Humans instinctively fear some animals especially if they look disgusting or dangerous. Other animals like snakes people have grown to fear as well since some of the species can kill.
There are many animals that are harmless to humans and those ones are obvious, like house cats or worms. Phobias for cats and worms exist in people but those are just phobias. For this list we have compiled animals that are assumed to be dangerous or could kill or seriously harm a human. However, with these animals the opposite is true, either they can't kill or seriously harm a human. A few even enjoy the company of humans.
So, for all the men out there that would normally go running scared away from one of these animals, next time you don't have to.
Rats
Eventhough rats were responsible for spreading the bubonic plague, it was the fleas that lived on the rats that carried the virus. Rats themselves are completely harmless to humans and having a fear of them is irrational. Rats are very docile animals. They grow used to human contact very quickly and enjoy being handled. Their bite can break skin but will only bite if handled too roughly or if you put fingers through a cage. Rats will assume your fingers are food if you put them through a cage and will bite out of instinct.
Many rats and mice carry the Hanta virus which is potentially deadly to humans. The Hanta virus is transmitted through airborne particles and absorbed through the lungs. If you happen to find a dead rat or mouse it is recommended that you dispose of it as soon as possible. The virus will be exposed to air when the animal starts to decompose.
Manta Rays
Sometimes called devil fish or devil rays, Manta Rays are completely harmless. They posses no teeth and no other way to defend themselves. They feed on plankton and small fish and shrimp. Manta Rays can grow to massive sizes. Full grown Rays, depending on species, can grow anywhere from 15- 23 feet wide from wing tip to wing tip.
These are not to be confused with Stingrays which do have stingers attached to their tails that can be lethal. Manta Rays are diamond shaped while Stingrays are circular or oval. Manta Rays also appear to be flying underwater since they flap their wings for propulsion. Stingrays on the other hand use a rippling motion to move and usually stay on the sea floor.
Tarantulas
Spiders strike fear in a lot of people, non more so than Tarantulas. They are huge repulsive looking creatures. Fortunately, they're poison is weak and rarely bite humans. Tarantulas recognize that humans are far too large to be able to kill and will not bother trying. They also like the warmth from humans when being handled and will tolerate it for sustained periods. Be warned however, their fangs can break human skin. Contrary to popular belief a Tarantula bite has never caused a human fatality.
Swans
Yes, people believe Swans are dangerous. Many people will say Swans are vicious and will attack without provocation which does happen a lot. The good part is that their bite wont even break your skin. It feels like someone with rough fingers trying to pinch you. Swans don't have teeth but grinding surfaces which will not harm you.
So, next time you are being chased by a Swan, man up and stand your ground.
Coyotes
As human civilization spreads out further into previously wilderness areas sightings of Coyotes will steadily increase. People are instinctively afraid of Coyotes because they are the size of medium size dogs and look similar to wolves.
The truth is that Coyotes (and Wolves to a certain degree) are afraid of humans. They are smart enough to understand what a human is and that they are too dangerous to hunt them. Coyotes prefer small prey such as mice, rats, rabbits, racoons and birds. Reported attacks of Coyotes on humans occur when the animal is cornered or threatened or if its rabid.
Vultures
Vultures are large scary looking birds so it makes sense that people would think they are dangerous. As far as birds go they are larger than most hawks. They are about the size of a bald or golden eagle. Despite their appearance Vultures will not attack humans perhaps unless their nest is being threatened.
Vultures feed exclusively on dead animals so much so that they are sometimes called nature's garbage disposals. Their stomach acid is so strong that it can dissolve and digest bone. Some vultures will even swallow bones in order to get the marrow.
Bats
Bats have long held being a danger to humans but in reality they are another harmless animal that people have an irrational fear of. Bats don't like interacting with humans and prefer to stay away from them and most other animals. They prefer the company of their own kind and feed almost exclusively on insects. However, Vampire bats do drink blood but they usually target cattle.
There are however two indirect dangers associated with bats. One is that they could carry rabies but this is rare and dependant on the area you live in. The one's that have rabies may bite if they are threatened but they usually don't bite. The other risk is with their droppings or Guano which when breathed in a confined area can cause histoplasmosis which is a lung infection. It's not serious but if left untreated can lead to death.
(Some) Sharks
Sharks are no doubt very dangerous animals but oddly enough there are quite a few species of sharks that are harmless to humans. Some of the species include Nurse sharks, Basking sharks and Whale sharks, all of which have no teeth. One of the more surprising species is the Sand Tiger shark which has rows of long sharp teeth and can grow up to around 6 feet long. There have actually never been a reported case of a Sand Tiger shark ever attacking a human even though they are very common and reside in shallow water. Sand Tigers are reported to be calm and docile around humans but no reason for this behaviour is known. Other species that have no reported attacks on humans include Zebra sharks, Port Jackson sharks, Leopard sharks, Angel sharks, School sharks and Galapagos sharks.
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