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 has more than its fair share of nasty creatures that can in fact kill you. Some are so poisonous that you could be dead in less than 3 minutes. There are at least 10 deadly animals that are found in Australia ranging from the very large to the very small. The Great White Shark and the Funnel Web Spider are often the ones that travellers have heard of or been scared half to death by horrible stories.
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.
So, lets meet 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.
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
You could be fooled by thinking someone is playing a practical joke on you. These spiders look like a spider that you might buy from a joke shop. It's black and can be very glossy. The funnel web spider likes to create little burrows so you are more likely to find them in garden rockeries but they are also found in garages. They like water too so are sometimes found around swimming pools. There is a species called the Sydney Funnel Web which is found in and around Sydney.
To be safe, it's best to keep away from all spiders in Australia. They are probably harmless but its better to be safe than sorry. If the funnel web spider is about to bite, it raises up on its back legs to show you his fangs. At that point, I'd start running!
If you are unlucky enough to be bitten, there is still only a 25% chance that the bite contained venom. If it did, the pain will hit you instantly. You need to get to the hospital as soon as possible to get anti venom. The key is to stop the venom from spreading around your body. There are ways to do this and these are detailed on the website (see below for more details.)
Saltwater Crocodile
There are in fact 2 reported deaths from crocodiles every year. That makes them the most dangerous animal in Australia from a statistics point of view. They are found in the very north of Australia but can be seen as far down as Broome to the west and Tropical Queensland in the East. It's easy to avoid an encounter with a croc by following some simple rules.
Their name is a little strange as they actually prefer to live in freshwater rivers and lakes. They can grow to a huge size, are very territorial and can be very ferocious.
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.
Don't camp too near the waters edge and vary your washing habits. That means, don't go to the same spot every day, otherwise a crocodile could be 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.
Author Resource:-
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 information on the 10 most dangerous Australian animals
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