Ranking 5 Of The Deadliest Wetlands In The World Based On Their Wildlife

Wetlands are some of the most ecologically abundant places on earth, with some wetland ecosystems being the most biodiverse places on this planet. As well as providing a clean source of fresh water, they also provide food for both plants and meat eaters. And wetlands also act as safe breeding sites for many aquatic and semi-aquatic animals. Because most large wetlands are extremely competitive and brutal ecosystems, they can be very dangerous places to inhabit, especially if you aren't perfectly adapted to swampy environments. You have to keep a look out for large predators and venomous animals, and even some herbivores aren't best pleased when they encounter humans. In today's video I'll be going through just a few of the most dangerous wetlands in the world, and I'll be judging them solely based on their wildlife. Without further ado we can head over to our first wetland ecosystem, and we'll start off with a rather cold one. The Sea of Ahotsk wetlands can be found along the Kamchatka peninsula, and at first they don't appear to be too dangerous at all. The wetlands consist of wide open steppes separated with dark cold waters, and past the beaches lies the Sea of Ahotsk. Because of the climate you're not going to find predatory sharks or giant crocodiles, and instead it's waters are mostly full of anadromous fish such as salmon. Of course these fish are not a risk to humans in any way whatsoever, but in a way they are dangerous because of the animals that they attract. It's no secret that bears love feasting on salmon, and during the salmon run the Ahotsk wetlands are overrun with giant brown bears. Kamchatka brown bears are the largest brown bear subspecies in Eurasia, and they are one of the largest bears in the world. The maximum weight of a Kamchatka bear is only around 50 kilograms lighter than the largest Kodiak bear, and this means that they aren't an animal to be messed with. The Kodiak bears of North America are actually very closely related to the Kamchatka bears, and they do live very similar lives to each other. Most of their diets are made up of plant matter and fish such as salmon and trout, but if food is scarce they become desperate and they are more likely to attack. Even though Kamchatka bears are rarely a threat to people, their size means that they could easily dispatch a human, and there have been a few fatal attacks over the years. One researcher found that only 1% of his 270 encounters with these bears resulted in attacks, and fortunately the fact that we have this information means that he survived the 2.7 attacks. The most famous case took place in 2008, when a group of 30 starving bears surrounded a coal mining compound, claiming the lives of two guards. The cold waters of the Kamchatka peninsula make it very difficult to effectively traverse the environment, and because it's almost impossible to outrun a brown bear as a human, if a bear wants to catch you, it will. There are also healthy wolf populations in the area, but wolves are very rarely a threat to humans, and attacks in the Kamchatka wetlands are almost unheard of. Apart from the giant bears and wolves, the Ohotsk wetlands are relatively safe if you ignore the climate, and they are on par with the wetlands across the Bering Sea in Alaska and Canada. This shouldn't really come as a surprise as the two landmasses were once connected, and this explains the similarities of the two ecosystems. The wolves and bears mean that the Ohotsk wetlands slot in at number 5, but really they should share this spot with the wetlands in Alaska and Canada too. The Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland area, and it's also the world's largest flooded grassland. It's one of the best places to spot South American wildlife, and it's also loved by fishermen all over the world. South America is home to more species of freshwater fish than any other continent, and some of them are capable of claiming human lives. The arapaima has no interest in humans at all, but if you try to catch them they are known to jump, and a flying arapaima can be a fatal bony missile. Piranhas have garnered a deadly reputation mostly due to how they're portrayed in Hollywood films, but in reality they rarely bite humans unless they're desperate, and people swim in waters full of piranhas all the time. Electric eels are more of a threat to life, but as they have no interest in humans, you'll only be on the receiving end of a shock if you try to catch them. The Pantanal's reptiles are far more deadly than its fish, and some of the scaly predators that can be found here are among the largest of their kind. The black caiman is the world's largest alligatoroid, and it's by far the deadliest caiman to humans. Most attacks go unreported due to the remoteness of their natural habitat, and as many fishermen work alone, they often disappear without a trace. Attacks are still relatively rare, but if you're