Do people actually believe the thing about Australia's wildlife being dangerous?

[Aris Khandr]

I visited Melbourne about 20 years ago, and the most danger I was in was being licked to death by a kangaroo in a petting zoo in Ballarat. Seriously, those things were super friendly. I was surrounded by like six kangaroos, all desperately wanting to be my friend.

That said, I was super paranoid about going to the bathroom at night, because spiders scare the hell out of me. I made my father buy a plastic bin to keep our shoes in, just to head that danger off. Still, lovely country, I'd be happy to visit again.

 

[II Scarecrow II]

Well when was the last time any of you other countries found a snake or spider the size of your palm sitting in a shed in the backyard (or worse, in your toilet)?? Not often I'd imagine. In Australia, that's almost a seasonal occurrence. Many of the top 10 species of deadly animals in all biomes can be found in Australia. So yes, it is exaggerated for comic effect, as very, VERY few people are killed or even hurt each year, doesn't make it any less true. We are just prepared more ;-)

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

I'm happier here in Canada where wolves roam the outskirts of the city eating pets and deer rampage through cities destroying property and causing car wrecks. And rabid raccoons roaming the streets.

They scare me less than spiders. A hell of a lot less.

Winter is a good thing, I try to remind myself.

You forgot the polar bears eating kids right off the street if they go out without supervision. They tend to make summer a major problem where I'm from....I mean, nobody goes out in winter when it's minus 80. Warm summer day of minus 40, though? ....that's when you gotta watch out for the polar bears that unfreeze. Cuz they hungry...

 

[Jadak]

You need to take most of what you just said and put it in the context of people who aren't from where you are.

I mean, you just confirmed everything people believe, Crocodile acts happen but are rare? Okay. Deadly snakes and spiders aren't too common and are shy? That's nice, but guess what? Shy, and uncommon is a fuckton more than none, and none is what most people are used to.

Also, deadly aspects aside, those spiders with health bars freak people from other parts of the world out just as much as something that's poisonous, likely more so, since people here wouldn't actually know if it was or not and just freak out regardless.

So anyways, yes it's exaggerated and I think most people know that, but yes, but your wildlife still scares the shit out of people regardless.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

I understand that a lot of stuff about Australia is exaggerated for comic effect, surely if it was that bad, it would have the lowest population of any country in the world..

Well actually. Australia does have a very low population considering it is around the same size geographically as the US.

 

[IndomitableSam]

You forgot the polar bears eating kids right off the street if they go out without supervision. They tend to make summer a major problem where I'm from....I mean, nobody goes out in winter when it's minus 80. Warm summer day of minus 40, though? ....that's when you gotta watch out for the polar bears that unfreeze. Cuz they hungry...

... And people think I'm joking about Canada.

I still prefer this to a spider: (Yes, that is real.)



Recent news from my city. [http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/trapper-captures-pet-preying-wolf-180478121.html]

 

[370999]

Clearly it has been exaggerated, or people wouldn't be able to live there in any measure of comfort if 50% of the population died due to animal attacks.

But the wildlife is considerbly more exotic (and dangerous) compared to Ireland, where I am from.

EDIT: That said I never got being scared of Spiders. I have no real feelings for them either way, but I always thought that people seemed to get hysterical about them. If they are especially venomous I could understand but they (the ones native to my homeland) aren't.

 

[Hawk eye1466]

It's all just where you live and the fact your used to whatever animals live near you, so if I went to Austraila I'd probably flip when I see spiders that big because I can handle almost anything except spiders, but if you came here and for some reason were afraid of deer or something that's scary that lives in New Jersey (for the life of me I can't think of a single thing) you'd flip it's all a matter of perspective.

 

[tangoprime]

Anything anyone has is more dangerous than what we've got here in Sweden. Out most dangerous animal is the moose, and the only moose-related news I've heard recently, was a report half a year ago of a moose that had eaten a couple of fermented apples, gotten drunk, and then got stuck in a tree.

Spoiler

Seeing this drunk ass moose stuck in what can barely be classified as a tree made my freaking day. Thank you.

