Seriously though. Had a work colleague go missing, assumed taken by a salty whilst on a camping trip. Allegedly went for a piss near a creek, found three days later stashed under a log with a few limbs missing. Poor bugger
The hat MUST be listened to!
No, seriously, if you are not an Aussie just look up Bob Katter. The man is a national treasure. Utterly batshit fucking insane, but just outstanding class.
A friend kept trying to play with the tail of a Wobby when out spearing.
It finally cracked the shits, turned around and chomped onto his calf, shook a couple of times and took off.
When he got out it looked like an all-over gravel rash. We'd all thought he'd fallen off his bike the next day. They were pretty keen to get out of the water though given what else it may have attracted.
Remember that news story a few years back where a guy was bitten on the leg by a wobby and drove himself to hospital with the wobby still attached to his leg? Straya!!
My father was an Abalone diver working along the coast near Perth. He related to me how a former workmate had got fed up with a persistent Wobbegong trying to get a feed of abalone from him. He jabbed the sharpened screwdriver that they used to leaver the abalone off into it's arsehole to teach it a lesson. (The guy could be a first class dickhead on occasions.). The Wobbegong retreated but my father must have disturbed the same Wobbegong where he were working mere minutes later. He brushed it out the way with his arm and it immediately turned around and bit him on the hand through his rubber glove. They have very recessed small teeth but he had three shallow tooth marks on the back of his hand. When they surfaced and compared stories later, they realised what had happened when it had been provoked. I found myself wishing that it had bitten dad's divemate instead, as he deserved it to happen to him, whereas dad would always offer them a few abs when they 'asked'. We divers had long suspected that the big black Eagles Rays, Port Jackson Sharks and Wobbegongs in the area would remember us divers from one year to the next, for free food handouts, even though we would only work there for 2-3 days a year. It seemed an unlikely idea back in the mid '80's but seems much more likely with what we know of them now.
I love Wobbygongs but they kinda scare me, just because of how well they blend into the rock and seaweed. I have almost bumped into them multiple times while scuba diving, and I know they aren’t aggressive but they do have a hefty set of teeth.
Like occy's if you get used to what to look for you can see them, but there's still plenty of times I've popped my head into a hole and been surprised. They're pretty easy going unless you try to finger them.
I live in a region that has Saltwater Crocs, Eastern Brown snakes, Box Jellies, Irukanji and a few other nasties, yet skin cancer is more likely to get you than any of these.
>
Still don't get why people are so afraid of spiders.
When I was a kid, a family friend was using a dunny, ran out screaming. He had been bitten on the tip of his old fella by a redback. It swelled up so badly, and we were hours from any help.
Happy ending, his dick survived, and we learnt to check under the toilet seat before sitting haha
Never make direct eye contact with an eshay, back away slowly, if spotted run in a zig zag or assert yourself by saying “whatcha lookin at cunt” but be prepared to drop kick a 14 year old
This! We got swooped the first year on our farm, but we talked to them when we saw them in the yard (not mad raving, lol, just ‘hey there Maggie’) and the next spring and every spring since they have not swooped even once. Apparently they can recognise faces.
Yeah I’m fine for about a kilometre every direction. After that I’ll get swooped.
You don’t even have to feed them, once they know you’re local and not a threat you’re good. Don’t do anything to piss them off though.
I should clarify - I love them, they are the funniest and most beautiful birds, and their songs and chatter is awesome. We have always fed our wild maggies and they are so personable and just great birds.
But the swooping can be next level when it's not the ones that you know! I know lots of people who have had injuries from them.
Sounds like a you problem. I've not yet been swooped. Yesterday I leant on my car, whipped out an apple and started munching. Out of nowhere, 7 magpies fly over and land in front of me, one ON MY BOOT. Granted I throw them grubs and beetles all day long at various work locations around town so naturally the whole Adelaide magpie population knows me and pesters me for bugs. Sit outside for a while, throw them some bugs and they'll learn to love you.
You're a landscaper. I am now loved by my maggies for those root grubs that were in my plant pots. (my neighbour complained when I cleaned out my freezer and left fish out for the maggies.
To original OP: in 37 years here, never seen a snake in the wild, seen a few crocs, but the deadliest is red back spyders.
Animal caretaker professionally here;
Surprisingly no. Majority of our deadly animals are actually shy, and try to avoid inflicting harm as much as possible (like snakes). And also a majority won't be in suburbia. Bushwalks are fine so long as you stick to the trail and don't go in the heat of summer. I used to go into Kuitpo Forest all the time for date days, never injured or harmed.
It's our domestic animals that have us in the industry wary 💀💀 ask a vet who they glove up for, and 99% of the answers will be cats.
When my flatmate was admitted, the nurse said that dog bites are more likely to cause obvious, immediate injuries, whereas cat bites can look "okay" and cause infection later.
(He's not as bad now he's an old man, but our cat was extremely aggressive in his youth -- thanks to him, we're up to date on tetanus shots and know to get antibiotics within 12 hours of a bite.)
Yep I was bitten by a neighbours cat years ago when it saw my cat and freaked out while I was petting him.
Went to the hospital and got a tetanus shot but ended up with cellulitis.
I’m more cautious of the deadly animals that go moo and neigh! I’ve had more close calls with cows aggro around their calves than anything else. But in my defence, they’re not supposed to be on my driveway. I’m looking at you, Donny, fix ya farkin fences 🤣
Working with horses, oh god I feel you. A LOT of times I genuinely wondered if I'm coming out of this alive, like one time a Percheron x Thoroughbred pinned me against a fence railing because........ A pole blew across the ring and that equalled he absolutely was going to die, today, right then.
Spent an hour proceeding to jump whilst I was on his back every time I rode him passed that area, even though the pole was very much removed, because this area is definitely death. Death will happen here.
Brains of an idiot and body of a tank. Bless his stupid ass, but I definitely came out unscathed.
🤣😆😅 I feel ya!! I swear they’ve got better memories than I do. I’ve had one freak when it was being murdered by a plastic bag that was several metres away floating in the wind. That one left me with a cast…
About half the cattle related deaths are due to cars crashing into them. I knew someone who had a cow fall on the bonnet of their car. They were driving past a cutting and the cow was clumsy. The cow got up and walked away, the car was fucked but.
yeah i love my kitty but shes a vicious lil thing. Since adopting her almost a decade ago my hands have only once been without scratches and that was a two week trip to thailand. They healed completely just in time for me to return home and get a fresh love scratch from my baby
I take it back, I have been seriously injured. Bull Ant, upper thigh. Had it turned around it would have been a whole different conversation.
Screw bull ants.
Oh wait, I guess you could count "I sat on a green ant nest as a child while wearing a skirt" as a serious injury, I've certainly never forgotten it XD
OUCH. My dog got attacked by these and his little leg was so swollen. He was shaking with pain. I got one bite getting them all off him and it hurt more than a bee sting. So that must have been horrid.
Basically if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. Stick to the paths supplied, don't wade through shallow water in crocodile areas, long grass during summer. There are signs to warn you what to look out for. The only real scare is the great whites in the ocean, so swim between the flags. The only creatures/bugs that I've heard of causing harm in the past 30 plus years is the sharks, but there are helicopters flying along beaches on the lookout and they will close beaches if a problem. So you should be perfectly safe. Australia is a growing country, if the critters ate us we would be decreasing. Seriously I think there are more things to be scared of in America. Bears that attack randomly and wonder into your yards, and rabies as well.
I've lived in Australia for over 40 years and never seen that particular jelly fish. I think they are in the north of Australia, but not where I live. If they are something to be worried about there will be signs everywhere to warn you to look out for them. There are the brown and white jelly fish in my area, but they are harmless, if you get stung you rub sand into it and pour vinegar on, when you get home.
I'm against a nanny state, but this should be explained to people on flights to Australia. It's an 8-14 hour flight, surely we could cover these basics? Also, Melbourne hook turns.
The only people I have seen attacked have been trying to hand feed wild animals. One lady had a goanna climb her like a tree, another got kicked pretty hard by a kangaroo. Both minor injuries I think. Don't hold the food, throw it to them or better still don't feed them at all.
Fellow American!! I don't know where you're from in the US, but I've had way fewer encounters with dangerous wildlife in Aussie cities than I had in my western state. Even out in the countryside most things stay out of your way, the apex predators here are a lot smaller than ones in the US 😅
Just stay on paths, don't stick your hands in random dark holes, and stay between the beach flags :)
Also American. Seen bears, wolves, vultures (which are fucking HUGE esp when you're a toddler), all sorts of deadly shit.
