Animal Dangers.

[cbr6fs]

Spiders and snakes? Not really. The most dangerous European snake is the Adder, and the most dangerous spider is a Black Widow. Neither are forest dwellers.

I think the fear of humans may be unfounded too?

Looked into this a while ago as a hiker was killed by a snake bite on a local mountain so i wanted to research what type of snake it was and how i can best spot it and avoid.

The vast vast majority of snake bite deaths in Europe were caused by the Vipera ammodytes.

I found it extremely difficult to find a good source of data on bites, as i say there was a guy killed on a local mountain a couple of years ago, but i wasn't able to find any statistics with this indecent included.

Plus i'm guessing that most snakes scuttle off after biting so identification is tough.


With the Vipera ammodytes it's a triple threat because:
a/ It's extremely venomous
b/ It tends to dig in and defend rather than scuttle off
c/ It settles in trees and bushes at around chest height so extremely difficult to spot and if it bites the venom is injected closer to your body mass so more difficult to tourniquet off.

Chances of being bitten by one are extremely small, to be honest i do keep and eye out though, as i say we had one fatality from a bite a few years ago on Mount Parnitha, a mountain on the outskirts of Athens that i spend a LOT of time MTBing and hiking on.

Not sure how fast the strike reactions are, but if i'm cycling through dense single track there is no way i'd spot one quick enough to stop or taking avoiding action.
Hopefully i'd be past before it noticed me.

 

[Martti]

Was having an interesting discussion with a friend about the various threats out there when venturing into the bush in Europe. Obviously the biggest threat we have when out in the wild is Homo Sapiens, But what others might we find in Europe?

Between years 1993 and 2012, moose killed 119 persons in Finland. Between years 1998 and 2005, cattle killed four, horses three and sheeps one person(s). Between years 1998 and 2006, dogs killed 10 persons. Bears have killed four persons during the last few decades.

Since year 1882, no person has been killed by a wolf in Finland.

 

[JonathanD]

Spiders and snakes? Not really. The most dangerous European snake is the Adder.

Far from it. There are a few European vipers whose venom and yield size is far more potent than the adder (V.berus). You have the Asp (V.aspis), Nose-horned viper (above :You_Rock_), and most dangerous of all the Ottoman viper (V.xanthina) and Milos Viper (V.schweizeri). There are a few other species of viper prevalent in Europe, but the latter three should be considered considerably dangerous and deadly unless treatment is sought immediately. They all look very similar too.

 

[Didgeridoohan]

Between years 1993 and 2012, moose killed 119 persons in Finland. Between years 1998 and 2005, cattle killed four, horses three and sheeps one person(s). Between years 1998 and 2006, dogs killed 10 persons. Bears have killed four persons during the last few decades.

Since year 1882, no person has been killed by a wolf in Finland.

Statistics are fun! Here are some from Sweden between 1997 and 2013:

• 
  Total number of deaths: 1 568 077
  
  Deaths on the road (including pedestrians, cyklists, motorcyklists, driver or passenger of car, lorry, bus, etc): 7 651
  
  Deaths by hitting a moose with your vehicle: 130​
  
  Deaths by other people (not only murders): 1 510
  
  Deaths by animal or plant: 96
  
  Deaths by dog: 4​
  Deaths by other mammal: 48​
  Deaths by marine mammal: 1​
  Deaths by contact with poisinous animal or plant: 44​

Unfortunately I couldn't find any specific statistics over animal deaths by moose or other animal.

There have been no deaths by wolf in Sweden since 1821 (in the wild, there have been deaths by wolfs kept in captivity).

Between 1977 and 2012 there were 31 bear attacks. Since 1902 three people have been killed by bears in Sweden.

 

[xylaria]

The uk for 2010
Deaths from road traffic accidents 1970
Deaths from dogs 3
Deaths from other animals 4 of which two are cow related.
Deaths from hornets bees and wasps 5
Deaths from exposure 61
Deaths from drugs and alcohol poisoning 638
Nobody died from lighting or contact with wild animals.

I cant recall anyone getting killed by wild mammals unless it is a car hitting a deer. Adder bites kill less than a hand full a century. A few years ago a kid said he got bit on the head by a big cat. It wasnt lethal.

 

[sandbender]

"...Nobody died from lighting..."

Decent electrical standards you see, over here you can get an electric shock just by standing and looking at your consumer unit.

 

[trade axe]

Up in the north there are a few critters that could ruin my day, but incidents are rare, particularly if you take minimal precautions. It is likely not a good practice to roll and frolic with a mother bears spring cub. But down south were I now live the worst danger beside weather exposure is a tick bite. Ticks are on the upswing around here and Lyme disease is not a fun ride. I had a lot of ticks on me this year and I am starting to become much more concerned about them. Next spring I am taking my precautions to a higher level.

 

[Bigfoot]

One from a US forum I frequent and one form of caterpillar I hadn't heard of (if anyone thinks I have a thing about caterpillars, I don't, honestly )

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic...ab=-&at_pos=0&at_tot=4&at_si=541ca82bfa0787bb