grabbed by a fully grown adult, you stand little chance. The two green anacondas are the heaviest snakes in the world, and despite their man-eating reputation, there has never been a confirmed report of a green anaconda killing and consuming a human. Despite this, they are more than capable of doing so, and they'll target pretty much any animal in their ecosystem, including other large predators. By far the most iconic predator of the Pantanal is the jaguar, and these cats are surprisingly fond of the water. They often patrol this wetland ecosystem looking for capybara and caiman, and in some cases they'll even go after young anaconda. If they wanted to, they could easily hunt man, but jaguars are one of the least aggressive big cats towards humans. The vast majority of attacks are provoked, and the jaguar's elusive nature means that they rarely approach human inhabited areas. In the Pantanal, danger can come in many different forms, but you'd be a very unlucky person to lose your life to an animal here. For this reason, the Pantanal slots in at number four, and it's not the safest place to go for a leisurely swim. The Everglades is a vast subtropical wilderness in the south of Florida, and it's known for both its native and non-native wildlife. Florida is famously a hub for invasive species, and some of the predators that have invaded the ecosystem are arguably more deadly than the native species. Alligators are among the most iconic animals that can be found in the Everglades, and even though they do occasionally claim the lives of humans, they aren't as aggressive as most people think. There are an estimated 5 million alligators in North America today, but there have only been 10 fatal attacks since the year 2020, with there only being around 7 unprovoked alligator attacks a year. Alligators aren't the only native crocodilians that you'll need to look out for, as these waters are also home to the American Crocodile. This crocodilian is among the largest in the world, with some specimens reaching over 6 meters in length. You'd assume that these creatures would be some of the deadliest animals in the Everglades, but strangely they aren't for two main reasons. The American Crocodiles in the Everglades don't get anywhere near as large as they do in Central America, and American Crocs aren't as aggressive towards humans as other crocodiles. Despite this, they have been known to attack humans, but fatal attacks in the Everglades are almost unheard of. There are other, less dangerous native reptiles such as snapping turtles and venomous snakes, and even though they are dangerous, it's very unlikely that these animals will kill you. The native freshwater fish aren't really much of a danger at all, but there are saltwater fish that also patrol these waters looking for food. Bull sharks are responsible for the most near shore shark attacks, and they are known for their ability to travel hundreds of miles up rivers. Because the Everglades ecosystem is full of fish, they frequently enter its waters, and if you're really unlucky, you could find yourself on the end of their jaws. Lemon sharks can also be found in the parts of the Everglades that are close to the ocean, and one infamous clip shows why it's important to be cautious when releasing fish. The Florida Panther is a relatively shy and elusive cat, and there are only around 200 of these animals left in the wild. These predators could cause you problems if you came face to face with a large one, but if you're a beefcake, you should be able to fight them off. Some of the non-native predators of the Everglades are fully capable of taking down a human, but thankfully not all of these animals are found in large numbers. Nile crocodiles have been found in the Everglades, and these crocodilians claim the lives of more humans than any other crocodile. Thankfully only a few have ever been spotted, but the same can't be said for the Burmese Python. There are an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 Burmese pythons living in the Everglades, and even though they have been known to take down humans in their native range, nobody has ever been killed by wild pythons in Florida. The Everglades is not a dangerous wetland because of one threat in particular, but rather because there are so many potentially dangerous animals that are found in large numbers. For this reason, the Everglades slots in at number 3. But some may argue that the Florida man is far more dangerous than any of the animals featured. The Okavango Delta is one of Africa's most vibrant ecosystems, and many of the continent's giants can be seen drinking and wallowing here. Africa's largest herbivores are relatively safe in these waters, but it's a different story if you're a human sized animal. The terrifying tigerfish can be found in the southern parts of the delta, but fortunately these toothy fish only have eyes for other fish. Bullsharks aren't as prevalent as they are in other wetland ecosystems, but there is a