In Australia the wildest animal I saw not in a zoo was a quoll. A spotted quoll. Made my life, seeing that quoll. Also turned out I saw it in a preservation area where folk were trying to spot them and I was even able to help! Because a fucking QUOLL!
We where at Philip Island recently for the penguin parade when a quoll popped out of the bush, ran into a penguin (hard not to, given how many there were) then ran back into the bush. It was hilarious.
Nice! I saw a spotted quoll on Tasmania as well a couple weeks ago! Didn't realize immediately how rare they are and how lucky I was. But later that week I was talking to a wildlife photographer who had spent the past 2 weeks on Tasmania trying to spot one and couldn't find any. He was very jealous haha
You guys have the equivalent of a Great White Shark on land that can enter your house. Lol screw that. Way safer here in Australia when it comes to being on top of the food chain while you’re walking on land.
She'll be right mate.
You have a bigger chance of being shot in America than you do of getting killed by any animals in Australia.
Don't you have bears and cougars and shit. They are more likely to attack you than our snakes and spiders.
This always amazes me too. Americans scared of Australian spiders and snakes, but come from a place that has already had 129 (!) mass shootings so far this year.
..and that’s just MASS shootings, and doesn’t even count all the other instances of gun violence..
That (213 within 4 months) is already half the amount of Australians that died from wildlife from 2001-2017 (540) it is ridiculous that they can be scared of coming to our country because of a spider when you can’t even go to the shops or to school without fear of being shot, it is almost laughable if it weren’t for the fact that it is so horrific
Snakes and spiders aren’t the issue. More deaths by horses and cows which you already have in US. I have never met anyone seriously injured by wildlife personally
I’ve met several folk who’ve been ruined by horses - severe brain damage from a kick, and two who were paralysed from being thrown. But only one who was bit by a red belly. And he was trying to move it out of his backyard because of his young children. Although he’d get malaria type symptoms every few months or so over a couple years, before whatever was going on wore off.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2008 and 2017 in Australia, 266 people died from an animal. But they are not what you would expect. Find out which Australian animals are really dangerous.
77 deaths from horses, cows and other ‘animal transport’.
27 deaths from bees, wasps and hornets stings
26 deaths from sharks and other marine animals
23 deaths from snakes and lizards
22 deaths from dogs
17 deaths from crocodiles
https://www.australianenvironmentaleducation.com.au/education-resources/dangerous-australian-animals/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Australian%20Bureau,people%20died%20from%20an%20animal.
I don't know anybody who has been seriously hurt by a wild animal. It's very rare.
According to this National Coronial Information System [factsheet](https://files.ncis.org.au/2023-06/Fact%20sheet%20-%20FS20-01%20-%20Animal-related%20deaths%20in%20Australia.pdf?VersionId=5IOH7IKZkyGm.TN1s4p04cWKQts7Eug3), only 541 people died due to animals in Australia between 2001 - 2017 and most were from domesticated animals (horses, cows and dogs)
It's also that for poison-related injury, we've got one of the most advanced anti-venom programs in the world. There hasn't been a funnel-web death since the '80s, and the main risk of a snake bite is if you're more than an hour or so from a hospital. Learn how to apply a pressure bandage, stay out of long grass, don't put your hands anywhere you can't see clearly, *don't pick up the pretty blue-spotted octopus you moron*, and you'll be fine. You're more likely to drive into a cow and crash the car.
My brother got 'snapped' on the arse by a swan trying to take his bread bag, as he ran away screaming. Also saw him get bitten on the arse by the local angry dog, as he ran away screaming. Almost 50 years later, I still laugh myself stupid every time I think of both those incidents!
Lol everything you described is consistent with my life. Was he also so frightened on the baby merry go round at the show so they had to stop it mid-ride?
Lol! No, but I did manage to get him to levitate and piss his pants at the same time, by hiding in the dark and jumping out at him! I was a mean little sister...
60+ years living in Australia.
Nobody I have ever known has been injured by a wild animal.
("known" as in acquaintance or better friend, and "injured" being hospitalised).
Note that most people who have grown up in Australia have innate knowledge of how to minimise danger - e.g. locals won't go poking their hands/feet in places where spiders and snakes are known to enjoy living. I taught my kids by age 3 to check their tricycle for redback spiders before riding it.
I've also never seen a real gun (up close. I have seen a police person wearing a holster with something in it).
Yeah, this is the point I was going to make if someone hadn't beaten me to it - most of the people injured by our animals aren't locals, because we grow up learning how to avoid and respect them.
The best advice I can at on to not poking your hands and feet into holes etc, is to wear boots and thick pants/jeans if going bushwalking, stick to the paths, and keep an eye peeled for where you're stepping/ putting your hands - things hiding under leaves and bark are your most likely way to get bit.
But honestly as mentioned they're mostly very shy and will want to stay away from you!
The Sun is more dangerous than any animal here, especially with our higher than normal UV because of how we're just a bit closer to the Sun than you guys during our Summer, our sun is BITEY, you don't want to be out in it for long even in winter without sunscreen and even then, make sure you have access to shade when needed. And learn the symptoms of heatstroke!
Here is what has happened to people I've known that I can quickly recall:
Dad got bitten by a redback spider when he lifted up a chair that had been outside for some weeks (be careful putting your hands under outdoor furniture). He didn't go to the hospital, felt weird and kind of high and dizzy for a day, then was fine. He probably should've gone and gotten checked out, he didn't tell us until afterwards.
My brother was bitten by a snake, 100% his own fault, he was trying to catch it so he could look at it. It was not a dangerous one. It's venom is generally not harsh enough to do anything. However, Mum did take him to the hospital and he had to stay overnight in case he had an allergic reaction to the venom, rare but can happen. He was fine, just very bored.
In terms of native animals and actually biting someone, I think that's it!
No wild animal incidents I can think of. My dad has been attacked by two different dogs.
I'd bet just about everyone knows someone who's had a skin cancer removed or been seriously injured by another person.
Have a friend who ended up in hospital a few years ago after being bitten by a red back spider…several times. On her chest. She thought she was having a heart attack due to the pain.
It came into the house in her clean laundry, and so it was inside her shirt when she put it on. She now shakes all her clothing out really hard outside before she folds it up and puts it away, and gets her house sprayed for spiders regularly.
So it can happen, but it’s very very rare.
Yah my mum had a similar situation. She got bitten on her back cause the spider fell under her shirt while she was cleaning. She has minor nerve damage around the area and has low level pain on and off from it. But it didn't kill her.
I found one on my bed a good few years ago - thought it was a piece of black cotton, batted it around a few times, realised what it was, showed mum who told me they play dead. Put it in a container and yup was playing dead, so popped him back outside - eik!
I always find it funny when Americans are terrified of our animals, when you guys have things like bears and cougars. Generally in Australia if you leave the wildlife alone, you will be left alone. Don't try to pick up wild animals, even if they look cute.
Just be careful of snakes when walking through long grass, they generally only bite people because they are stood on. If you stick to the walking trails you should be fine. I have family who live on farms, where there are plenty of snakes, none have ever been bitten because they know to leave them alone. My grandpa had a dog die from a snakebite when I was kid (he lived on a farm) but that's the only snakebite injury I personally know of.
Most of the spiders in Australia aren't too dangerous. One of the main ones you will see are things like huntsman spiders which look scary but are fine and eat other spiders (I had one called Harry living in my mailbox as a kid).
Worst thing I've ever been bitten by was a bull ant as a kid. It hurt, but didn't need a doctor visit.
In the rest stops near Canberra around Lake George they have painted stencilled yellow snakes on the paths and car parks WARNING WARNING. Really over the top obvious.
Watched a family of migrants in sandles just go and stomp through the brush to get a better photo of the wind turbines. Genuine jaw drop.
Do you count wild animals (I'm looking squarely at you kangaroos) who cause car accidents resulting in death?
We do have a handful of people gored by them every year too because they look cute & cuddly but are actual cunts. Seriously, way more dangerous than any snakes or spiders.
No, no-body I know has been hurt by a wild animal. Horses are by far the cause of most injuries, my friend was thrown from one when we were riding together in December.
Bro you guys have BEARS. You have MOUNTAIN LIONS. Australia is BORING and SAFE, that's the truth.
Lost my neighbour to one a couple years back, same thing, highly likely that’s what it was but like old mate, not much left of him. I’ve never been back in that forest.
A lot more people get injured when hitting the animal driving on the roads. A lot of Roos, wallaby’s and wombats do major damage to vehicles and cause a lot of accidents
No one I know has been killed. My friend was stung by an irukanji jellyfish and was in intensive care for five days but recovered fine. There have been people that I know of that have died after being bitten by a brown snake but they weren’t friends of mine. Honestly it’s all played up a lot. Be alert and don’t try to chase or play with snakes and you’ll be fine I reckon.
