There are many dangerous animals in Australia but only the deadliest ones make this top 10 list. Australia is very beautiful but can be deadly at the same time. If you decide to ignore geography’s warnings while visiting Australia, you may pay a high price to your own ignorance. Look out for signs warning against sharks, jellyfish, saltwater crocs and other creatures. Don’t swim alone, and for goodness sake, swim between the flags! Most animals only attack if provoked, so keep out of their way and they’ll keep out of yours. On the list the most dangerous Australian animals are investigated.
1. Sea Snakes
There are 32 species of sea snakes in Australian waters, and while they usually aren’t aggressive, they have deadly venom that is more toxic than the poison of land snakes. Normally found in shallow water, sea snakes are curious creatures and are known to become fascinated by other long, snake-like objects. Provoked snakes can become aggressive and persistent, although they are normally only aggressive during the mating season in winter. Once bitten, you won’t be in much pain until after about 30 minutes. Then you will feel stiffness, muscle aches, jaw spasms and pain in the affected limb.
This is followed by the usual drowsiness and respiratory paralysis. Luckily there is an anti-venom available but it’s probably better to avoid these snakes altogether.
2. Box Jellyfish
This is one of the deadliest animals on Earth, also called “Sea Wasp”. This jellyfish has a square body and can be spotted in Northern and North-Eastern Australia. The toxin it contains on the tentacles (which may reach several feet in length) is so toxic, that the few survivors from an encounter with this jellyfish describe it more like an electrical shock than a burn. After contact the person will probably leave the water screaming and may faint on the beach with marks on the body that look like streaks. Depending on the affected area, cardio-respiratory functions may stop in just three minutes, and mouth to mouth resuscitation and first aid procedures are essential to try keeping the victim alive.
It's essential that you stay with the victim, and send someone to phone for or get an ambulance.
3. Sharks
The sharks inhabit all Australian coastal waters. But surprisingly they kill less and cause less harm to people, than snakes and all of the beautiful animals from this list. In the last couple of years in Brazil has happened many more shark attacks than Australia, but it does not mean that you are safe. Watch out when swimming. Some beaches in Australia have shark nets to protect people. Some canals, as the Gold Coast canal system, have become a reproduction habitat for some species and all care is recommended; do not swim at night in these beautiful and calm canals (two victims died in the last two years). Sharks are protected animals in Australia and if you kill one, the Government will arrest you.
White Shark is not the most dangerous shark in Australia, but the Bull Shark that kills more people than all other species together.
4. Saltwater Crocodile
These more than 7 meter long monsters are really strong and very scary! People are not their favorite, but they may attack anything that moves around them, including sharks too. They can be spotted in any river or beach and can go 200 Km (150 miles) inland or out into the sea. In a difference to the fresh water crocs, the salt water ones swim and sleep on the bottom, making it very difficult to spot until their jaws are closed.
They never swallow a whole person, but have enough power to break people in a half and slice in pieces, leaving us to be next crab meal. Crocs are a protected species by the law in Australia and if you kill one you are in big trouble, but they can attack you anytime they want. Beware about that.
5. Irukandji
Image by : Wikipedia
Another dangerous jellyfish is irukandji, but instead of having several tentacles, it is only 1 cm or 1/2 an inch in length. It is almost impossible to spot them by the naked eye. It is the smallest animal on earth that can kill human. Instead of killing in a matter of minutes, the symptoms are progressive and may take more than 1 day to occur. Before the symptoms were associated with natural death causes like a heart attack or something else, because the symptoms are easily confused with difficult breathing, pain in the back, etc...
Only a few years ago scientists started to connect these symptoms and deaths with something so tiny as this jellyfish. If the symptoms are not treated in a hospital they may cause a death.
6. Funnel Web and Red Back Spider
They are all spiders, in reality little spiders with very powerful venom. All 2 spiders mentioned above can be lethal and require immediate medical help for the victim, just like for a snake bite. The Funnel Web spider is the most often found in New South Wales, and its nest is easy to see because of its funnel shaped web. The Red Back has a red stripe along its black back. It is found all over Australia in every single backyard.
It is a cousin of the American Black Widow. It's easy to spot it because its web has a cotton shape that covers the entrance of the hole where this spider lives. They hide underneath many surfaces, usually in groups.
7. Scorpion Fish
Scorpion fish is another amazing animal from the same family as the Lion Fish. Long spines on the dorsal fins have enough poison to kill. They live in every area of Australia, but prefer coral reefs. They are curious, friendly and approachable to animals and people, but if you touch their spines or accidently stand on them, you will definitely experience the worst pains. The best first aid to offer is to put the affected area in the hottest water you can take and then get to the hospital.
You should wear shoes when walking on submerged coral and rocks. If you catch one on line, you should better cut the line off than trying to remove it from the hook.
8. Geography Cones
Lurking in those shells is a creature with one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man: the Geography Cone. The Geography Cone is also known as the Cigarette Snail, the name implying that when stung by this creature, the victim will have only enough time to smoke a cigarette before dying. The bright colors of its shell make it attractive and entice you to pick it up. Once you pick it up, it fires a harpoon-like tooth into your hand, injecting you with its venom. Now that you’ve been injected, you can expect swelling, numbness, tingling and vomiting. This will lead to muscle paralysis, respiratory failure and death if left untreated.
As there is no anti-venom, treatment involves keeping you alive until your body has metabolised the venom. Almost makes you want to go back into the sea, doesn’t it?
9. Blue-Ringed Octopus
This octopus is found in the warm, shallow waters of coastal Australia amongst the reefs. It feeds on small sea creatures and wounded fish. Although the body is only about the size of a golf ball, the Octopus’s venom can cause motor paralysis leading to cardiac arrest and death. Distinguishable by its blue ring markings, this small sea creature is beautiful but deadly. The blue-ringed octopus appears gray or beige with light brown patches when it is at rest, but when agitated its 50-60 bright blue rings appear and start to pulse with color like a warning sign. Inside the salivary glands of this octopus live colonies of bacteria that produce the potent neurotoxin found in puffer fish and other animals.
A bite from this octopus can completely paralyze and kill an adult human in just a few minutes. There is no known antidote.
10. Inland Taipans
Of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world, 20 are found in Australia. From this list the most venomous is the Inland Taipan or the Fierce Snake. This creature has enough venom in one bite to kill 100 people; he is the most venomous snake in the world. So pull your socks up mates, this is not a snake to be reckoned with! Inland Taipans are shy by nature and don’t come looking for trouble, so unless you really irritate them you should be fine. Taipan isn’t the only snake you’re worrying about – there are hundreds of kinds of poisonous snakes just waiting to strike.
About 3000 Australians are bitten by snakes every year, and those who don’t make it to anti-venom die. So, always wear thick footwear, don’t go walking through tall grass areas and don’t try to snoop around the snake holes.
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