When you think about Florida wildlife alligators are probably the first thing that comes to mind. But, Florida is also home to a lot more of the deadliest wildlife home invaders around.

Stick around to see who made the list.

Alligators

We have to get this one out of the way right away. Alligators are certainly a scary animal to come in contact with any time but especially if they are in your kitchen or pool.

Alligators come into homes to find food or other necessities. Sometimes if they fall in your pool they don’t know how to get out. Never try to remove an alligator on your own. You need a professional or you might lose a limb or your life.

Florida Black Bears

While these bears may look fluffy you’ll want to avoid giving them a hug. As people continue to move into the bear’s natural habitat there are more and more instances of unwelcome visitations to homes.

Make sure you’re using a bear-resistant trash can, especially if you live near a wooded area, and avoid leaving food outside. While they can give you a fright they are actually hurt more by us than we are by them. Unfortunately, many of these amazing animals are killed in car accidents.

Snakes

Florida is home to one of the biggest collections of snakes. Out of the 50 different species though, only 6 are threatening to humans but they sure do pack a punch.

Here are the six poisonous snakes to look out for:

Timber Rattlesnakes
- Brown and black chevron-like crossbands on a grayish background with a black tail
Eastern Diamondbacks
- Brownish, brownish-yellow/grey, or olive color, overlaid with 24-35 dark brown/black diamonds with slightly lighter centers and outlined with a row of cream-colored scales. Yellowish/cream-colored belly with dark mottling on the sides
Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnakes
- Grey with black blotches over its whole body and almost circular black markings on the middle of the back, with a dotted reddish-orange line right down the center between each circular marking
Eastern Coral Snakes
- Bands of black/yellow/red/yellow/black (in that order) fully encircle these snakes’ bodies
Cottonmouths, or Water Moccasins
- Dark brown, olive green, or even jet-black, with a dark line through the eye, bordered above and below by white
Southern Copperheads
- Pale to pinkish-tan color overlaid with dark, hourglass-shaped crossbands

A bite from any of these snakes will land you in the hospital or even dead. If you see any unwanted snakes on your property or in your home and don’t know what it is, don’t try to get rid of it yourself.

Call in a pro to make sure you aren’t putting anyone at risk.

Wild Boars

This one may surprise you but Florida is home to many wild boars. They are descendants of domesticated pigs brought by the Spanish when they took over Florida in the mid-1500s.

These pigs are territorial and will not think anything of it to charge you with their sharp tusks. An equal opportunity eater, these omnivores will be drawn to your home by the promise of food potential.

Make sure you’re keeping pet food inside and trash sealed. In addition to their sharp tusks, wild boar are host to a variety of nasty diseases like tuberculosis and anthrax among others.

Florida Panthers

Now one of the most endangered species in the world, Florida Panthers are the ultimate predator. With only around 200 left it’s rare to see one but if you do stay far away or call for help. These agile predatory cats can jump 15 feet high and almost 50 feet horizontally to catch prey.

They are fiercely territorial animals so if you see one, keep your distance.