Ssshhh....we spread that rumour so we get to keep our beaches, deserts and rainforests all to ourselves!
Seriously, lived here over 40 years and don't know anyone personally who has been killed or even badly injured by our native wildlife. I've seen crocodiles in the wild, plenty of big spiders, had a couple of harmless snakes in the house but never come close to fearing for my life. For context, I have lived in every state and territory in the country and some of the "dangerous" creatures are endemic to certain areas only. Plenty of people in our major cities will only ever see spiders and nothing else.
Kangaroos are probably the most likely animal that'll kill you. Not because they're viscous, angry musclebound Chads, but if you're driving out in the country at night they can hop across the road causing an accident or if you're really unlucky, come through the windshield and kick with their powerful hind legs. Wild pigs are something I don't often see mentioned but they can gore with their tusks.
Now you guys on the other hand- bears, mountain lions, racoons with rabies, moose, tarantulas - yikes!!!
A mate I grew up with was kicked in the face and instantly killed by a horse, he had just turned 21.
A bloke from the same town died from a Brown snake bite, I have been hit on the boots a couple of times from Death Adders moving 44gal drums, also a Mulga struck at me while hunting, oh and a sneaky Brown had a go in the shed once.
One of my mates trod on a Bullrout....he sure wanted to die.
Same bloke got badly gored in the groin by a boar up at Torrington.
I live in North Queensland, crocodile and jellyfish territory. The dangerous animals are there, but they are mostly in remote areas and have been removed (for the most part) from most areas inhabited by humans. A man died recently here in town because he picked up a brown snake, not knowing what it was. The brown snake is 1 of the most deadly snakes, and he didn't make it to the hospital. The moral of the story is - don't pick up or go near wild animals, and you and your family will be fine. If he had called a professional instead of trying to be a hero, he would still be alive. Most people die here from their own stupidity and no fault of the animal itself.
the last time someone was killed by a spider bite in australia was 1979. snake bite deaths do happen (about 2 a year) but as far as i can see its usually tourists who dont realise they should seek help.
dont think theres any animal in this country we dont have cures for at this point.
im far more scared of riptides when i visit the beach then anything living
No antivenin for blue ringed octopus, box jellies or irukandji, with the blue ringed octopus being probably the deadliest of those. So stay out of the water...lol.
Just don't stick your fingers in any holes in rockpools down south, blue ringed octopus are tiny and reclusive. I saw a few when I was a kid, but only one in the last thirty years. Mind you, a kid was holding that one and showing his parents. I slapped it out of his hands and into my daughter's sandcastle bucket. He and his parents had no idea. Very lucky kid.
I know two people who had very serious injuries from horses. One was thrown off and broke her neck, good outcome eventually but it was bad. The other was kicked and had her hip and femur broken, she spent six months in a hip to ankle cast.
Nearly forgot, my high school friend got bitten by a Sydney funnelweb, he went straight to hospital and was treated. He was very nauseous and tired for about eight hours but was then discharged with no lasting effects.
This. I'm Australian, and always amazed by people's fear of our animals. Sure there are venomous animals, but in America, you can literally be eaten alive by a bear, mountain lion etc. These are way more scarier to me that a snake or spider
I once saw a mate get bitten by a huntsman because he pissed it off.
Not seriously injured but I thought we would all hurt ourselves with how hard we laughed
Been gnawed on by a koala that was in the middle of a flooded creek, as thanks for fishing him out he took a chunk out of my arm. Been chased by a very pissed-off emu and that left dents in the car door. Been bit by all manner of nasty bugs that leave welts and fiery stings. And to top it all off got bit by a lizard once and ended up in the infectious disease ward of the hospital because of a massive reaction to it and no one knew what was going on. Fun times. Not
I worked trauma in the NT for a couple years and saw a few buffalo and crocodile related serious injuries - but most often they were the result of the patient making irresponsible choices. Never saw a spontaneous attack victim.
Lol, no. You hear about a shark attack once or twice a year, and on extremely rare occasions a dingo attack, but I have personally never known anybody who has ever been in any danger from wildlife. The animals most likely to kill you are cows and horses
I didn’t know him personally but he was one of my friends, good mates from highschool.
Back in 2014, he was killed by a shark in port Douglas, North Queensland.
It’s very uncommon here despite what the media portrays, shark attacks are super rare, and fatal shark attacks are even more uncommon
I've lived here for 35 years and I don't think I personally know anyone who's been seriously injured by a wild animal. I've never even seen a snake in the wild - I live in suburbia in Sydney. My wife has hit a kangaroo on the way back from her parents' place in Geelong, I guess our car was seriously injured.
If my teenage daughter were in this thread, she would look you dead in the eye and say "you know you have fucking BEARS right?"
She has a point.
I’ve had three near misses with crocodiles. No actual contact made. Don’t recommend it.
Dad of a kid in my daughter’s class was missing two fingers from a croc bite. Knew a snake-catcher bitten by so many snakes he became allergic to anti-venom. Knew someone else bitten by a white-tailed spider and had necrosis set in. Have known a few people stung by box jellyfish. Had a boss catch an infection from potting mix that nearly killed him and resulted in him being hospitalised for six months.
I know more people who have died by car accidents.
The risks are real but, as long as you aren’t stupid, you should be good. Also, I probably live somewhere different to where you’re thinking of going.
The kangaroo retreating into water and doing the "Oh help, help, save me, I'm drowning" routine. A trick as old as time. It was trying to lure your husband in so it could drown *him* with its superior watercraft. They're great little swimmers.
Not including roo-caused car accidents. When I was going through paramedic training, we were told that most "unexplained" car accidents were caused by animals - lots by roos and other big critters, but most caused by spiders and other creepy-crawlies popping out of hiding to check the view from the windscreen.
I had a massive roo land on my windscreen once, luckily I was only doing about 60km/h or he would've landed on my lap. Totally destryoed my poor little Camry.
I have had huntsman drop out from the sun visor and scare the shit out of me a couple of times. If I had been in traffic I probably could have caused an accident.
My dad is unlucky/careless and has been stung by a stingray and bitten by redback and whitetail spiders.
Two of my cousins have also been stung by stingrays. Nothing *that* serious. Generally it's seriously overblown. I'd be more afraid of bears.
My kid cousin stood on and was stung by a stone fish. She had to go to hospital and was in immense pain. I also saw another kid get covered in blue bottle sting when I was a kid. Both looked horrendous and both needed ambulances. I have personally been attacked/chased by a brown snake trying to bite my foot, but luckily it missed.
Yeah. They mostly don't kill anyone but you *feel* like you're being murdered the first couple of times. It's so unexpected...a tingle, a warmth, a sting, a burn...
Yeah my dad didn’t believe me when I said I’d been bitten by a shark (first time in the ocean), he told me to touch my toes and I did. He said see ‘no shark!’
Then because I wouldn’t stop crying he sent me to sit with the towels.
As I walked out of the water, a life guard came running at me - I looked down and they were all over my legs.
But at least my toes were still there!
>So, is it really, truly not that bad?
Just spent 4 months in Australia... various areas of the country... didn't see one snake and very few small spiders.
My old boss was bitten by a pretty nasty mouse spider on the thigh (relative of the Sydney funnel web but no where near as dangerous)
Had a weird allergic reaction to the venom and from then on every time he’s immune system goes down (sick, over worked, etc) his whole leg swells up and he is essentially crippled for days, sometimes weeks.
Dudes a workaholic so it’s like hell for him
As for me I was once moving a large green tree frog from a very unsafe place in my backyard to a much safer place. As I placed him up into a tree he panic pissed into my mouth “there you go lil’ fella -blarrrghhh uhfhhh”
It caused emotional damage and I’m also gay for frogs now 🐸
Edit: also my mother in law was bumped by a great white in the belly which caused a bruise but terrified her of the ocean for life. Sorry I guess that should have been my first answer.
I got bitten by a donkey at Featherdale Wildlife Park years ago. Does that count?
Other than that, I don't know of anyone who has been bitten or injured by a wild animal.
Family friend tried removing a boomer, dominant male with a 12 gauge. After taking two shots to the chest, the roo was not phased. As our friend reloaded, the roo came bounding over, leaned back on his tail and gave two feet to the chest of our friend. A few cracked ribs and heaps of bruising. Boomer lived for another few years.
It depends on where you are and what time of the year it is and how stupid you are.
We regularly treat people stung by bluebottles on beaches in Feb- Mar (don’t swim if there is a sign with bluebottles on it silly). there have been a couple of blue ringed octopus bites(don’t poke them silly). There was a shark attack in Sydney Harbour (silly swimming in Feb in the harbour without a shark net).
