolf of Soissons (France) and Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 (North New Jersey)
- 3 — Leopard of the Yellagiri Hills (India)
Examples of Animals that Hunt Humans
1. African Crowned Eagle
| Scientific Name | Stephanoaetus coronatus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Africa |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The African crowned eagle is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. They have incredibly powerful talons, which they use to snatch up prey (including humans) with ease.
These eagles are known to attack people who wander too close to their nests and have even been known to kill small children.
2. Alligators
| Scientific Name | Alligator |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | the United States from North Carolina to the Rio Grande in Texas |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Alligators are the perfect example of an animal that is capable of hunting humans. Gator attacks are common enough in Florida, but what most people don’t know is that alligators also live on every other continent except and Antarctica.
Alligators are some of the most feared animals in the world, and for good reason. They have incredibly powerful jaws that can snap a human’s leg like a twig.
And their razor-sharp teeth can easily puncture through skin and bone.
3. American Black Bears
| Scientific Name | Ursus americanus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North American |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The American black bear is the smallest species of bear in North America, but that doesn’t mean they’re not a force to be reckoned with.
These bears can weigh up to 600 pounds and have been known to kill people by mauling them or crushing their skulls. They are also excellent climbers, which allows them to get into positions where they can attack humans.
Usually, the black bear will avoid humans at all costs, but if it’s desperate or afraid for its life, it may attack, and if it wins the fight, it will feast on you!
4. Asian Black Bears
| Scientific Name | Ursus thibetanus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Himalayas, Southeast Asia, and parts of eastern Asia |
| Diet | Omnivore |
When most people think of bears, they imagine a large creatures with sharp claws and teeth. It’s terrifying to know that the Asian black bear is one such animal that is known to hunt humans on occasions.
These creatures can weigh anywhere from 100-230 lbs., live in South-Eastern Asia, and feast on berries, fruit, insects like honeybees or ants, and small mammals.
5. Brown Bears
| Scientific Name | Ursus arctos |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North America |
| Diet | Omnivore |
In North America, brown bears are known to hunt humans, especially in the fall when they need to eat a lot of food for their upcoming hibernation. Most of the time, they are typically shy around people, but if they feel threatened or cornered, they can become very aggressive and attack.
6. Catfish
| Scientific Name | Siluriformes |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Yes, the fish you see at pet stores and aquariums could easily kill a human.
The reason why? Because catfish have razor-sharp teeth.
This is actually called an “oral barrel catch” which it uses to its prey. It has been known for some species of catfish to attack people who are swimming, and even fishermen who are trying to catch them.
7. Chimpanzees
| Scientific Name | Pan troglodytes |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Congo River to western Uganda and western Tanzania |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The only documented man-eaters among the great apes are humans themselves and chimpanzees.
As humans encroach further on chimpanzee habitats, the occurrence of them killing human children has allegedly become more common.
8. Cougars
| Scientific Name | Puma concolor |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Canada south to Patagonia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
One of the most common animals that hunt humans are the cougar. Cougars are known for being incredibly fast and agile, which makes them a deadly predator to anyone they encounter.
While there are several reasons why cougars might choose to hunt humans, one of the most common explanations is that they simply see us as an easy target. With our large size and lack of speed, we’re an easy meal to take down.
9. Coyotes
| Scientific Name | Canis latrans |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | United States and Canada |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Most predatory coyote attacks on people have failed.
To date, aside from the Kelly Keen and Taylor Mitchell coyote attacks, all others have survived by fighting, fleeing, or being rescued, and only in the latter case was the victim partially eaten; however, this occurred in Nova Scotia (where eastern coyotes live).
10. Crocodiles
| Scientific Name | Crocodylinae |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Crocodiles are one of the most notorious animals when it comes to hunting humans. With their razor-sharp teeth and powerful jaws, crocodiles can easily take down a human being.
They have been known to attack people who are swimming or wading in the water, as well as those who are walking along the shoreline.
11. Dingoes
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus dingo |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Australia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The dingo is a wild dog that is found in Australia. They are not considered to be an aggressive species, but they have been known to attack and kill humans on occasion.
Attacks on humans by dingoes are rare, with only two recorded fatalities in Australia.
12. Domestic Dogs
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
It may come as a shock, but domestic dogs are responsible for more human deaths than any other animal on this list.
They account for about one-third of all fatal attacks in the United States every year. This is because many people think that their dog will never attack them or somebody they love, so it’s okay to approach and play with them.
Humans are frequently killed by packs of stray dogs, but they do not eat humans. And most of the time the attack is caused by human misconduct.
13. Hyenas
| Scientific Name | Hyaenidae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | north and northeast Africa, the Middle East, and Asia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
One of the scariest animals that hunt humans are probably the hyena. These large, predatory mammals are known for their horrid laughs and miserable howls.
However, what most people don’t know about them is that they will eat almost anything. They love to eat land animals like gazelles or zebras but are also known to feast on human flesh if the opportunity arises.
