Nevada – Deer Mice

You might be taken aback to find deer mice on this list. These little critters, as cute as they may appear, are notorious for carrying the hantavirus, a trait not common among other small rodents. In a shocking 2011 episode, a heroic firefighter met his untimely demise from this virus when a nest of these seemingly harmless deer mice tumbled onto him from a chimney. The innocent-looking deer mice, it turns out, are not so innocent after all!

Despite its menacing reputation, the hantavirus is akin to a rare, elusive beast in Nevada. Its deadly dance card remains sparsely filled, especially when compared to other animal-related fatalities. However, don’t be lulled into complacency – whilst it may be a seldom-seen specter, its presence is still felt. Indeed, the odds of succumbing to this virus are even slimmer than being taken down by any other creature in the Silver State.