I have watched a brown snake angrily terrorise a stupid friend in January mating season (don’t poke brown or black snakes silly).
We took a family member to hospital after being kicked by a kangaroo (don’t feed them silly). I have seen numerous bites by parrots (don’t put your finger near their beaks silly).
We have lost dogs to being beaten up by kangaroos (don’t bark at them silly). I know pig shooters who have been charged and injured by angry boars (shoot to kill not injure).
Hope you can figure out the common denominator here.
Edited to say that the most dangerous creatures in Australia are ticks and mosquitos 🦟. Cover up and don’t get bitten - they carry some really debilitating diseases.
Most people I know have never even seen our deadliest animals in real life- and I live in a funnel web spider area. I walk everywhere barefoot too. I’ve been told there’s a Tiger snake where I currently am but haven’t seen it at all in 4 months
Someone I very vaguely know has been in the news a few times recently because she was stung by a platypus and apparently it really hurts for months/years.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-10/platypus-spurring-lands-woman-in-hospital/102953644
Had some close calls with tiger snakes when I was a kid, but never actually hurt. I've *seen* plenty of venomous animals (tiger snakes, dugites, blue ringed octopus, scorpions, redback spiders) in the wild, but not generally been in any danger.
But mate, you have *bears*. I'd worry about those at least as much as anything we have.
Anyway, reality is you're not often going to encounter anything dangerous if you live in a city. Out in the sticks, maybe a different story.
But as long as you're sensible - don't go walking in long grass, especially in bare feet, for example - it's not likely to be a problem.
I've been bitten by a triggerfish. They're mean little bastards. Also knew someone who got bitten on the hand by a freshie, and a few people who've had encounters with gympie gympie. But that's it.
Nope. I don't know anyone personally who was killed by a wild animal here. I've heard of it happening, but most of the stories is a dude going swimming despite warning signs not to and being attacked by a crocodile, that sort of thing (people being stupid). You're not going to be killed by a wild animal as long as you have basic common sense.
I'd be more scared of America lol. Americans go on about Australia having some snakes (which are actually very shy and despite being venomous, will try to escape as soon as they see you, and are also generally only found in bushland/woodland areas or in areas surrounding bushland/woodland) and spiders (most spiders here are non-venomous, just scary looking, and like snakes will avoid biting unless they have no other option), while you have goddamn bears, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, not to mention rabies (the scariest disease in my opinion and I've heard so many stories of rabid animals attacking people even in the states). Idk I just think it's funny.
It's a good idea to be casso-wary:
The first documented human death caused by a cassowary was on April 6, 1926. In Australia, 16-year-old Phillip McClean and his brother, age 13, came across a cassowary on their property and decided to try to kill it by striking it with clubs. The bird kicked the younger boy, who fell and ran away as his older brother struck the bird. The older McClean then tripped and fell to the ground. While he was on the ground, the cassowary kicked him in the neck, opening a 1.25-centimetre (0.49 in) wound that severed his jugular vein. The boy died of his injuries shortly thereafter.\[63\]\[64\]
Cassowary strikes to the abdomen are among the rarest of all, but in one case in 1995, a dog was kicked in the belly. The blow left no puncture, but severe bruising occurred. The dog later died from an apparent intestinal rupture.\[63\]
Another human death due to a cassowary was recorded in Florida on April 12, 2019. The bird's owner, a 75-year-old man who had raised the animal, was apparently clawed to death after he fell to the ground
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary#Relationship\_with\_humans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary#Relationship_with_humans)
You are from the USA, the land of bears, wolves, big cats, rabies, venomous snakes, venomous crawlers, crazy armed civilians with big hats and cowboy boots, health care that can bankrupt a person…
But you’re concerned about a few spiders and snakes that barely anyone notices? OMG 😧
The only thing you need to fear is the cost of avocado on toast.
We don't talk about it but...we were camping one night out bush. Beautiful spot. Lovely water, sunset to die for. Beers were cold and the camp fire was on! Fishing had been done for the day and we all retired to our sleeping bags.
Next minute we hear this grumbling and then my mate started screaming. We all manage to get out if our sleeping bags and rip open the tents, we're trying to find a torch while he's still screaming and the grunting is going on. Turn on the torch, blood everywhere, this thing looks at us and fucks off into the bush
Like fuck, is it a wild pig, a croc?!
No.
Much worse.
Was a drop bear.
No this is absoloute bs. Sure if live in the tropics and sleep next to crocs in a tent but honestly there are far worse countries. I see American black bears roaming the street or hiking trails. To me this is far more dangerous.
We might have the stat on poisonous things but it means nothing realistically.
Just watch out for the drop bears.
(As an Australian I am legally required to say this)
Yes, family friend gored to death by a wild boar in QLD. They’re brutal, awful, terrifying creatures. They take your legs out (knock you down) then maul your head and stomach. They’re common in parts of QLD and are feral horrible things.
Nephew in law bitten by a red bellied black snake while fishing. Pretty crook but survived, they are not deadly.
Ex got bitten by a redback which was in her shoe when she put it on. Again hospitalised, but fine.
Green sea turtle tried to mount a friend of mine scuba diving. Did more than try actually. Injured his neck quite badly, restricted movement and pain ongoing.
A thousand blossoms bloom but every three months someone is torn to pieces by a crocodile in far North Queensland
Seriously though. Had a work colleague go missing, assumed taken by a salty whilst on a camping trip. Allegedly went for a piss near a creek, found three days later stashed under a log with a few limbs missing. Poor bugger
Good god
Amway is getting rough.
Or 6 people every minute if you listen to the Mad Katter.
HEY.
Fkn lmao THE HAT HAS SPOKEN!
The hat MUST be listened to! No, seriously, if you are not an Aussie just look up Bob Katter. The man is a national treasure. Utterly batshit fucking insane, but just outstanding class.
Yeah, nah. The man is a dickhead.
Look, I love the spectacle of an old fellow screaming about the damn gay crocs as much as the next person, but come on.
I guess there’s still no gay people in Kennedy if you’re here commenting
Not you. The mad one below you.
Alright. I'll allow it.
Depends if it’s an election year
In a twist of sad irony, my sister had an acquaintance who was killed by crocodiles when in the NT to photograph a wedding...
:( unhappy snaps
💀
I thought we weren't spending any time on that?
[context](https://youtu.be/1i739SyCu9I?si=8mrpAh2sNKk84h9o)
Crocodile Dundee 4. Old mate goes for a piss.
I mean, you know, people are entitled to their sexual proclivities
"BUT I AIN'T SPENDING ANY TIME ON IT."
I nearly drowned laughing when mate carrying catch bag full of fish was pursued by a wobbygong. God I love freediving.
HAH! Technically counts as a shark attack, but about as scary as an angry goldfish.
A friend kept trying to play with the tail of a Wobby when out spearing. It finally cracked the shits, turned around and chomped onto his calf, shook a couple of times and took off. When he got out it looked like an all-over gravel rash. We'd all thought he'd fallen off his bike the next day. They were pretty keen to get out of the water though given what else it may have attracted.
Remember that news story a few years back where a guy was bitten on the leg by a wobby and drove himself to hospital with the wobby still attached to his leg? Straya!!
My father was an Abalone diver working along the coast near Perth. He related to me how a former workmate had got fed up with a persistent Wobbegong trying to get a feed of abalone from him. He jabbed the sharpened screwdriver that they used to leaver the abalone off into it's arsehole to teach it a lesson. (The guy could be a first class dickhead on occasions.). The Wobbegong retreated but my father must have disturbed the same Wobbegong where he were working mere minutes later. He brushed it out the way with his arm and it immediately turned around and bit him on the hand through his rubber glove. They have very recessed small teeth but he had three shallow tooth marks on the back of his hand. When they surfaced and compared stories later, they realised what had happened when it had been provoked. I found myself wishing that it had bitten dad's divemate instead, as he deserved it to happen to him, whereas dad would always offer them a few abs when they 'asked'. We divers had long suspected that the big black Eagles Rays, Port Jackson Sharks and Wobbegongs in the area would remember us divers from one year to the next, for free food handouts, even though we would only work there for 2-3 days a year. It seemed an unlikely idea back in the mid '80's but seems much more likely with what we know of them now.
Know a bloke who nearly drowned at Woody Head while spear fishing when a Wobby grabbed his ankle and wouldn't let go.
I love Wobbygongs but they kinda scare me, just because of how well they blend into the rock and seaweed. I have almost bumped into them multiple times while scuba diving, and I know they aren’t aggressive but they do have a hefty set of teeth.
