Australia's Deadliest. Thanks for the Fosters beer and the Body Bag.

First thing I get asked about when people discover I am a Aussie is about our wild beasties and how they kill you.
I rarely think about them, and nobody I know bar one person has ever been bit, stung eaten etc by our widlife. But we do have guests come here and get them selves either killed or minus a apenage or two for their trouble.

They breed us hard and tough here in OZ, same goes for our critters. Mess with any of us, and you'll more than you bargained for back. GGGRRR
Ok enough silly postulating.
Please enjoy our creapy crawlies and beasts. Any Aussies with 'treatment advice' for anyone of welcoming creatures, pls post

I'll add some sweet ones to help you feel more inclined to come and visit our stunning sunburnt country at a later time. As its just 3 years since we lost our Steve, I dedicate this thread to environmental warriors like Steve Irwin, that protect our wildlife regardless of whether they eat us or not. Steve didn't value a creature for its relationship to humans, but because of its relationship in the circle of life. You may tear up watching his passion here.


I'll start with Steve's great love. The great Aussie Salt Water Croc.
This prehistoric looking huge beast weighing up to 1000 kilograms (BOOM BUBBA) and up to 7 metres long, can sense the presence of prey through changes in water pressure. So go for a swim off Darwin and splash around the waves, and you'll get nipped most likely. Well a nip isn't really what you'll get, more likely the force of its jaws will crush your bones by clamping down just once. So besides eating tourists that think that a watering hole or river look stunning and inviting for a swim, they will also eat our other natural wildlife.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d0b6bade5529.jpg[/atsimg]

Look out, don't climb the rocks at the beach. If you step on a stone fish you will be dead within the hour. System failure within half and hour. This fish, actually looks like a rock, its brownish colour will fool you, and it lies in the shallows along shorelines.The best part?......

13 grooved hypodermic-like projections, each capable of piercing a sandshoe and each have extremely toxic venom.

I mean how is anyone meant to know this is a fish?
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f6221f3335e0.jpg[/atsimg]

Another shore dweller is one I caught fishing with my dad when I was a kid. The Blue Ringed Octopus. Its rings are electric blue, really pretty actually,and very tiny, though this baby's venom if you so much as touch it will kill you very quickly.
You'll be paralyzed as the venom shuts down your nervous system, and conscious until you take your last breath.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3d06aee53f28.jpg[/atsimg]

I'd like to see a salt water smackdown between a croc and the Great White Shark. The latter is one of the worlds most feared creatures, but I think it would go down to a croc. I love sharks as they are so important to our oceans, and I abhor when they are hunted.
A boy taken last year by a Great White, his father insisted no hunt of the creature take place as he believed the same thing, and it would not bring back his boy.
Ive seen a caught great white, and technically its Grey, with a white belly. The teeth are awesome to view up close, like Friday the 13th in there.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/56e78588edc9.jpg[/atsimg]

So you want to swim off our beautiful coast off Queensland, some of the whitest and most beautiful beaches in the world....think again. In Stinger season, if you get the tentacles of a Box Jelly fish gently brush past you whilst you are in the water...Again, you'll be dead. If there's one nearby, not much hope of dodging one of its 60 tentacles fifteen feet long and 5000 stinging cells. If someone near you is stung they will go into unconsciousness pretty quickly, and CPR must be applied until they can be placed on a respirator at a hospital.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/70b30a1e7d08.jpg[/atsimg]


Aren't we lucky, we have the deadliest snake in the world too. Inland Taipan, Its small and kills quickly and is found in the desert where Oz Weatherman lives...
Out of the 10 deadliest snakes in the world I have seen (but was trained enough as a kid to stay away) A Red Belly black, Brown Snake, Coastal Taipan and Tiger Snake.
The red belly is a stunning looking snake.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3f695d20fc9b.jpg[/atsimg]

Ok for now I'll end it at the Funnel Web. I'll copy and paste as I cant even write about them, they scare the beggeeebus outa me.

There are 37 species of funnel-web spider in Australia, found in most regions of the country. Both are shiny black in colour with a dark purple/brown abdomen. Females grow up to 40 millimetres in length while males are about 10 millimetres smaller, but there venom is six times more toxic. The Sydney funnel-web is the most renowned being able to inject 0.17mg of deadly venom into its prey, an amount of venom which can easily kill a human.

