The Most Dangerous Animals In Australia
Thinking about visiting Australia. Have you heard all those horror stories about dangerous Australian animals? This article intends to introduce some of those nasty creatures to you but also reassure you that the likelihood of you meeting one is extremely unlikely.
Australia has at least 10 animals that could kill you. That's well over its fair share! There is one that can even kill you in less than 3 minutes. They range greatly in size too from the very large (Great White Shark,) to the very small, (Funnel Web Spider.) Many people have heard of these two nasty creatures.
Forget the scary stories and understand the facts. There have only been 11 deaths by sharks in the last 50 years. The media hype would make you think it was more. It is also interesting to know that there have been NO deaths caused by the Funnel Web spider as anti-venom is now available.
Lets have a look at some of the dangerous Australian Animals.
The Great White Shark
Did you know that sharks have an extra sense? They can detect electromagnetic fields that are emitted by the movement of living animals. They are also huge. The great white shark can be as long as 6m and can weigh over 2,200kg. Clearly not something you would like to see whilst you are out swimming.
Don't be put off going for a swim as this is an important past-time that you should do as part of your Australian holiday. It's true that there are sharks in Australian waters but its rare that they come up into the bays where there are swimmers. There are some precautions that you should take though. Don't swim at dusk or dawn as this is when sharks tend to be out feeding. Stay away from schools of fish and don't venture too far out. Don't swim if you have an open cut that is bleeding.
It's true that over recent years there has been a slight increase in shark attacks although no-one has actually died. Experts can't seem to agree why this may be but it is believed to be due to an algae that is now in our waters as well as the fact that our waters are getting cleaner. Both these factors could be bringing sharks further into our bays.
The funnel web spider
This handsome devil looks like a spider you might find in a joke shop. It's black and fairly glossy. There is a species of this called the Sydney Funnel Web because it is found in and around Sydney. They like to create little burrows and could be found anywhere from garages, garden rockeries, or near swimming pools (they like water)
If you see any spider in Australia, it's best to keep away. Most are in fact totally harmless but it's better to be safe than sorry. If the funnel web is going to bite you, he'll lift up onto his back legs and show you his fangs. Now would be a good time to run!
Sometimes the funnel web will give a dry bite i.e. no venom. So, only 25% of their bites contain venom. You'd feel pain pretty much straight away and you'd need to get yourself to hospital in case you need anti venom. There are ways to stop the venom from spreading through your blood stream, giving you more time to get to the hospital. These are detailed on the website (see bottom of this article)
Saltwater Crocodile
If I was going to worry about any of the dangerous Australian animals, it would probably be the saltwater crocodile. Again, the likelihood of meeting one is very low but there are on average, 2 reported deaths every year. These beasts hang out in the very north of Australia but can be seen as far down as Broome on the West and Tropical North Queensland on the East Coast. By following some simple precautions, you can reduce your chance of an encounter.
Firstly don't be fooled by their name, these crocodiles prefer to live in freshwater rivers and lakes. They are extremely territorial, ferocious and can grow very large.
If you see any NO SWIMMING signs in the top end of the country, usually with a picture of a crocodile on them, then don't even think about going for a dip. Remember that if you go off the beaten track, the government may not have put signs up here so think twice about swimming there.
If you are into camping, think carefully where to pitch your tent. Don't pick a spot too near the waters edge and make sure you change where you wash on a regular basis. If you pick the same spot every day, you may just find a crocodile waiting for you one morning!
There are 7 more dangerous Australian animals and one of them could kill you in 3 minutes. You should also learn what to do if you were bitten by a snake. For more information go to the Real Australia Travel website, details below. - 2368
Australia has at least 10 animals that could kill you. That's well over its fair share! There is one that can even kill you in less than 3 minutes. They range greatly in size too from the very large (Great White Shark,) to the very small, (Funnel Web Spider.) Many people have heard of these two nasty creatures.
Forget the scary stories and understand the facts. There have only been 11 deaths by sharks in the last 50 years. The media hype would make you think it was more. It is also interesting to know that there have been NO deaths caused by the Funnel Web spider as anti-venom is now available.
Lets have a look at some of the dangerous Australian Animals.
The Great White Shark
Did you know that sharks have an extra sense? They can detect electromagnetic fields that are emitted by the movement of living animals. They are also huge. The great white shark can be as long as 6m and can weigh over 2,200kg. Clearly not something you would like to see whilst you are out swimming.
Don't be put off going for a swim as this is an important past-time that you should do as part of your Australian holiday. It's true that there are sharks in Australian waters but its rare that they come up into the bays where there are swimmers. There are some precautions that you should take though. Don't swim at dusk or dawn as this is when sharks tend to be out feeding. Stay away from schools of fish and don't venture too far out. Don't swim if you have an open cut that is bleeding.
It's true that over recent years there has been a slight increase in shark attacks although no-one has actually died. Experts can't seem to agree why this may be but it is believed to be due to an algae that is now in our waters as well as the fact that our waters are getting cleaner. Both these factors could be bringing sharks further into our bays.
The funnel web spider
This handsome devil looks like a spider you might find in a joke shop. It's black and fairly glossy. There is a species of this called the Sydney Funnel Web because it is found in and around Sydney. They like to create little burrows and could be found anywhere from garages, garden rockeries, or near swimming pools (they like water)
If you see any spider in Australia, it's best to keep away. Most are in fact totally harmless but it's better to be safe than sorry. If the funnel web is going to bite you, he'll lift up onto his back legs and show you his fangs. Now would be a good time to run!
Sometimes the funnel web will give a dry bite i.e. no venom. So, only 25% of their bites contain venom. You'd feel pain pretty much straight away and you'd need to get yourself to hospital in case you need anti venom. There are ways to stop the venom from spreading through your blood stream, giving you more time to get to the hospital. These are detailed on the website (see bottom of this article)
Saltwater Crocodile
If I was going to worry about any of the dangerous Australian animals, it would probably be the saltwater crocodile. Again, the likelihood of meeting one is very low but there are on average, 2 reported deaths every year. These beasts hang out in the very north of Australia but can be seen as far down as Broome on the West and Tropical North Queensland on the East Coast. By following some simple precautions, you can reduce your chance of an encounter.
Firstly don't be fooled by their name, these crocodiles prefer to live in freshwater rivers and lakes. They are extremely territorial, ferocious and can grow very large.
If you see any NO SWIMMING signs in the top end of the country, usually with a picture of a crocodile on them, then don't even think about going for a dip. Remember that if you go off the beaten track, the government may not have put signs up here so think twice about swimming there.
If you are into camping, think carefully where to pitch your tent. Don't pick a spot too near the waters edge and make sure you change where you wash on a regular basis. If you pick the same spot every day, you may just find a crocodile waiting for you one morning!
There are 7 more dangerous Australian animals and one of them could kill you in 3 minutes. You should also learn what to do if you were bitten by a snake. For more information go to the Real Australia Travel website, details below. - 2368
About the Author:
Jennifer Schellington has nearly 5 years of experience in traveling Australia and has recently become a new Mum. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information for planning your trip to Australia as well as what to do and where to go. Click here for more details on the 10 most dangerous Australian animals
posted by Frank Potter at 3:25 AM
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