Hazard

The term hazard in the Pikmin games refers to anything that can harm or kill Pikmin, including the creatures, non-living traps, and other dangers.

Fire
Fire hazards are usually in the form of fiery geysers spouting from the ground. In the first game, they are indestructible, but in the second game, they can be destroyed by Pikmin. Pikmin caught on fire may be saved by blowing your whistle at them, although they burn much more quickly in the first game, making doing so much harder than in Pikmin 2. Fortunately, fire cannot spread between Pikmin, and Pikmin which have caught fire will not suffer any permanent injuries after being rescued. Red Pikmin cannot be hurt by fire hazards.

Electricity
Electricity is the only hazard in the game that Pikmin can't be saved from, as they will die instantly. It usually comes in the form of broken electrical conduits sticking out of the ground, between which arcs of electrical discharge jump. If any Pikmin touches an electric current, they will be instantly fried, with no chance to save them. Yellow Pikmin aren't affected by the electricity, and can easily dispatch of these death traps.

Water
Water hazards include all pools of water in the world of the Pikmin. Pikmin that fall into the water will start to drown, but may have a chance to survive if they are repeatedly called over. Alternatively, Blue Pikmin have small gills and cannot drown, and will even rescue nearby drowning Pikmin when idle. Enemies that eject water will form small bubbles around a non-blue Pikmins head, causing it to panic. If not called back, they will fall on the ground and die.

Poison
Poison hazards refer mainly to small pipes sticking out of the ground which constantly emit poisonous gas which suffocates Pikmin; whistling at a choking Pikmin will save it instantly. White Pikmin are totally immune to poison gas and are the only ones capable of destroying gas pipes. Because the air is thoroughly filtered, captains wearing a spacesuit will not succumb to poisonous gasses.

Other hazards
The term "hazard" is often used to refer exclusively to fire, water, electricity, and poison, but those are not the only things which can potentially kill Pikmin.

Explosions
Bomb-rocks explode. Any canon Pikmin caught in the blast will die instantly. You may find bomb-rocks scattered on the ground of caves with rusty terrain, and they may even fall from the ceiling in certain caves.

Pits
This refers to pits underneath of a location; if Pikmin end up over the edge, they fall to their deaths. Enemies can be killed by this as well, a strategy that can be used to one's advantage.

Enemies
The vast majority of beasts can harm Pikmin in some way, be it by eating them, rolling over them, sucking them up, or crushing them. Some produce other hazards, including fire, water, electricity, poison, bomb rocks and boulders. Some even blow Pikmin away into other hazards. Concerning eating Pikmin, each type of enemy takes a different amount of time to kill Pikmin it has taken into its mouth, ranging from near-instantly to quite a number of seconds.

Sunset
This involves the end of the day: all Pikmin not in the landing area or with either Captain die when the day ends. It is possible to tell which Pikmin colours are killed during the cutscene of the ship lifting off by the Pikmin souls that appear.

Boulders
Boulders fall from the sky in certain caves, much like bomb rocks do. Boulders kill any Pikmin in the area they land instantly, with no chance of saving the crushed Pikmin. Whether produced by an enemy or falling from the ceiling, boulders can be used to injure or defeat unlucky enemies with good timing and positioning.

Ice
Ice hazards mostly are cold air, cold water or icy surfaces, all of these will freeze Pikmin unless they are Ice Pikmin or Cyan Pikmin. Frozen Pikmin are encased in ice cubes and will die after eight seconds if not whistled out.

Acid
Acid hazards take the form of either a green gas or a green liquid. All but Green Pikmin will instantly die if they touch acid, and Captains cannot walk in it either unless they have a certain upgrade.

Lava
There are two types of lava. Shallow lava burns Pikmin when they touch it, but reds can pass unharmed. Deep lava is similar to acid because it takes the form of a liquid, and that it causes Pikmin to die instantly. However, even Red Pikmin die when they touch deep lava.

Mud
Mud is not a true hazard because it does not kill Pikmin, but it is still a hindrance. All but Black Pikmin will get coated in the sticky slime if they walk in it and will move much more slowly for thirty seconds. Affected Pikmin also cannot be thrown as high. Black mud is even worse, as it immobilizes Pikmin completely for thirty seconds! They must be whistled out if this happens.