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 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.

Examining the facts clearly shows that you have nothing to worry about in terms of meeting a dangerous Australian animal. Did you know that there have only been 11 shark deaths over the last 50 years? Media hype would make you expect more. In the same time period, there have been NO deaths caused by the Funnel Web Spider due to the availability of anti-venom

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.

Swimming in the Australian ocean is fantastic and should be done as part of your Australian holiday. There are sharks in Australian waters but its rare that they come up to the shore line. You should avoid swimming at dusk and dawn when sharks are more active. Don’t go too far from the shore and stay away from schools of fish as a shark could mistake you for food! Also don’t go into the water if you have an open cut which 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.[I:http://www.uniquearticlewizard.com/extras/pics/johannacampbellimage10.jpg]

The funnel web spider

This spider looks like something you might find in a joke shop as it’s very black and can be glossy. You are unlikely to see one on the grass as they prefer to create little burrows in places like garden rockeries or garages. They are fond of water so are sometimes find floating in swimming pools when they have accidentally fallen in. The Sydney funnel web is so called because it lives 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!

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)[I:http://www.uniquearticlewizard.com/extras/pics/johannacampbellimage12.jpg]

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.

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 other dangerous Australian animals to find out about. Which one could kill you in less than 3 minutes? What would you do if you got bitten by a snake? For more information go to the Real Australia Travel Website.