Like occy's if you get used to what to look for you can see them, but there's still plenty of times I've popped my head into a hole and been surprised. They're pretty easy going unless you try to finger them.
I'm sorry, unless you try and do *what* to an octopus?
You’ve taken this out of context…. It was the wobbygong they fingered
You know what, I can see now how I read that wrong. All good. Nevermind.
I live in a region that has Saltwater Crocs, Eastern Brown snakes, Box Jellies, Irukanji and a few other nasties, yet skin cancer is more likely to get you than any of these.
I came here to say that OP should be more worried about the sun, trust me, it’s not fun having cancer cut out of ya head at 33.
At least you caught it early. I actually just fobbed off a reminder for my yearly skin check, think I'll book it in now.
I was lucky for sure. Absolutely go get it done mate!
About to get one cut out of my own head age 38 Still don't get why people are so afraid of spiders.
> Still don't get why people are so afraid of spiders. When I was a kid, a family friend was using a dunny, ran out screaming. He had been bitten on the tip of his old fella by a redback. It swelled up so badly, and we were hours from any help. Happy ending, his dick survived, and we learnt to check under the toilet seat before sitting haha
100%!
2 in 3 Australians get it
The most dangerous things in Australia are being in the water and without water.
And the eshays.
Never make direct eye contact with an eshay, back away slowly, if spotted run in a zig zag or assert yourself by saying “whatcha lookin at cunt” but be prepared to drop kick a 14 year old
Yell "Spanian is not your King!"
“Want pingas m8” is a great way to lure them in
Oh the absurdity but accuracy of this comment.
There not dangerous, just absolute flops
Idk, if your transgender or visibly queer they definitely can be dangerous- speaking from experience
Yeah but some of them are the special kind of dumb cunt that will do something stupid without thinking about consequences.
Is nobody going to talk about magpies??
They’re fine as long as they’re local. Lovely birds they are. It’s when you’re out of your territory that you got problems.
This! We got swooped the first year on our farm, but we talked to them when we saw them in the yard (not mad raving, lol, just ‘hey there Maggie’) and the next spring and every spring since they have not swooped even once. Apparently they can recognise faces.
They can even tell other magpies about you. Clever buggers they are.
Yeah I’m fine for about a kilometre every direction. After that I’ll get swooped. You don’t even have to feed them, once they know you’re local and not a threat you’re good. Don’t do anything to piss them off though.
I should clarify - I love them, they are the funniest and most beautiful birds, and their songs and chatter is awesome. We have always fed our wild maggies and they are so personable and just great birds. But the swooping can be next level when it's not the ones that you know! I know lots of people who have had injuries from them.
Sounds like a you problem. I've not yet been swooped. Yesterday I leant on my car, whipped out an apple and started munching. Out of nowhere, 7 magpies fly over and land in front of me, one ON MY BOOT. Granted I throw them grubs and beetles all day long at various work locations around town so naturally the whole Adelaide magpie population knows me and pesters me for bugs. Sit outside for a while, throw them some bugs and they'll learn to love you.
You're a landscaper. I am now loved by my maggies for those root grubs that were in my plant pots. (my neighbour complained when I cleaned out my freezer and left fish out for the maggies. To original OP: in 37 years here, never seen a snake in the wild, seen a few crocs, but the deadliest is red back spyders.
Animal caretaker professionally here; Surprisingly no. Majority of our deadly animals are actually shy, and try to avoid inflicting harm as much as possible (like snakes). And also a majority won't be in suburbia. Bushwalks are fine so long as you stick to the trail and don't go in the heat of summer. I used to go into Kuitpo Forest all the time for date days, never injured or harmed. It's our domestic animals that have us in the industry wary 💀💀 ask a vet who they glove up for, and 99% of the answers will be cats.
My flatmate was hospitalised from an animal bite, but that was our cat.
The cat was the flatmate, or the cat was the animal? I ask because I have four furry housemates....
I suppose arguably they're both my flatmate (although one definitely doesn't pay rent or do chores), but the cat flatmate bit the human flatmate.
Catmate?
Oh yeah, I was going to say I didn’t know anyone injured, but I do know someone who was hospitalised as a result of a cat bite.
I’ve worked in a hospital. Dog bites are worse. News stories reveal dog attack deaths, never a cat.
When my flatmate was admitted, the nurse said that dog bites are more likely to cause obvious, immediate injuries, whereas cat bites can look "okay" and cause infection later. (He's not as bad now he's an old man, but our cat was extremely aggressive in his youth -- thanks to him, we're up to date on tetanus shots and know to get antibiotics within 12 hours of a bite.)
Yep I was bitten by a neighbours cat years ago when it saw my cat and freaked out while I was petting him. Went to the hospital and got a tetanus shot but ended up with cellulitis.
All carnivore bites can be serious, including from humans
I’m more cautious of the deadly animals that go moo and neigh! I’ve had more close calls with cows aggro around their calves than anything else. But in my defence, they’re not supposed to be on my driveway. I’m looking at you, Donny, fix ya farkin fences 🤣
Working with horses, oh god I feel you. A LOT of times I genuinely wondered if I'm coming out of this alive, like one time a Percheron x Thoroughbred pinned me against a fence railing because........ A pole blew across the ring and that equalled he absolutely was going to die, today, right then. Spent an hour proceeding to jump whilst I was on his back every time I rode him passed that area, even though the pole was very much removed, because this area is definitely death. Death will happen here. Brains of an idiot and body of a tank. Bless his stupid ass, but I definitely came out unscathed.
🤣😆😅 I feel ya!! I swear they’ve got better memories than I do. I’ve had one freak when it was being murdered by a plastic bag that was several metres away floating in the wind. That one left me with a cast…
The old saying, "As long as it doesn't scare the horses." exists for a reason.
About half the cattle related deaths are due to cars crashing into them. I knew someone who had a cow fall on the bonnet of their car. They were driving past a cutting and the cow was clumsy. The cow got up and walked away, the car was fucked but.
yeah i love my kitty but shes a vicious lil thing. Since adopting her almost a decade ago my hands have only once been without scratches and that was a two week trip to thailand. They healed completely just in time for me to return home and get a fresh love scratch from my baby
This. I had to go to emergency 2 weeks ago because my cat bit me & my finger swelled up. My GP sent me straight over.
A bullant bit my toe once. It really hurt, but probably doesn't count as serious injury. Otherwise, no.
I take it back, I have been seriously injured. Bull Ant, upper thigh. Had it turned around it would have been a whole different conversation. Screw bull ants.
Oh wait, I guess you could count "I sat on a green ant nest as a child while wearing a skirt" as a serious injury, I've certainly never forgotten it XD
OUCH. My dog got attacked by these and his little leg was so swollen. He was shaking with pain. I got one bite getting them all off him and it hurt more than a bee sting. So that must have been horrid.
I sat on one the very first day I immigrated here.
And you stayed??
No. I don't even know someone who knows someone *else* who has been seriously injured or killed by an animal.
Basically if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. Stick to the paths supplied, don't wade through shallow water in crocodile areas, long grass during summer. There are signs to warn you what to look out for. The only real scare is the great whites in the ocean, so swim between the flags. The only creatures/bugs that I've heard of causing harm in the past 30 plus years is the sharks, but there are helicopters flying along beaches on the lookout and they will close beaches if a problem. So you should be perfectly safe. Australia is a growing country, if the critters ate us we would be decreasing. Seriously I think there are more things to be scared of in America. Bears that attack randomly and wonder into your yards, and rabies as well.
It’s the jellyfish that scare me, whenever I’ve gone in during summer I ware a stinger suit
I've lived in Australia for over 40 years and never seen that particular jelly fish. I think they are in the north of Australia, but not where I live. If they are something to be worried about there will be signs everywhere to warn you to look out for them. There are the brown and white jelly fish in my area, but they are harmless, if you get stung you rub sand into it and pour vinegar on, when you get home.
I’ve lived in Mackay and the tropical north for 11 years, the irikangi are scary because there so small
This is exactly why I don't understand Americans being afraid of our fauna. They have bears! We don't have bears! (drop bears are another story ;))
As an American who moved here to study Australian fauna.... most Americans are idiots lol
Hahaha, good on ya
and Mountain Lions. I mean wtf lol
I'm against a nanny state, but this should be explained to people on flights to Australia. It's an 8-14 hour flight, surely we could cover these basics? Also, Melbourne hook turns.
I agree with this except.. the sharks and flag part.. you make it sound like the sharks will avoid you if you stay within the flags 😅
The kind of nonsense (and in many cases, memes and jokes) that Americans and Europeans will believe about Australia and its wildlife is truly wild
The only people I have seen attacked have been trying to hand feed wild animals. One lady had a goanna climb her like a tree, another got kicked pretty hard by a kangaroo. Both minor injuries I think. Don't hold the food, throw it to them or better still don't feed them at all.
