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Dangerous Australian Animals
Planning a trip to Australia? Feeling worried about the high number of dangerous Australian animals? Don't be. The chance of meeting one is EXTREMELY slim. This article intends to fill you in on some of those animals and put your mind at ease that you really won't bump into any of them.
Australia probably does have more than its fair share of horrible creatures. There is one that can in fact kill you in less than 3 minutes. There are at least 10 that could kill you and they range greatly in size. The Great White Shark is probably the biggest and the Funnel Web Spider is one of the smallest. These two are often talked about by travellers.
The truth is that there is a very slim chance that you will encounter any of the dangerous Australian animals. There have only been 11 shark fatalities in Australia over the last 50 years. These tended to be by those who did not follow the basic rules. There have been no deaths from funnel web spiders over the same time period as there is now an anti-venom available. So, as long as you follow some practical advice you should not feel threatened or in danger when here in Australia.
Lets find out more about some of these dangerous Australian animals.
The Great White Shark
The Great White Shark can weigh as much as 2,600kg and be up to 6 metres in length. That's definitely something you don't want to see whilst out swimming. All sharks have an extra sense too. It enables them to detect electromagnetic fields that are emitted by the movement of living animals.
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.
Shark attacks have risen slightly in the last couple of years and experts are unsure why. It is thought that it may have something to do with our waters getting cleaner and the fact that there is an algae in our waters which is bringing the sharks further into the 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)
The safest thing to do is to keep away from any spider you see in Australia. The reality is most of them are totally harmless. They may however be a bit bigger than what you are used to. The funnel web spider will rise up onto its back legs and show you his fangs if he is about to bite you. That's when you should run!
Even if the funnel web spider does bite you, there is a 1 in 4 chance that it will inject any venom. If there is venom in the bite, you are likely to feel pain instantly and you should get yourself to hospital for anti venom as soon as you can. You need to stop the venom from spreading around your body. (For more details go to the website. Details are below)
Saltwater Crocodile
This is probably the biggest killer in Australia with 2 reported deaths every year. These tend to be in tropical Queensland and the far north of the country where these animals are a bit more common. Still, by following precautions, you can easily avoid an encounter with a croc.
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 do decide to camp in this area, don't camp too near to the waters edge and don't wash etc at the same point near the water every day as one day you may have an unexpected guest!
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.
About the Author Jennifer Schellington has nearly 5 years of experience in traveling Australia and has recently had a baby. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information for planning your trip to Australia as well as where to go and what to do. Click here for more details on the 10 most dangerous Australian animals
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