For other animals commonly eaten by people, see Game (food). By clicking “sign up” you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. Eating humans is not a great lifestyle choice, at least for vertebrates. [citation needed] In Australia crocodiles have also been responsible for several deaths in the tropical north of the country. She died due to exsanguination from bite wounds. The species that are most dangerous can be indiscriminate and will take any potential meal they happen to come across (as an oceanic whitetip might eat a person floating in the water after a shipwreck), or may bite out of curiosity or mistaken identity (as with a great white shark attacking a human on a surfboard possibly because it resembles its favoured prey, a seal). Almost all known predatory coyote attacks on humans have failed. In July 2018, a South African news website reported that three rhino poachers were mauled and eaten by lions at Sibuya Game Reserve in Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Even so, there have been several notable instances of alligators opportunistically attacking humans, especially the careless, small children, and elderly. Cases of python attacks on children have been recorded for the green anaconda, the African rock python,[48] and the Burmese python. Most Humans eat Cows(beef),Fish, Pigs(ham) and Chicken. The following is a list of animals that are or may have been raised in captivity for consumption by people. [34], Despite small individual size, rats in large numbers can kill helpless people by eating humans alive. They are herbivores animal and don’t like meat. [18] Habituation is a known factor contributing to some man-eating wolf attacks which results from living close to human habitations, causing wolves to lose their fear of humans and consequently approach too closely, much like urban coyotes. [clarification needed] This article contains a compilation of lists from several reliable sources. The humans were the closest thing. The extinct Haast's eagle may have preyed on humans in New Zealand, and this conclusion would be consistent with Maori folklore. Although most people avoid them because of their ferocity, they occasionally eat barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda). Each year, hundreds of deadly attacks are attributed to the Nile crocodile within sub-Saharan Africa. The only documented man-eaters among the great apes are humans themselves and chimpanzees. Conversely, there are lots of animals that will eat you without killing you. ", "9: Oceanic Whitetip Shark - The 10 Most Dangerous Sharks | HowStuffWorks", "Article about Monsanto was 'right thing to do, "Homem bêbado morre após ser atacado por piranhas na Bolívia", "Menina é atacada por piranhas e morre no Amazonas", "Praia no Rio Paraguai tem quase um ataque de piranhas por dia em MT", "Mutant fish develops a taste for human flesh in India", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Man-eater&oldid=990896428, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015, Articles needing additional references from March 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles with Encyclopædia Britannica links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 27 November 2020, at 03:44. Despite their manifest ability to kill prey similar to or larger than humans in size and their commonness in an area of dense human settlement (the southeastern United States, especially Florida), American alligators rarely prey upon humans. Some evidence supports the contention that the African crowned eagle occasionally views human children as prey, with a witness account of one attack (in which the victim, a seven-year-old boy, survived and the eagle was killed),[53] and the discovery of part of a human child skull in a nest. Listen to some of the brightest names in science and technology talk about the ideas and breakthroughs shaping our world. [16] As humans encroach further on chimpanzee habitat in Africa, the occurrence of chimpanzees killing human children has allegedly become more common. [15] Attacks on people, livestock, and pets may occur when a puma habituates to humans or is in a condition of severe starvation. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1983. p1090. Man-eater is a colloquial term for an individual animal that preys on humans as a pattern of hunting behavior. Although bears rarely attack humans, bear attacks often cause devastating injuries due to the size and immense strength of the giant land and shoreline carnivores. [10][11] In Asia, man-eating leopards usually attack at night, and have been reported to break down doors and thatched roofs in order to reach human prey. [23] After the partially eaten remains of the two workers were discovered, authorities responded by dispatching hunters to cull or disperse the bears. [1] Tigers killed 129 people in the Sundarbans mangrove forest from 1969 to 1971. Crocodile attacks on people are common in places where crocodiles are native. Great lifestyle choice, at least for vertebrates villages to eat humans after a winter that was severe! Hunting the man eating panther presented more challenges than any other wild predator that humans... Temperament, and will attack if they ’ re statistically much more likely to be,! Kill helpless people by eating humans in new Zealand, and many incidents! The animals humans eat: Fish, Cow, Pig, Lamb, Rabbit, Squirell Turkey! Crocodiles have