 

[theultimateend]

Clearly it has been exaggerated, or people wouldn't be able to live there in any measure of comfort if 50% of the population died due to animal attacks.

But the wildlife is considerbly more exotic (and dangerous) compared to Ireland, where I am from.

You clearly aren't giving people very much credit.

Look across the planet, there are plenty of terribly shitty places that people live.

Like Detroit.

OH DANG!

I kid, I kid, nobody lives there.

 

[Lizardon]

As an Aussie, I'm also quite surprised how many people think it is legitimately dangerous here. There are dangerous animals here just like everywhere else in the world. And just like the rest of the world, most animals prefer living as far away from human populations as possible, they won't do anything unless a stupid tourist provokes them.

So while our wildlife is potentially deadly, very few people die at the hand of our animals.

Sea Wasp Box Jellyfish: hard to see, hard to notice its sting, one of the most venomous organisms on the planet. Without treatment death can occur in less than 3 minutes.

There have been no deaths from jellyfish since 2007. Jellyfish account for 66 deaths since records began in 1883. The box jellyfish was responsible for 64 deaths, and the Irukandji the other two. That's less than one death per year. There is generally not enough poison to produce anything more than a very itchy rash on adults, even from Box Jellyfish. Most deaths are children.

Blue Ringed Octopus: One of the world's most venomous marine animals. No antivenom exists. Unless you get continous artificial respiration for more than a day after being bitten, you're pretty muh dead.

Only two people have ever died from Blue Ringed Octopus poisoning.

Cone Snail: Highly venomous organism, no antivenom exists. Only treatment is to provide life support until the victim works the venom out of his/her system.

There has never been a recorded death from cone snails in Australia that I can find. There's only been about 30 deaths attributed to it in the world.

Stonefish: one of the most venomous fish in the world (anyone else noticing a trend here?) Thankfully antivenom does exist for this.

Only one death has ever been confirmed.

Snakes: The 10 most venomous snakes in the world all live in Australia

Less than 2 people a year die from a snakebite.

Sydney Funnelweb Spider: Deadliest spider in the world and highly aggressive to boot. Antivenom exists and is very effective in treatment, but stocks of antivenom are supposedly running low.

There have been no reported deaths from spiders since 1979.

The deadliest of all Australian creatures, responsible for an average of 10 deaths per year, is the European Honey Bee, which can induce anaphylactic shock in some people. A bee that can also be found in the UK.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I'm just ridiculously afraid of spiders, and seeing the ones you guys have. They might actually bite me, but I may die of a heart attack at the sight of one.

Same here especially when Australia has the most different types of Spiders of them all!!!

Sure while the OP may speak true but over here in the UK, the spider rarely goes inside of your shoes, toliet and other places I need to go/ wear (I just read that their spiders often hides in those places).

 

[Aris Khandr]

Anything anyone has is more dangerous than what we've got here in Sweden. Out most dangerous animal is the moose, and the only moose-related news I've heard recently, was a report half a year ago of a moose that had eaten a couple of fermented apples, gotten drunk, and then got stuck in a tree.

Spoiler

Seeing this drunk ass moose stuck in what can barely be classified as a tree made my freaking day. Thank you.

Yeah, that picture makes me giggle more than it probably should.

Go home, moose. You're drunk.

 

[Redingold]

Let's see, things in Australia that can rather famously kill you:

Sea Wasp Box Jellyfish: hard to see, hard to notice its sting, one of the most venomous organisms on the planet. Without treatment death can occur in less than 3 minutes.

Blue Ringed Octopus: One of the world's most venomous marine animals. No antivenom exists. Unless you get continous artificial respiration for more than a day after being bitten, you're pretty much dead.

Cone Snail: Highly venomous organism, no antivenom exists. Only treatment is to provide life support until the victim works the venom out of his/her system.

Stonefish: one of the most venomous fish in the world (anyone else noticing a trend here?) Thankfully antivenom does exist for this.