I cant link its picture as they are sucky scary to me sorry, google skills required.

There's plenty more critters to add....BBL
I sourced from here.
www.list-directory.info...
Feel free to add more peeps. And ask any questions, our cuddly and sweet creatures can be asked about too.




[edit on 5-10-2009 by zazzafrazz]

The box jellyfish is more abundant in the northern territory. In Darwin you can only swim in 3 months of the year, due to this. North Queensland has a bigger problem with the tiny Irukandji jellyfish as it is small enough to swim through stinger nets

There also the red back spider which isnt as venemous as the funnel web but can kill

reply to post by OzWeatherman

Ahh yes, we've all had the Red Back on the toilet seat.
Yikes.
Im slightly aracnaphobic.....Im going to surface spray the house, Ive given myself nightmares now.

Don't leave out our white tail spiders which do come into your house and up into your bed. Oh yes. You could get an amputation from that bite.

There is also our redback spider commonly found out in the backyard dunnie or just in the backyard among the wood and stuff, they can kill ya if you don't get it treated.

Now let's see..............scenario here, tptb drop some of their elite in our Queensland rainforest or country or NT or WT. We have got the poisonous snakes as well as the big fatties that will curl around your neck or body and strangle you, he, he, oh plenty in them there forests. he, he.

Oh yeah, there is plenty I have not mentioned.

reply to post by zazzafrazz

Dear Zazzafrazz,

I don't care how hard you try to scare me, i am gonna visit this great continent one day and i might even stay!!!! Going by the people i've met on this site i would say Australia is probably one of the coolest places.....

Thanks for the warning about your more than interesting wildlife and if i visit i'll make sure to stay out of any water except maybe the hotel pool.

Star and flag for this wonderful thread.

Peace

When I was a child my auntie sat on the toilet and felt something touch her behind. She jumped up, turned around, and there was a snake sitting there in the water. We think it crawled through the sewer pipes.

reply to post by JackWestJr


GGaaaah white tail spiders, I am petrified of them more than funnel webs.
I had them all over our house growing up. Especially in the summer, and they look like little scorpians. My friend got bitten on her face and has a hole there to this day. They got in quick with steriod creams but not fast enough.
But I believe there is no cure for the White Tail other than amputation unlike the Funnel Web. Though I think if you get bitten twice by a Funnnel the antivenim wont work second time round? Anyone able to clarify?


[edit on 4-10-2009 by zazzafrazz]

reply to post by operation mindcrime


LOL then I shall add a section on Koalas that Kill tomorrow just for you

Great pictures and video.

I'd love to visit Australia some day, you guys have KOALAS!!

reply to post by zazzafrazz


Those are some very beautiful but very dangerous creatures. That Red Belly Snake looks pretty cool, I don't think I have heard of that one before. Also, are the "Red Back Spiders" what you guys call Black Widows, or are they different?

Thanks for the thread zazz.....S/F...

Actually whote tail bites do not necessairly cause amputation of limbs. In fact the amputatuion of limbs from a white tail spider is extremely rare.

Its rare for anyone to get anything more than a painful red spot on their skin

The white-tailed spider has a bad reputation, but there is no proof that its bite causes long-term tissue damage.

Most victims suffer only localised pain, redness and swelling which may last from a few hours to a few days, although in some cases the symptoms are more severe

And zazz, I would be more afarid of funnel webs rather than the white tail

I'm glad you didn't mention the killer species of Koala (scientific name is drop bears). They are a good trap for unwanted tourists casually walking through bushland. Shh.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Yes it can, but it depends on individual reaction. and I dont wanna risk it...yuk I dont want no Necrotic lesions forming whilst they debate if its the spider or not.

