What Eats Humans?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 06, 2023

Animals that might eat humans include bears, big cats, sharks, wolves and some large reptiles, such as crocodiles, alligators and komodo dragons. Scavengers like vultures, coyotes, hyenas, crabs and insects generally eat any dead animal they come across, which includes humans.

According to the Smithsonian, animals that prey on people are fairly rare. In addition to animals that kill people to eat them, some animals kill for territorial reasons or in self defense. These animals include hippos, which are herbivores but may be the deadliest animal in Africa. Venomous snakes are also responsible for killing people but usually do not eat them, and there have been reports of large pythons eating children.