Snakes: The 10 most venomous snakes in the world[footnote]Eastern Brown Snake, Western Brown Snake, Mainland Tiger Snake, Fierce Snake, Coastal Taipan, King Brown Snake, Common Copperhead, Small-eyed Snake, Common Death Adder, Red Bellied Black Snake[/footnote] all live in Australia

Sydney Funnelweb Spider: Deadliest spider in the world and highly aggressive to boot. Antivenom exists and is very effective in treatment, but stocks of antivenom are supposedly running low.



And then, of course, there's the Drop Bears...(what? I like that joke )

And let's not forget:
The platypus, whose poison causes excruciating pain, which can recur up to a year later. The only treatment is to sever all nerves to the affected area.
The emu, the cassowary and the kangaroo, that can all kick your stomach out through your nose.
The irukandji, a minute, transparent jellyfish with metre long tentacles, and whose poison has "a sense of impending doom" listed as one of the symptoms.
The ground in Northern Australia contains bacteria that have a 90% fatality rate if untreated, and still 10% if treated. Yes, even the ground in Australia is trying to kill you.
The stinging tree, which is covered in tiny hairs full of pain-inducing neurotoxin. These hairs easily puncture skin, and don't stay on the tree. The tree sheds them, and the wind can carry them for many miles. The tree is basically harmless for native life, but extremely bad for introduced species like horses and people.
The Lion's Mane jellyfish, which can grow up to 120 feet long and whose tentacles are still lethal after being detached.
The eucalyptus tree, which explodes when it catches fire.

 

[Xariat]

I didn't use to, but I sure as hell do now that you've confirmed that spiders big enough to get health-bars do occasionally wander into ones' house.

As an arachnophobic I don't care if the spider is poisonous or not, nor if it bites or not. doesn't even matter if its shy or not, spiders will fuck my shit up any day.

 

[DanielBrown]

Exaggeration for comic effect, but I believe it can be dangerous if you're out by yourself in the wild. Most Australians live in great coast-line cities though, where it's pretty safe, do they not?

Also, as already said; compared to Swedens wildlife you got some really horrible things.
Though, my one and only close encounter with a moose almost killed my whole family.

 

[Saregon]

And then, of course, there's the Drop Bears...

Yes! I love the Drop Bear story!

I'd like to go to Australia, even if it contains some of the most dangerous critters in the world (which it does, that part isn't exaggerated), but I wouldn't really worry about them, because the internet has vastly exaggerated the stuff. While I think most of us are bright enough to see that, I'm sure there are people who buy into it as well. Also, for my Australian vacation, I will be hiring someone to keep the damn spiders away from me, I really don't like spiders.

I do like snakes though, so it evens out a bit.

But day-to-day I'm very glad I live in Norway. Very few animals here can really harm you. Yes, we have bears, wolves and wolverines (those are totally bad-ass, and kinda scarey to meet in the wild, which I did while in the army, by the way), but deer and moose (meese? Sorry, couldn't help myself) are higher on the injury statistics. Also, no venomous, or particularly large spiders, and our most venomous snake? Just a little bit more dangerous than a wasp. It hurts, but unless you have allergies, you don't really need to even see a doctor.

 

[Fluffythepoo]

I never thought it was legitimately dangerous, but i dont like things with venom.. like a bear or a cougar the threats right there: sharp pointy things that make you hurt, but with a spider its like: whats that little thing gonna-oh death within 15 minutes from a single bite.. ill take a bear thank you. With a bear its a big obviously dangerous thing.. youre gonna know if its in your house. Spiders, snakes, snails.. not so much.

Anything anyone has is more dangerous than what we've got here in Sweden. Out most dangerous animal is the moose, and the only moose-related news I've heard recently, was a report half a year ago of a moose that had eaten a couple of fermented apples, gotten drunk, and then got stuck in a tree.

Spoiler

a moose bit my sister you know

 

[mew4ever23]

Dude, that's not a misconception, it's fact. Australia does have a lot of really dangerous animals, as listed off by other posters.

 

[Denamic]

So you only got a few things living around and/or in your homes that can kill you. Clearly, just a myth.

You're not exactly alleviating any concerns I have about visiting Australia.

Although I don't actually mind spiders, venomous or otherwise.
Spiders kills and eats insects. Enemy of my enemy.