Safari is a holiday for many tourists. Traveling by car among wild animals seems to be very safe. But you should always be careful - there are wild animals around.
The author of the book "Mortal Beasts" Gordon Grice modeled several fatal situations for the readers of The Daily Mail and offered to compare each of the deaths that predators can commit with bipedal tourists.
First on the list is the king of beasts, the lion. Lions are excellent hunters, especially if they are alone and just looking for their pride. Although they rarely view a person as lunch, there have been cases of attacks. Usually they are just renegade lions, feral and desperate from constant loneliness. Their tactic is to jump on their backs, knocking their prey to the ground. Then they bite through the throat or aim at the animal's face. Or in the face of a person. Lion teeth are a great tool for butchering meat. After a lion attack, you can survive, especially if you seek medical help in time and protect your wounds.
Leopards are in second place. They are much smaller than lions, but no less dangerous. Flexible, fast and light - their attack can be fatal to humans. Their bites are much sharper than those of lions. You will not even notice how you lose an important part of the torso. Perhaps you won't even notice that you were killed, even before you fall to the ground.
Third position behind the hippos. They only seem lazy and calm, but if something gets into their heads, they will not hesitate to attack. Aggression breaks hippos quite rarely, however, if this happens, the giant animal develops a speed of up to 30 km / h. Note that the teeth of the hippopotamus are huge and work like a millstone.
Fourth on the list are crocodiles, which have a solid reputation for being deadly animals. They quickly rush to prey from the water, and if they manage to grab the victim, the latter has little chance. In addition, they often run over land for prey. Using their 66 sharp teeth and powerful jaws, they tear their lunch apart. Crocodiles are the kings of the ambush. They should not be underestimated, and your safety should not be overestimated.
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Another wildlife hazard is hyenas. They look like spotted dogs with very powerful necks. The hyenas' dental kit is no less impressive. The bites of these animals can cause incredible suffering.
Elephants can be dangerous too. They can attack if they sense that someone intends to invade their space or take away food. An angry elephant is not something you would like to experience.
Lone rhinoceros are more likely to flee conflict. However, if their lives are in danger, they launch a counterattack. Rhinos are very difficult to escape from - they are twice as fast as hippos. The main weapon of this large beast is, of course, an impressive horn.
If a dog is man's best friend, then the jackal is a dangerous enemy. These wild dogs are not dangerous for an adult, but a child can be dragged away without much difficulty. They surround the prey to attack and tear it apart.
Buffaloes are one of the "big five" most dangerous wild animals. Heavy and fast (they run at the speed of a rhinoceros), they wield their powerful horns, whose blows cannot be avoided even by the most experienced bullfighter. In order not to die from the attack of an angry buffalo, try not to invade its territory. Observe from afar, stay out of the way, Grice advises.
Elena Yakovleva