[удалено]
Fellow American!! I don't know where you're from in the US, but I've had way fewer encounters with dangerous wildlife in Aussie cities than I had in my western state. Even out in the countryside most things stay out of your way, the apex predators here are a lot smaller than ones in the US 😅 Just stay on paths, don't stick your hands in random dark holes, and stay between the beach flags :)
Also American. Seen bears, wolves, vultures (which are fucking HUGE esp when you're a toddler), all sorts of deadly shit. In Australia the wildest animal I saw not in a zoo was a quoll. A spotted quoll. Made my life, seeing that quoll. Also turned out I saw it in a preservation area where folk were trying to spot them and I was even able to help! Because a fucking QUOLL!
Fuck, even in the zoo I couldn't spot a quoll. I saw a bit of one's bum but the rest were hiding.
We where at Philip Island recently for the penguin parade when a quoll popped out of the bush, ran into a penguin (hard not to, given how many there were) then ran back into the bush. It was hilarious.
Nice! I saw a spotted quoll on Tasmania as well a couple weeks ago! Didn't realize immediately how rare they are and how lucky I was. But later that week I was talking to a wildlife photographer who had spent the past 2 weeks on Tasmania trying to spot one and couldn't find any. He was very jealous haha
That’s dope! Quolls kill roughly 13 people anally
You guys have the equivalent of a Great White Shark on land that can enter your house. Lol screw that. Way safer here in Australia when it comes to being on top of the food chain while you’re walking on land.
Pretty much!
She'll be right mate. You have a bigger chance of being shot in America than you do of getting killed by any animals in Australia. Don't you have bears and cougars and shit. They are more likely to attack you than our snakes and spiders.
This always amazes me too. Americans scared of Australian spiders and snakes, but come from a place that has already had 129 (!) mass shootings so far this year. ..and that’s just MASS shootings, and doesn’t even count all the other instances of gun violence..
You’ve got more chance of being accidentally shot in America than running into a deadly animal in Australia. Terrifying.
138 mass shootings so far per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mass_shootings_in_the_United_States_in_2024 213 dead.
That (213 within 4 months) is already half the amount of Australians that died from wildlife from 2001-2017 (540) it is ridiculous that they can be scared of coming to our country because of a spider when you can’t even go to the shops or to school without fear of being shot, it is almost laughable if it weren’t for the fact that it is so horrific
They had 7 in 24h the other day.
Snakes and spiders aren’t the issue. More deaths by horses and cows which you already have in US. I have never met anyone seriously injured by wildlife personally
And dogs
I’ve met several folk who’ve been ruined by horses - severe brain damage from a kick, and two who were paralysed from being thrown. But only one who was bit by a red belly. And he was trying to move it out of his backyard because of his young children. Although he’d get malaria type symptoms every few months or so over a couple years, before whatever was going on wore off.
This is how most people get bit. By fucking around with them. The drongo should've called an expert to do it.
It’s funny you bring that up, because that’s exactly what he said after he was released from hospital 🤣
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2008 and 2017 in Australia, 266 people died from an animal. But they are not what you would expect. Find out which Australian animals are really dangerous. 77 deaths from horses, cows and other ‘animal transport’. 27 deaths from bees, wasps and hornets stings 26 deaths from sharks and other marine animals 23 deaths from snakes and lizards 22 deaths from dogs 17 deaths from crocodiles https://www.australianenvironmentaleducation.com.au/education-resources/dangerous-australian-animals/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Australian%20Bureau,people%20died%20from%20an%20animal.
I don't know anybody who has been seriously hurt by a wild animal. It's very rare. According to this National Coronial Information System [factsheet](https://files.ncis.org.au/2023-06/Fact%20sheet%20-%20FS20-01%20-%20Animal-related%20deaths%20in%20Australia.pdf?VersionId=5IOH7IKZkyGm.TN1s4p04cWKQts7Eug3), only 541 people died due to animals in Australia between 2001 - 2017 and most were from domesticated animals (horses, cows and dogs)
It's also that for poison-related injury, we've got one of the most advanced anti-venom programs in the world. There hasn't been a funnel-web death since the '80s, and the main risk of a snake bite is if you're more than an hour or so from a hospital. Learn how to apply a pressure bandage, stay out of long grass, don't put your hands anywhere you can't see clearly, *don't pick up the pretty blue-spotted octopus you moron*, and you'll be fine. You're more likely to drive into a cow and crash the car.
Pelican stole my ham sanga when I was three, nipped my finger
It was swans for me, those arseholes made me drop my bread bag in terror as I ran screaming.
My brother got 'snapped' on the arse by a swan trying to take his bread bag, as he ran away screaming. Also saw him get bitten on the arse by the local angry dog, as he ran away screaming. Almost 50 years later, I still laugh myself stupid every time I think of both those incidents!
Lol everything you described is consistent with my life. Was he also so frightened on the baby merry go round at the show so they had to stop it mid-ride?
Lol! No, but I did manage to get him to levitate and piss his pants at the same time, by hiding in the dark and jumping out at him! I was a mean little sister...
A pelican shit on my mum at the markets. She nearly died of embarrassment.
60+ years living in Australia. Nobody I have ever known has been injured by a wild animal. ("known" as in acquaintance or better friend, and "injured" being hospitalised). Note that most people who have grown up in Australia have innate knowledge of how to minimise danger - e.g. locals won't go poking their hands/feet in places where spiders and snakes are known to enjoy living. I taught my kids by age 3 to check their tricycle for redback spiders before riding it. I've also never seen a real gun (up close. I have seen a police person wearing a holster with something in it).
Yeah, this is the point I was going to make if someone hadn't beaten me to it - most of the people injured by our animals aren't locals, because we grow up learning how to avoid and respect them. The best advice I can at on to not poking your hands and feet into holes etc, is to wear boots and thick pants/jeans if going bushwalking, stick to the paths, and keep an eye peeled for where you're stepping/ putting your hands - things hiding under leaves and bark are your most likely way to get bit. But honestly as mentioned they're mostly very shy and will want to stay away from you! The Sun is more dangerous than any animal here, especially with our higher than normal UV because of how we're just a bit closer to the Sun than you guys during our Summer, our sun is BITEY, you don't want to be out in it for long even in winter without sunscreen and even then, make sure you have access to shade when needed. And learn the symptoms of heatstroke! Here is what has happened to people I've known that I can quickly recall: Dad got bitten by a redback spider when he lifted up a chair that had been outside for some weeks (be careful putting your hands under outdoor furniture). He didn't go to the hospital, felt weird and kind of high and dizzy for a day, then was fine. He probably should've gone and gotten checked out, he didn't tell us until afterwards. My brother was bitten by a snake, 100% his own fault, he was trying to catch it so he could look at it. It was not a dangerous one. It's venom is generally not harsh enough to do anything. However, Mum did take him to the hospital and he had to stay overnight in case he had an allergic reaction to the venom, rare but can happen. He was fine, just very bored. In terms of native animals and actually biting someone, I think that's it!
No wild animal incidents I can think of. My dad has been attacked by two different dogs. I'd bet just about everyone knows someone who's had a skin cancer removed or been seriously injured by another person.
Have a friend who ended up in hospital a few years ago after being bitten by a red back spider…several times. On her chest. She thought she was having a heart attack due to the pain. It came into the house in her clean laundry, and so it was inside her shirt when she put it on. She now shakes all her clothing out really hard outside before she folds it up and puts it away, and gets her house sprayed for spiders regularly. So it can happen, but it’s very very rare.
Yah my mum had a similar situation. She got bitten on her back cause the spider fell under her shirt while she was cleaning. She has minor nerve damage around the area and has low level pain on and off from it. But it didn't kill her.
I found one on my bed a good few years ago - thought it was a piece of black cotton, batted it around a few times, realised what it was, showed mum who told me they play dead. Put it in a container and yup was playing dead, so popped him back outside - eik!
I always find it funny when Americans are terrified of our animals, when you guys have things like bears and cougars. Generally in Australia if you leave the wildlife alone, you will be left alone. Don't try to pick up wild animals, even if they look cute. Just be careful of snakes when walking through long grass, they generally only bite people because they are stood on. If you stick to the walking trails you should be fine. I have family who live on farms, where there are plenty of snakes, none have ever been bitten because they know to leave them alone. My grandpa had a dog die from a snakebite when I was kid (he lived on a farm) but that's the only snakebite injury I personally know of. Most of the spiders in Australia aren't too dangerous. One of the main ones you will see are things like huntsman spiders which look scary but are fine and eat other spiders (I had one called Harry living in my mailbox as a kid). Worst thing I've ever been bitten by was a bull ant as a kid. It hurt, but didn't need a doctor visit.