Conflicting theories on necrotising arachnidism There is no confirmed cause of necrotising arachnidism. It is unclear why most people who are bitten have only mild reactions, while a very tiny minority suffers from skin ulceration. Researchers are divided, but current theories on the causes of necrotising arachnidism include: * Mistaken identity – some researchers believe that white tailed spider bites aren't capable of causing skin ulceration and suggest that other spiders or other factors are to blame. * Misdiagnosis – in rare cases, a diagnosis of necrotising arachnidism has later been found to be another condition. * Pre-existing medical conditions – various immune system disorders or problems with the circulatory system may predispose a person to necrotising arachnidism. Necrotic lesions Localised skin breakdown, loss and death (necrotic lesions) can be caused by a range of other factors, including: * Poor blood circulation (one of the most common causes of leg ulcers) * Unmanaged diabetes * Some fungal infections * Some bacterial infections * Burns, such as chemical burns. Treatment for necrotising arachnidism There is no cure for necrotising arachnidism. Treatment options include: * Medications - including antibiotics and cortisone medication (corticosteroids). * Hyperbaric oxygen therapy - oxygen delivered at higher than usual intensity and pressure. * Surgery - the dead skin is removed and a skin graft applied.

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au...



[edit on 5-10-2009 by zazzafrazz]

Yer Koalas "Or fur Demon as I like to call them "will kill you and everyone you know if given have the chance! There pure cute & Evil!

Another thing many people dont know is that the male platypus is venemous. It has a couple of spurs behind each ankle. Its is strong enough to kill small animals such as dogs or foxes, but the toxin is not lethal to humans. However it can be extremely painful if someone is "stung" by one

Cheeky little buggers arent they?

Steve was a legend.

He reached so many people and his enthusiasm for life and wildlife was contagious.

Good pic of the red belly- have never seen one in real life and havent been stung or bit by any of our wildlife either.

reply to post by zazzafrazz


S & F!

Hi to my Oz neighbour and thank you for your marvellous beasts.

Also, thank you for sending the redback to breed with our katipo to produce the whitebum, which has bitten me twice, once right above the heart and once in the ear. Both times I had unpleasant symptoms, but have lived to tell the tale.

I salute the great beasts of Oz, and I salute the memory of that great Oz, Steve Irwin.

I thought this would be a relevant list. Its the top 25 most deadliest snakes in the world. 20 of these species are actually found here in Oz

1. Inland taipan 0.025 Australia
2. Eastern brown snake 0.053 Australia
3. Coastal taipan 0.099 Australia
4. Tiger snake 0.118 Australia
5. Black tiger snake 0.131 Australia
6. Beaked sea snake 0.164 Australia
7. Black tiger snake (Chappell Island ssp.) 0.194 - 0.338 Australia
8. Death adder 0.400 Australia
9. Gwardar 0.473 Australia
10. Spotted brown snake 0.360 (in bovine serum albumin) Australia
11. Australian copperhead 0.560 Australia
12. Cobra 0.565 Asia
13. Dugite 0.660 Australia
14. Papuan black snake 1.09 New Guinea
15. Stephens' banded snake 1.36 Australia
16. Rough scaled snake 1.36 Australia
17. King cobra 1.80 Asia
18. Blue-bellied black snake 2.13 Australia
19. Collett's snake 2.38 Australia
20. Mulga snake 2.38 Australia
21. Red-bellied black snake 2.52 Australia
22. Small eyed snake 2.67 Australia
23. Eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake 11.4 North America
24. Black whipsnake >14.2 Australia
25. Fer-de-lance >27.8 South America

LD50: mg/kg in saline by subcutaneous injection in mice.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Thats comforting. 20 outa 25 you say?
I might carry a drop bear around with me for protection from now on.

I have been all over The Great Land Of Oz, and this last place, Canberra is covered with all kinds of creepy crawlies.
I was extremely arachnaphobic, but due to this place I have had to well and truely overcome my fear, especially since I saw my actions and emotional reactions to these reflected in my son.
I have found that we have an over abundance of Red backs and White tails, plus this ugly looking black spider that I cant identify, with horrid big black fans.
The worst bit was when we bought our house. The WHOLE house was covered in Reds. ... And they are not small either, we still get them en mass in our garden. I have heard that they are the equivalent to the US's Black widow...
White tails are an everyday occurance in our home.
And funniest of all is where I work. There are signs even up to our front door telling all to watch out for the snakes, and they do come out big time during summer. Loads of them.....
I have foun though in comparison to other counties, at least we dont have anything that can stalk us.....Like lions and tigers, and so on. The worst I think we have is the Dingo