Pennsylvania is ranked eighth nationally for the largest number of deaths through wildlife attacks from 1999 to 2019.
Through those 20 years, Pennsylvania saw 148 wildlife-related deaths, according to Outforia, a website that bills itself as “here to curate, recommend and review all the best nature and outdoor resources.”
From No. 1 to No. 10 the top states are Texas, 520 fatalities; California, 299; Florida, 247; North Carolina, 180; Tennessee, 170; Georgia, 161; Ohio, 161; Pennsylvania, 148; Michigan, 138; and New York, 124.
The 10 states with the lowest number of wildlife-related deaths are Delaware, North Dakota and Rhode Island, each at zero; New Hampshire, 10; Vermont and Wyoming, each at 17; Hawaii, 18; Maine, 20; South Dakota, 22; and Alaska, 23.
“We’ve looked at [the Center for Disease Control and Prevention] data to identify which states experience the most fatal animal attacks per year,” explained Carl Borg, founder and strategist of Outforia.
His research also turned up the animal involved in the largest numbers of human fatalities. According to Outforia, they are the brown bear, 70; shark, 57; snake, 57; black bear, 54; alligator, 33; cougar, 16; polar bear, 10; and wolf, 2.
Borg noted, “Being attacked by an animal is a scary but very real threat when going on adventures around North America, so we wanted to make sure you know the precautions to take, if you ever feel threatened by one of these dangerous animals.
“My main advice to anyone going on these adventures in places you might come across a wild animal is to be prepared. I would always recommend you research the most prominent animals in the area you are visiting, as different animals mean different protocols when facing an attack.
“Knowing the difference between a brown and black bear for example could save your life. When feeling threatened by a black bear, you should make yourself as big as possible, raise your arms above your head and make a lot of noise. Whereas with a brown bear you should remain extremely calm and reach for bear spray.
“With water animals such as sharks you should always avoid erratic swimming as this can attract them. However, if they do begin to attack you use something as a weapon, or your fists and feet, targeting their eyes and gills.
“For alligators, it differs. It’s always best to just avoid marshy rivers, but if you are attacked fight back immediately but do not resist being rolled over as this could cause you to break a bone.”
There are lots of things you can do to avoid an animal attack but knowing whether to stay calm or fight back is key!”