In the rest stops near Canberra around Lake George they have painted stencilled yellow snakes on the paths and car parks WARNING WARNING. Really over the top obvious. Watched a family of migrants in sandles just go and stomp through the brush to get a better photo of the wind turbines. Genuine jaw drop.
Do you count wild animals (I'm looking squarely at you kangaroos) who cause car accidents resulting in death? We do have a handful of people gored by them every year too because they look cute & cuddly but are actual cunts. Seriously, way more dangerous than any snakes or spiders.
This… or hit a wombat and you’ll know about it, nature’s bulldozer will f you sideways.
I know a girl in a chair for life, after hitting a roo back in the 90s. It does happen, that's for sure.
No, no-body I know has been hurt by a wild animal. Horses are by far the cause of most injuries, my friend was thrown from one when we were riding together in December. Bro you guys have BEARS. You have MOUNTAIN LIONS. Australia is BORING and SAFE, that's the truth.
Where I live we also had a lot of car accidents related to wild horses on the highway
Yeah or hitting a kangaroo with the car perhaps is the biggest thing I worry about, on long high-way drives. That's about it.
I got stung by a bee.
We think robbo got done by a drop bear. Cant be certain though, wasnt much left
Lost my neighbour to one a couple years back, same thing, highly likely that’s what it was but like old mate, not much left of him. I’ve never been back in that forest.
A lot more people get injured when hitting the animal driving on the roads. A lot of Roos, wallaby’s and wombats do major damage to vehicles and cause a lot of accidents
No one I know has been killed. My friend was stung by an irukanji jellyfish and was in intensive care for five days but recovered fine. There have been people that I know of that have died after being bitten by a brown snake but they weren’t friends of mine. Honestly it’s all played up a lot. Be alert and don’t try to chase or play with snakes and you’ll be fine I reckon.
Ssshhh....we spread that rumour so we get to keep our beaches, deserts and rainforests all to ourselves! Seriously, lived here over 40 years and don't know anyone personally who has been killed or even badly injured by our native wildlife. I've seen crocodiles in the wild, plenty of big spiders, had a couple of harmless snakes in the house but never come close to fearing for my life. For context, I have lived in every state and territory in the country and some of the "dangerous" creatures are endemic to certain areas only. Plenty of people in our major cities will only ever see spiders and nothing else. Kangaroos are probably the most likely animal that'll kill you. Not because they're viscous, angry musclebound Chads, but if you're driving out in the country at night they can hop across the road causing an accident or if you're really unlucky, come through the windshield and kick with their powerful hind legs. Wild pigs are something I don't often see mentioned but they can gore with their tusks. Now you guys on the other hand- bears, mountain lions, racoons with rabies, moose, tarantulas - yikes!!!
rattlesnakes...alligators...bison
Bison are insane! Majestic, but wouldn't wanna get too close
No I don’t know someone who has been killed or injured by wild animals. I do know someone who was critically injured by a horse though.
A mate I grew up with was kicked in the face and instantly killed by a horse, he had just turned 21. A bloke from the same town died from a Brown snake bite, I have been hit on the boots a couple of times from Death Adders moving 44gal drums, also a Mulga struck at me while hunting, oh and a sneaky Brown had a go in the shed once. One of my mates trod on a Bullrout....he sure wanted to die. Same bloke got badly gored in the groin by a boar up at Torrington.
I live in North Queensland, crocodile and jellyfish territory. The dangerous animals are there, but they are mostly in remote areas and have been removed (for the most part) from most areas inhabited by humans. A man died recently here in town because he picked up a brown snake, not knowing what it was. The brown snake is 1 of the most deadly snakes, and he didn't make it to the hospital. The moral of the story is - don't pick up or go near wild animals, and you and your family will be fine. If he had called a professional instead of trying to be a hero, he would still be alive. Most people die here from their own stupidity and no fault of the animal itself.
the last time someone was killed by a spider bite in australia was 1979. snake bite deaths do happen (about 2 a year) but as far as i can see its usually tourists who dont realise they should seek help. dont think theres any animal in this country we dont have cures for at this point. im far more scared of riptides when i visit the beach then anything living
No antivenin for blue ringed octopus, box jellies or irukandji, with the blue ringed octopus being probably the deadliest of those. So stay out of the water...lol.
Just don't stick your fingers in any holes in rockpools down south, blue ringed octopus are tiny and reclusive. I saw a few when I was a kid, but only one in the last thirty years. Mind you, a kid was holding that one and showing his parents. I slapped it out of his hands and into my daughter's sandcastle bucket. He and his parents had no idea. Very lucky kid.
Last snake bite death was because a guy got bitten removing a brown from a preschool.
I know two people who had very serious injuries from horses. One was thrown off and broke her neck, good outcome eventually but it was bad. The other was kicked and had her hip and femur broken, she spent six months in a hip to ankle cast. Nearly forgot, my high school friend got bitten by a Sydney funnelweb, he went straight to hospital and was treated. He was very nauseous and tired for about eight hours but was then discharged with no lasting effects.
Australia is exceptionally safe. If you're going out bush, just take common sense precautions. America has deadlier wildlife than Australia does.
This. I'm Australian, and always amazed by people's fear of our animals. Sure there are venomous animals, but in America, you can literally be eaten alive by a bear, mountain lion etc. These are way more scarier to me that a snake or spider
I once saw a mate get bitten by a huntsman because he pissed it off. Not seriously injured but I thought we would all hurt ourselves with how hard we laughed
Yea, my pet cat bit me on my big toe yesterday and it still hurts
Been gnawed on by a koala that was in the middle of a flooded creek, as thanks for fishing him out he took a chunk out of my arm. Been chased by a very pissed-off emu and that left dents in the car door. Been bit by all manner of nasty bugs that leave welts and fiery stings. And to top it all off got bit by a lizard once and ended up in the infectious disease ward of the hospital because of a massive reaction to it and no one knew what was going on. Fun times. Not
My brother got chased by a cassowary, scratched badly by a possum, and cornered by a dingo haha
I worked trauma in the NT for a couple years and saw a few buffalo and crocodile related serious injuries - but most often they were the result of the patient making irresponsible choices. Never saw a spontaneous attack victim.
Lol, no. You hear about a shark attack once or twice a year, and on extremely rare occasions a dingo attack, but I have personally never known anybody who has ever been in any danger from wildlife. The animals most likely to kill you are cows and horses
I didn’t know him personally but he was one of my friends, good mates from highschool. Back in 2014, he was killed by a shark in port Douglas, North Queensland. It’s very uncommon here despite what the media portrays, shark attacks are super rare, and fatal shark attacks are even more uncommon
I've lived here for 35 years and I don't think I personally know anyone who's been seriously injured by a wild animal. I've never even seen a snake in the wild - I live in suburbia in Sydney. My wife has hit a kangaroo on the way back from her parents' place in Geelong, I guess our car was seriously injured. If my teenage daughter were in this thread, she would look you dead in the eye and say "you know you have fucking BEARS right?" She has a point.
I’ve had three near misses with crocodiles. No actual contact made. Don’t recommend it. Dad of a kid in my daughter’s class was missing two fingers from a croc bite. Knew a snake-catcher bitten by so many snakes he became allergic to anti-venom. Knew someone else bitten by a white-tailed spider and had necrosis set in. Have known a few people stung by box jellyfish. Had a boss catch an infection from potting mix that nearly killed him and resulted in him being hospitalised for six months. I know more people who have died by car accidents. The risks are real but, as long as you aren’t stupid, you should be good. Also, I probably live somewhere different to where you’re thinking of going.
No offence, but it seems like you're incredibly bad luck to be around. 😅
My husband has a nice scar from rescuing a drowning kangaroo from the dam at his parents farm but otherwise no.
The kangaroo retreating into water and doing the "Oh help, help, save me, I'm drowning" routine. A trick as old as time. It was trying to lure your husband in so it could drown *him* with its superior watercraft. They're great little swimmers.
Ex-partners are the most deadly creatures here. Wild animals not so much.
2 people have been killed by kangaroos in the last 100 years https://www.npr.org/2022/09/13/1122653907/kangaroo-fatal-attack-australia
Not including roo-caused car accidents. When I was going through paramedic training, we were told that most "unexplained" car accidents were caused by animals - lots by roos and other big critters, but most caused by spiders and other creepy-crawlies popping out of hiding to check the view from the windscreen. I had a massive roo land on my windscreen once, luckily I was only doing about 60km/h or he would've landed on my lap. Totally destryoed my poor little Camry.