And when it comes to hunting, hyenas are incredibly efficient and ruthless. They work together in packs to take down their prey, and have even been known to steal food from lions!
14. Jackals
| Scientific Name | Canis aureus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Open savannas, deserts, and arid grasslands |
| Diet | Omnivore |
In Murshidabad’s Farakka, a nine-year-old boy was believed to have been killed by jackals according to reports.
The horrific attack was seen by a neighbor who saw the child’s “half-eaten body” being dragged by the pack of jackals.
15. Jaguars
| Scientific Name | Panthera onca |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | extreme southern Arizona and New Mexico in the United States |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Jaguars are one of the most powerful cats in existence. They are equipped with razor-sharp teeth that can easily tear through flesh, and claws which they use to ravage their prey before finishing them off by biting into their necks.
Jaguars hunting humans are not as common as they use to be due to the fact that humans are more vigilant and the fact that their population has declined in recent years.
16. Komodo Dragons
| Scientific Name | Varanus komodoensis |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Indonesian islands of the Lesser Sunda group |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The Komodo Dragon is one of the largest and most deadly lizards in the world. With razor-sharp teeth and a powerful jaw, these animals can easily take down prey that is much larger than themselves.
And since they reside on several islands in Indonesia they have been known to hunt and consume humans.
17. Leopards
| Scientific Name | Panthera pardus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | sub-Saharan Africa |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Leopards are one of the animals that hunt humans. They are incredibly fast and agile and can climb trees with ease.
Leopards have been known to attack people who are walking alone in the forest or those who are camping out in the wilderness.
One leopard in India hunted and killed over 200 people.
18. Lions
| Scientific Name | Panthera leo |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The reason lions are on this list is that they are known to hunt humans when given the opportunity.
Lions tend to hunt in groups, and one of their hunting strategies is to separate members of a herd from the rest so that it’s easier for them to attack.
One single lion can’t take down an adult male human by itself, and you definitely don’t want to be alone in the African jungle with a group of hungry lions.
19. Pigs
| Scientific Name | Sus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Pigs, unlike lions and tigers, are not strict carnivores, however, they are capable hunters that can kill and consume helpless humans unable to flee them. In the Middle Ages, pigs were accused of eating children in several animal trials.
A woman was killed by a herd of wild hogs in rural Texas in 2019. She died as a result of exsanguination.
20. Piranhas
| Scientific Name | Pygocentrus nattereri |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | South America |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Piranhas are a great example of an animal that is known to hunt and kill humans. These fish are notorious for their razor-sharp teeth, which can easily slice through human flesh.
They often travel in packs, making them even more deadly.
21. Polar Bears
| Scientific Name | Ursus maritimus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Arctic |
| Diet | Carnivore |
7Polar bears are the first animal that comes to mind when thinking of animals that hunt humans. They are incredibly powerful creatures and have no problem taking down prey much larger than themselves.
In fact, polar bears have been known to hunt and eat human beings on occasion.
In July 2008, dozens of starving polar bears killed two geologists who were conducting research at a salmon hatchery in Kamchatka.
22. Rats
| Scientific Name | Rattus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Omnivore |
Rats may seem small and insignificant, but they can actually be very dangerous. They are known to carry many diseases, including the deadly bubonic plague, and they often hunt in packs so they can take down larger prey.
Rats have also been known to attack human babies and even adults when they’re desperate enough, or if the human is near death.
23. Sharks
| Scientific Name | Selachimorpha |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Sharks are one of the most dangerous animals in this world, and they are also responsible for many human fatalities every year.
On average, around 2 people lose their lives to shark attacks each season in the United States due to shark attacks.
24. Snakes
| Scientific Name | Serpentes |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Worldwide |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Snakes an animal that has always been thought to be relatively harmless, but there are actually many kinds of snakes that can easily kill a human.
For example, the black mamba snake is one of Africa’s most venomous creatures and it would only take about 20 minutes for its neurotoxic venom to cause death in humans.
The king cobra snake is also extremely dangerous and can kill a human in about one hour.
Only a few snakes are physically capable of swallowing an adult human. Despite numerous reports of giant snakes consuming adults, only a small number have been verified.
An adult was found entombed in a 7-meter (23-foot) python in Indonesia in 2017, and on June 14th, 2018, a 54-year-old woman named Wa Tiba was hunted and eaten by a reticulated python.
25. Tigers
| Scientific Name | Panthera tigris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Asia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Tigers are easily the most well-known predators who hunt humans. Tigers are known to inhabit a wide range of habitats, from forests to savannas to even mangrove swamps. And as apex predators, tigers have no natural enemies—except for humans.
In fact, tigers have been known to hunt and kill people who venture too close into their territory.
26. Wolves
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa |
| Diet | Carnivore |
Wolves were some of the first animals to ever hunt humans. They would typically attack people in order to get food, but wolves are famous for their ferocity and pack mentality throughout history.
Even today, there are many cases that involve a wolf traveling on its own into town or city limits looking for human prey.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.