far more dangerous predator lurking beneath the surface. Around 63% of Nile crocodile attacks on humans are fatal, and they are thought to kill hundreds of people each year across Africa. There are an estimated 3,000 Nile crocodiles in the Okavango Delta, so even paddling in these waters is a very bad idea. This ecosystem also boasts 1,200 lions, and the lions in this area are known for being larger and stronger than they are in other parts of Africa. Fatal attacks on humans are still extremely rare, and in 2020 in the Okavango Delta, one researcher survived an attack thanks to his naked friend running to his aid. Unlike the previous wetland ecosystems, it's not only the predators that you need to look out for, as the herbivores aren't too fond of humans either. Elephants do claim the lives of hundreds of people in Africa each year, but this is mostly due to human-elephant conflict. The African buffalo can also be found in the Okavango Delta, with them sometimes forming herds of over 1,000. Because they are found in such a competitive ecosystem, they are known for being extremely aggressive, and around 200 people lose their lives to these animals each year. By far the deadliest herbivore in the region is the hippo, and there are around 12,000 hippos across this wetland ecosystem. Hippos are notorious for their unpredictable and aggressive behaviour, and they are at their most dangerous when they're in the water. It turns out that you're not even safe when you're on top of the water, as they have been known to charge boats, throwing people into the air. In the Okavango Delta, danger waits for you both on the land and in the water, with most animals having a long list of victims under their belt. In a lot of places around the world, it can feel like humans are almost completely removed from the food chain. But in Africa, and especially in the Okavango, you are frequently reminded that you could be next on the menu. For this reason, it slots in at a close number 2. And for our final wetland, we'll be heading over to Asia. The Sundarbans is a mangrove and wetland area that spans across India and Bangladesh, and it's known for being an extremely dangerous area in terms of wildlife. Its mangrove habitats provide protection for many fish and crustacean species, but the presence of these animals also attracts predators. Bull sharks often hunt small fish in these waters, and they've proven that they'll also take bites out of humans from time to time. The Ganges shark also calls this ecosystem home, but these animals are so rare that we only have a few images of them. India is also a hotspot for fatal snake attacks, and even though its snakes don't have the most toxic venom in the world, the lack of anti-venom and medical facilities in remote areas results in a large number of deaths. A number of India's deadliest snakes can also be found in these murky waters, including the King Cobra, Russell's Viper, Kraits and Pythons. The saltwater crocodile is far more dangerous than any shark or snake that can be found in these waters, as they are the largest crocodilian in the world and view humans as prey. It's estimated that they claim the lives of around 40-50 people a year in the Indian section of the Sunderbans, and fishermen are their most common targets. The smaller mugger crocodile can be found a little further inland, and even though they are nowhere near as large as the saltwater crocodile, they still claim the lives of several people a year. Crocodiles are common threats in many of the world's tropical wetlands, but the Sunderbans is home to an assassin that most people wouldn't think of as a wetland predator. The tiger is the largest and deadliest big cat in the world, and the Sunderbans is home to over 100 individuals. The tigers in this area have learnt to hunt and navigate in this muddy wetland ecosystem, and for reasons we are still trying to understand, they are more likely to hunt humans than tigers in other parts of the world. Between 1947 and 1983, an average of 23 people a year were killed by tigers in the region, and this often results in retaliation killings. Strangely, the tigers in this wetland ecosystem are smaller and slimmer than tigers in other parts of India, but I guess this proves that size isn't everything when it comes to being a man eater. Even on the water, it can be hard to escape, as they are strong swimmers and can keep up with small fishing boats. The Sunderbans are some of the most important strongholds for tigers in the world, but it's hard to get the local people to care when their own lives are at risk because of them. This wetland ecosystem is easily the deadliest in the world, as there are simply so many apex predators that have proven that they are more than happy to hunt humans. Of course there are a few other wetlands that could have featured in this video, so if you think you know of any, then let me know down in the comments below. But for now, thank you for watching, and I'll see you next time.