Mosquitoes Kill More People Than Sharks and Snakes

Wouter

Using his expertise in technology, Bill Gates has posted an informational graphic on his blog comparing the number of people killed by various animals. Among other things, the graphic compares the number of people killed by mosquitoes, snakes, and sharks.

Mosquitoes are small enough to go unseen, but they do a lot of damage. They transmit diseases to humans and are responsible for millions of deaths every year. Aside from malaria, mosquitoes also transmit worms, chikungunya, and Zika.

In fact, mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on the planet. Mosquitoes kill more people every year than sharks and snakes combined. A female mosquito can feed on up to 200 to 300% of her own body weight in one feeding.

Mosquitoes have survived two major extinction events. They are also capable of transmitting many more diseases than sharks. A recent study from Plan International Canada found that 7 in 10 Canadians underestimate the number of deaths due to mosquitoes.

Among mosquitoes, the Anopheles mosquito is the most dangerous, carrying the disease malaria. It accounts for more than half of the total malaria deaths each year. A female mosquito can produce 50 to 500 eggs in her first brood.

The number of mosquitoes circulating in the world is 110 trillion. It is believed that this number will rise as the human population continues to grow unchecked.

The United Nations and the World Health Organization have verified the statistics. The WHO estimates that diseases kill 725,000 people annually.

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