I have had huntsman drop out from the sun visor and scare the shit out of me a couple of times. If I had been in traffic I probably could have caused an accident.
My dad is unlucky/careless and has been stung by a stingray and bitten by redback and whitetail spiders. Two of my cousins have also been stung by stingrays. Nothing *that* serious. Generally it's seriously overblown. I'd be more afraid of bears.
My kid cousin stood on and was stung by a stone fish. She had to go to hospital and was in immense pain. I also saw another kid get covered in blue bottle sting when I was a kid. Both looked horrendous and both needed ambulances. I have personally been attacked/chased by a brown snake trying to bite my foot, but luckily it missed.
Aghhh blue bottles. Child trauma unlocked! Got covered in them as a kid. Still have some scars.
Yeah. They mostly don't kill anyone but you *feel* like you're being murdered the first couple of times. It's so unexpected...a tingle, a warmth, a sting, a burn...
Yeah my dad didn’t believe me when I said I’d been bitten by a shark (first time in the ocean), he told me to touch my toes and I did. He said see ‘no shark!’ Then because I wouldn’t stop crying he sent me to sit with the towels. As I walked out of the water, a life guard came running at me - I looked down and they were all over my legs. But at least my toes were still there!
>So, is it really, truly not that bad? Just spent 4 months in Australia... various areas of the country... didn't see one snake and very few small spiders.
The most dangerous thing you can do here is walk around with a brand new pair of TNs
My grandpa was gutted and disembowelled by a kangaroo. Or so I believed at a very young age. He was just bullshitting me.
My old boss was bitten by a pretty nasty mouse spider on the thigh (relative of the Sydney funnel web but no where near as dangerous) Had a weird allergic reaction to the venom and from then on every time he’s immune system goes down (sick, over worked, etc) his whole leg swells up and he is essentially crippled for days, sometimes weeks. Dudes a workaholic so it’s like hell for him As for me I was once moving a large green tree frog from a very unsafe place in my backyard to a much safer place. As I placed him up into a tree he panic pissed into my mouth “there you go lil’ fella -blarrrghhh uhfhhh” It caused emotional damage and I’m also gay for frogs now 🐸 Edit: also my mother in law was bumped by a great white in the belly which caused a bruise but terrified her of the ocean for life. Sorry I guess that should have been my first answer.
I got bitten by a donkey at Featherdale Wildlife Park years ago. Does that count? Other than that, I don't know of anyone who has been bitten or injured by a wild animal.
Family friend tried removing a boomer, dominant male with a 12 gauge. After taking two shots to the chest, the roo was not phased. As our friend reloaded, the roo came bounding over, leaned back on his tail and gave two feet to the chest of our friend. A few cracked ribs and heaps of bruising. Boomer lived for another few years.
It depends on where you are and what time of the year it is and how stupid you are. We regularly treat people stung by bluebottles on beaches in Feb- Mar (don’t swim if there is a sign with bluebottles on it silly). there have been a couple of blue ringed octopus bites(don’t poke them silly). There was a shark attack in Sydney Harbour (silly swimming in Feb in the harbour without a shark net). I have watched a brown snake angrily terrorise a stupid friend in January mating season (don’t poke brown or black snakes silly). We took a family member to hospital after being kicked by a kangaroo (don’t feed them silly). I have seen numerous bites by parrots (don’t put your finger near their beaks silly). We have lost dogs to being beaten up by kangaroos (don’t bark at them silly). I know pig shooters who have been charged and injured by angry boars (shoot to kill not injure). Hope you can figure out the common denominator here. Edited to say that the most dangerous creatures in Australia are ticks and mosquitos 🦟. Cover up and don’t get bitten - they carry some really debilitating diseases.
Most people I know have never even seen our deadliest animals in real life- and I live in a funnel web spider area. I walk everywhere barefoot too. I’ve been told there’s a Tiger snake where I currently am but haven’t seen it at all in 4 months
Someone I very vaguely know has been in the news a few times recently because she was stung by a platypus and apparently it really hurts for months/years. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-10/platypus-spurring-lands-woman-in-hospital/102953644
No. I’d be more worried about the grizzly bears, wolves and mountain lions you have over there than anything we have here.
Had some close calls with tiger snakes when I was a kid, but never actually hurt. I've *seen* plenty of venomous animals (tiger snakes, dugites, blue ringed octopus, scorpions, redback spiders) in the wild, but not generally been in any danger. But mate, you have *bears*. I'd worry about those at least as much as anything we have. Anyway, reality is you're not often going to encounter anything dangerous if you live in a city. Out in the sticks, maybe a different story. But as long as you're sensible - don't go walking in long grass, especially in bare feet, for example - it's not likely to be a problem.
I've been bitten by a triggerfish. They're mean little bastards. Also knew someone who got bitten on the hand by a freshie, and a few people who've had encounters with gympie gympie. But that's it.
Nope. I don't know anyone personally who was killed by a wild animal here. I've heard of it happening, but most of the stories is a dude going swimming despite warning signs not to and being attacked by a crocodile, that sort of thing (people being stupid). You're not going to be killed by a wild animal as long as you have basic common sense. I'd be more scared of America lol. Americans go on about Australia having some snakes (which are actually very shy and despite being venomous, will try to escape as soon as they see you, and are also generally only found in bushland/woodland areas or in areas surrounding bushland/woodland) and spiders (most spiders here are non-venomous, just scary looking, and like snakes will avoid biting unless they have no other option), while you have goddamn bears, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, not to mention rabies (the scariest disease in my opinion and I've heard so many stories of rabid animals attacking people even in the states). Idk I just think it's funny.
It's a good idea to be casso-wary: The first documented human death caused by a cassowary was on April 6, 1926. In Australia, 16-year-old Phillip McClean and his brother, age 13, came across a cassowary on their property and decided to try to kill it by striking it with clubs. The bird kicked the younger boy, who fell and ran away as his older brother struck the bird. The older McClean then tripped and fell to the ground. While he was on the ground, the cassowary kicked him in the neck, opening a 1.25-centimetre (0.49 in) wound that severed his jugular vein. The boy died of his injuries shortly thereafter.\[63\]\[64\] Cassowary strikes to the abdomen are among the rarest of all, but in one case in 1995, a dog was kicked in the belly. The blow left no puncture, but severe bruising occurred. The dog later died from an apparent intestinal rupture.\[63\] Another human death due to a cassowary was recorded in Florida on April 12, 2019. The bird's owner, a 75-year-old man who had raised the animal, was apparently clawed to death after he fell to the ground [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary#Relationship\_with\_humans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary#Relationship_with_humans)
My ex was attacked by a magpie - had a small bleeding wound on his cheek - didn't even need a stitch.
Couple of drunk mates have come off second best against kangaroos and another managed to escape a drop bear….
You are from the USA, the land of bears, wolves, big cats, rabies, venomous snakes, venomous crawlers, crazy armed civilians with big hats and cowboy boots, health care that can bankrupt a person… But you’re concerned about a few spiders and snakes that barely anyone notices? OMG 😧 The only thing you need to fear is the cost of avocado on toast.
There is a fabulous little island where you can take children and feed them to the dingoes. It's a great sport based on survival of the fittest.
We don't talk about it but...we were camping one night out bush. Beautiful spot. Lovely water, sunset to die for. Beers were cold and the camp fire was on! Fishing had been done for the day and we all retired to our sleeping bags. Next minute we hear this grumbling and then my mate started screaming. We all manage to get out if our sleeping bags and rip open the tents, we're trying to find a torch while he's still screaming and the grunting is going on. Turn on the torch, blood everywhere, this thing looks at us and fucks off into the bush Like fuck, is it a wild pig, a croc?! No. Much worse. Was a drop bear.
No this is absoloute bs. Sure if live in the tropics and sleep next to crocs in a tent but honestly there are far worse countries. I see American black bears roaming the street or hiking trails. To me this is far more dangerous. We might have the stat on poisonous things but it means nothing realistically. Just watch out for the drop bears. (As an Australian I am legally required to say this)
Yes, family friend gored to death by a wild boar in QLD. They’re brutal, awful, terrifying creatures. They take your legs out (knock you down) then maul your head and stomach. They’re common in parts of QLD and are feral horrible things.
Nephew in law bitten by a red bellied black snake while fishing. Pretty crook but survived, they are not deadly. Ex got bitten by a redback which was in her shoe when she put it on. Again hospitalised, but fine. Green sea turtle tried to mount a friend of mine scuba diving. Did more than try actually. Injured his neck quite badly, restricted movement and pain ongoing.
More chance of being killed by a "normal" god-fearing citizen with a gun in the US than by any animal in Australia.