Danger Animal

• The puma is a dangerous mammal native to Florida.

  The state of Florida is home to a number of creatures that pose potential threats to the well-being of human beings. Although encounters with most of these dangerous animals are quite rare, the possibility does exist. Some of these animals possess claws, sharp teeth, and overpowering strength that can make a meeting with them quite hazardous, while others are reptiles equipped with deadly venom.

Black Bear

• The Florida subspecies of black bear is the state's largest land mammal. The males can weigh up to 450 lb., while the females can be in the range of 250 lb. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website notes that the differences between this type of black bear and others throughout the nation are genetic and in the animal's skeletal system. The most calls concerning black bears come from the Ocala area of the state. Typically, people that leave garbage where bears may access it causes the animals to come into backyards, which creates a dangerous scenario. While black bears are shy by nature, mothers with cubs pose a serious problem if they feel threatened in any way.

Florida Puma

• The Florida subspecies of the puma is usually lighter than the other mountain lions that live in North America, with a heavy male weighing about 150 lb. These big cats are the only known population of mountain lions found in the eastern section of the United States. The SeaWorld website reports that as few as 30 of these animals are in Florida. No documented attacks on people by pumas are on file in Florida. However, a Florida puma is more than capable of killing a grown man, using its strong jaws and sharp claws to dispatch a person as it does the various types of prey it consumes. Most pumas in Florida live in very remote parts of the state, which keeps any interaction with them at a minimum.

Alligator

• The alligator is a reptile that occurs throughout the state of Florida. Some of the males can grow to lengths of around 14 feet, but most are typically smaller, in the 10 to 12 foot range. Alligators are a danger to anyone who approaches them in their watery habitats, with recreational activities such as kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and fishing putting people potentially in harm's way of these powerful creatures. Authorities must deal with as many as 7000 alligators labeled as nuisance reptiles every year, with the increasing population of people in the state leading to more and more dangerous encounters with the reptile.

Snakes

• Six kinds of snakes that inhabit Florida are venomous species, with three of these being rattlesnakes. The eastern diamondback rattler is Florida's most dangerous snake, as its size and potent venom make it a deadly threat to anyone who stumbles upon one. The water moccasin resides in swamps, near rivers and streams, and close to ponds and lakes. The snake possesses a toxin that brings about painful swelling, and a bite from it does have the ability to kill a human being under the right circumstances. The copperhead is the rarest of Florida's poisonous species, with a few found in the northernmost counties. The eastern coral snake's venom is indeed deadly, but the shy snake rarely is able to get enough venom into a person when it bites in self-defense to prove fatal.