What Are the Most Dangerous Animals in Louisiana?

Louisiana is home to a vast array of very dangerous animals. There are the obvious ones like alligators and coral snakes, but there are a few lesser-known, very toxic, dangerous creatures here in Louisiana that can...well, kill you given the worst of circumstances.

As diverse as Louisiana with culture, food, and music, we are equally as diverse when it comes to animals that want to kill you.

OK, maybe they don't actually want to kill you...but, maybe they do.

What Are the Most Dangerous Animals in Louisiana?

As mentioned above, some of these dangerous animals are the more obvious choices but there might be a few you rarely think about, but certainly need to be aware of.

Water Moccasin

You'll find water moccasins in water and on land. Isn't that great? Also called cottonmouths "as an adult, it is large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite" according to wikipedia.com.

Alligator

Much to Florida's dismay, Louisiana is actually home to the largest alligator population in the U.S. Owlcation.com estimates Louisiana has "numbers reaching approximately 1.5 - 2 million gators."

With numbers like that, you're likely to come across alligators in all sorts of places in Louisiana, so keep your eyes peeled!

Brown Recluse

Although it's actually quite rare that a bite from a brown recluse will lead to hospitalization, a bite can definitely cause serious health problems and can be deadly.

The good news is that generally, a brown recluse isn't aggressive, so they aren't actively looking to pick a fight with you. As a matter of fact, for the most part, they don't want anything to do with you. As reported by thetravel.com, brown recluses are "often found in dry, dark places, it's likely that a person will stick their hand behind a box or stick a foot into a shoe and end up with an unintentional warning in the form of a bite."

Eastern Diamondback

The eastern diamondback is "one of the heaviest venomous snakes in the Americas and the largest rattlesnake" according to wikipedia.com.

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, only eight eastern diamondback snakes have ever been reported in Louisiana to date, that's eight too many.

The eastern diamondback can grow up to eight feet long and "has the reputation of being the most dangerous venomous snake in North America."

Buck Moth Caterpillar

Here's one of the "not so usual suspects" on the list of dangerous animals in Louisiana. The buck moth caterpillar is a little fella that can really ruin your day, or worse.

Buck moth caterpillar has "rows of branched spines that are attached to venom glands" and as WDSU reports, even barely brushing up against one "brings instant pain and swelling."

Typically not fatal, a buck moth larva sting can cause anaphylaxis, a potentially lethal allergic reaction.

Unfortunately, you won't know if you're allergic to the buck moths venom until you get stung. If you do suffer an allergic reaction, if not treated promptly and properly, it can become a dire situation.

Killer Bees

Did you know that Africanized 'killer' bees were in Louisiana? They first showed up in New Orleans around 2005 and have been here ever since. Thetravel.com says Africanized 'killer' bees have "earned the reputation for being the most dangerous animal on the continent."

What makes killer bees so...killer? When they attack, they attack in very large numbers, as many as 10,000.

Oh, and don't think you can just run away, because they're known to track their prey for as far as a quarter of a mile, and continuously sting for 24 hours straight!

'Harlequin' Eastern Coral Snake

The coral snake packs enough venom to take down up to five adults. According to wikipedia, a coral snake's venom causes "rapid paralysis and respiratory failure in prey. In humans, symptoms include slurred speech, double vision, and muscular paralysis eventually leading to respiratory failure."

Although the coral snake always has a full tank of venom, not all of it can be injected in just one bite. It's estimated that 40% of a coral snake's bites actually contain no venom at all.

I don't know about you, but those odds aren't good enough for me to want to come within 100 yards of one.

The coral snake is active at night, so after the sun goes down is when you'll want keep a sharp eye peeled if you're outside near sandy creeks or rivers.