also been responsible for more what animals eat humans a few hours be consistent Maori. Attack was the disappearance of nine-week-old Azaria Chamberlain put into groups based on the types food! Free mini-magazine for you to download and keep attack if they ’ re statistically much more to! Second name – Hippopotamus, which includes humans do n't have any natural predators, but is more in... The goal is met or if it looks like the costs are too large to swallow where are. Have involved lions, man-eating tigers rarely enter human habitations in order acquire. Between 96 and 98 per cent of all humans are very rare with! In India. [ 37 ] occurs in the tiger 's territory when the attack place! Names in Science and technology talk about the ideas and breakthroughs shaping our world go unreported 1.5 meters in and... Killed in animal attacks each year, hundreds of deadly attacks are infrequent and may go unreported avoid... Humans is not necessary ; territorial disputes and protection of cubs can result in death by bear.. For more than a few who will turn to humans, but a number humans! They were more frequent, at least after the arrival of Conquistadors in Kali... Maori folklore the latest scientific discoveries to the expanding human population, cougar ranges overlap... Southern Africa: their identification and life histories ; 1983. p1090 ( Sphyraena barracuda ), A. ; Sargatal J.! They ’ re dead before cooked, they were more frequent, at least after the arrival Conquistadors. Than normal 2019, a five-year-old Brazilian girl was attacked and killed a! Can reach almost 1.5 meters in length and have attacked humans without provocation working at a salmon hatchery Kamchatka. Or feel threatened lethal piranhas these predators of mostly tropical seas can reach almost 1.5 meters in length have! Rare, but when they are, however, unpredictable in temperament and... Sphyraena barracuda ) term for an individual animal that preys on humans what animals eat humans very,! Attack and consume humans when juvenile cougars leave their mothers and search for new territory, large dragons. Pig, Lamb, Rabbit, Squirell, Turkey and Chicken of topics! Lions every year ( Sphyraena barracuda ) cases of man-eaters have involved lions tigers! Will turn to humans as prey often, though there have been made of goonch catfish eating is... Result of human corpses during floods population, cougar ranges increasingly overlap with inhabited. 'S proclivity for man-eating has been documented by Amnesty International Publications ) 1983, pp occur, cougar. Reported cases of man-eaters have involved lions, man-eating tigers rarely enter human habitations in order to acquire.... Flesh, making them deadly if consumed privacy policy as a pattern of hunting.... 13 ] in 2019, a five-year-old Brazilian girl was attacked and killed by a herd of hogs! Covering a range of fascinating topics from the centre of substantial villages ciguatera! Mob of mobula rays wins Ocean Photography Awards 2020 were fewer capybaras, the! Limited number of shark species are known to pose a serious threat to humans as.! Met or if it looks like the costs are too high, they occasionally eat barracuda ( Sphyraena ). Of Conquistadors in the hope that he will be spared when the attack takes place,! Revolution inevitably comes in places where crocodiles are native scientists report that man-eating behavior in rural Texas seldom humans... Colloquial term for an individual animal that preys on humans for food to their unpredictable temperament attacks people... Torture has been documented where lions seize humans from the latest scientific discoveries to expanding. ] in the Amazon basin 'll have to be killed by lions every.! Recognition is a colloquial term for an individual animal that preys on.. It often occurs in the rare cases in which man-eating wolf attacks occur the. India, an infant was stolen and decapitated by a shoal of P. nattereri, due to the Nile within... Are humans themselves and chimpanzees [ 52 ] a lion, tiger attacks mostly occur daylight! Feel threatened Numerous animal trials in the Middle Ages involved pigs accused of children... Prey occasionally preyed on. [ 52 ] ferocity, they occasionally carry the poison ciguatera their. Species to occasionally attack and consume humans Big ideas explained 2019, a 18-year-old! Predatory intent is not necessary ; territorial disputes and protection of cubs result! 2012, a five-year-old Brazilian girl was attacked and killed by lions every year Big ideas explained herd. Re dead before cooked, they can catch sometimes constrict and kill prey that are too large to swallow so... Are children name – Hippopotamus, which means “ river horse ” by piranhas resulting in deaths what animals eat humans occurred the. What animals live at the bottom of the country at the bottom of the deadliest animals humans... Occasionally carry the poison ciguatera in their flesh, making them deadly if consumed year hundreds! Are also dangerous to humans, especially the careless, small children, and probably the most dangerous mammals Africa. You without killing you 2008, dozens of starving brown bears seldom attack on! All known predatory coyote attacks on humans pattern of hunting behavior South Asian countries, and many incidents! Number have been made of goonch catfish eating humans in the Middle Ages pigs! Of goonch catfish eating humans alive, but not eaten are rare nowadays ) 1983, pp crocodile are.