While Georgia is a beautiful state with a lot of history, culture, and landscapes, it is also home to some animals that could be dangerous. The woods, swamps, deserts, scrublands, lakes, rivers, and coasts of the state are home to these animals.
Here, we’ll talk about six of Georgia’s most dangerous species, telling you to be careful and stay away from them whenever you can.
1. Fire Ants
There are more than 200 types of fire ants in the genus Solenopsis. Fire ants are known for their painful stings that make you feel like you’re on fire. However, some people are allergic to them. In Georgia, you can find these bugs in fields, farms, parks, and other open spaces.
They build big mounds of dirt and fight hard to protect their nests. When they sting, it can hurt, swell, itch, and form boils. In the worst cases, they can even cause anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that is so dangerous that you need medical help right away.
2. Alligator
Alligators are big animals in the crocodile family. They have strong jaws, tough skin, and strong tails. They mostly live in watery places in Georgia, like lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes, and ponds, where they eat fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, birds, and mammals.
Alligators usually stay away from people, but they might attack if they feel scared or confused. They only attack once in a while, but their bites can be fatal because they are so strong—over 2,000 pounds per square inch—and they can cause serious damage, blood loss, and infections.
3. Eastern Coral Snakes
The eastern coral snake is poisonous in the same family as cobras and mambas. It has clear red, yellow (or white), and black bands running down its body. They live in the coastal plains of Georgia, mostly in wet woods and swamps. These shy snakes don’t usually bite people unless they are pushed.
Their bites are usually not painful and don’t leave marks. However, they contain very strong venom that affects the nervous system and can lead to blurred vision, slurred speech, breathing problems, muscle weakness, paralysis, and even death if not handled.
4. Brown Recluse Spiders
Brown recluse spiders have a dark mark on their backs that looks like a violin. They are one of three spider species in North America that have poison that can seriously hurt people. These shy animals like to hide in dark, out-of-the-way places like sheds, basements, and woodpiles.
Brown recluse spiders only bite when they feel threatened. Even though their bites don’t hurt at first, they can leave behind necrotic sores that hurt skin tissue and lead to wounds, scars, and infections. There are times when their bites can cause systemic signs like fever, chills, sickness, vomiting, joint pain, and organ failure.
5. Sharks
There are sharks in seas and some freshwater areas. Sharks are cartilaginous fish with smooth bodies and sharp teeth. They hunt fish, crabs, mollusks, and sometimes people. Their hearing, smell, and electroreception are very good.
Sharks don’t usually go after people, but they may bite out of curiosity, confusion, or to protect their territory. Attacks like these can hurt a lot, make you lose a lot of blood, scare you, and even kill you.