Why do animals attack humans in the wild?
No one wants to be eaten by a living random creature alone in the wild, however, until it receives a bite from an angry raccoon. Animal attacks occur all the time, ranging in intensity. In extreme cases, people are eaten alive. In most cases, a few bites or scratches are received. What most people don't know is that there are 3 main reasons why animals attack. If you understand these three reasons, you can take care of yourself when dealing with wildlife or going for a deep nature walk. Here are the three reasons why animals attack (and what to do about it).
Show key points
- Animal attacks can vary in severity, from minor scratches to being eaten alive, and are more common than most people realize
- The first reason animals attack is for food, especially when they sense weakness or scarcity pushes them to hunt humans
- Animals may also attack out of fear or defensiveness, particularly when protecting their young or feeling their territory is threatened
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- Reckless human behavior, like getting too close for photos, often provokes animal aggression, especially in places like national parks
- A third reason for attacks is abnormal behavior caused by illness, such as rabies, which makes animals irrationally aggressive
- Educating yourself about local wildlife and maintaining safe interactions can significantly reduce the risk of dangerous encounters
- If you are bitten or scratched, seek immediate medical attention, as rabies and other diseases can be fatal if untreated.
1. Food
Nature is a cruel and ruthless place. Many animals must feed on other living animals in order to survive and reproduce. When times are particularly difficult, animals that don't usually hunt humans may turn towards us. These types of attacks are not the most common, but if they happen, the animal comes fiercely, quickly and ruthless - it wants you as food! People who are attacked for food-related reasons are usually younger or older, and show obvious signs of weakness that attract a predator. Some studies have suggested that when an animal eats a human, it acquires a taste for human blood and favors humans. While this may sound silly like a Hollywood movie, it actually has some validity. Human blood is saltier than deer blood, and it has been observed that many creatures (such as cheetahs in Africa/Asia) that have tasted human blood suddenly hunt humans. However, these types of attacks are rare. When in the wild, don't leave food containers open that can attract wild creatures. If this happens and you see a wild creature approaching, don't fight or scramble. Just let them and let them eat the food you left so they don't eat you either. In case you are attacked for this reason, it is best to fight fiercely. There are no rules in nature, kick between the legs of the animal and open its eyes. No predator likes to eat resistant prey! Again, these types of attacks are very rare. Being in a group of humans greatly reduces the chance of such an attack occurring.
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2. Fear/Defense
The most common type of animal attack is the animal's feeling of fear – whether it's to defend its young, to attack when it feels threatened, or to feel that its territory is being encroached. Recent studies involving wild animal attacks have indicated that more than half of all animal attacks on humans involve reckless behavior on the part of humans. For example, in Yellowstone National Park, many people engage in risky behavior in order to secure a selfie with a wild creature, such as a wolf herd or bear. Animals have no idea you just want a picture... Approaching a creature will surely scare her! If a wild creature has young, it will be very aggressive, for fear of attacking its young. For example, female bears with cubs will be very aggressive if you approach them. They are afraid that their cubs will eat (this happens in nature, other predators love to hunt cubs). The most important thing to realize while in nature is that you may approach the territory of another creature. In most cases, when dealing with wild animals that seem aggressive, you should quietly stay out of the way. Don't run, or you'll spark her attacking instinct. Don't attack or become too aggressive (although this may be the best case if you are attacked). The best thing to do is research the species of wild creatures in your area, or where you hike, and understand how to treat each common species of wild animal individually. For example, some animals respond well to intimidation, while others will become more aggressive! In general, the vast majority of animal attacks involve fear on the part of animals; they fear that they or their young, or approaching their territory will attack and frighten them!
3. Crazy creatures
Finally, the third most common type of wild animal attack involves a "crazy" animal. Rabies comes to mind here, but it can include any kind of disease/problem that makes a calm animal so aggressive. For example, rabies affects the central nervous system, causing aggressiveness and delusions. In humans, strange symptoms such as fear of water (hydrophobia!) have been observed. Have you ever felt hungry, tired, thirsty and attacked a friend? The same can happen with wild animals, but they are not attacked with their words but with their jaws. An animal, hungry, tired, thirsty, sick, or suffering will be more likely to attack humans out of fear or unnatural aggression, just as we humans can be rude to each other for no apparent reason (to the receiving individual) in similar circumstances. The best way to deal with this type of scenario is to avoid the problem altogether. Just like a psychopath, you can't argue with an aggressive creature because of circumstances beyond your control.
What if I get attacked?
As always, our advice to you if you are bitten or scratched is to go to the hospital and ask for a professional medical opinion. Rabies mortality is 99% if not treated promptly, so take care of yourself in case you get bitten!
