Australia - A dangerous place!

[Uncle Vernon]

It's that time of year again.










Google Maps - Magpie Strike

[http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&source=embed&msa=0&msid=104976679924746164101.00048b6367cbb667e3905&ll=-35.012002,144.755859&spn=8.526229,19.753418&z=6

[PeterG]

If the birds don't get you, the spiders, snakes or kangaroos will..... 

Regards

[Lawsen]

Australia had a kangaroo that kick and attack golfers on a golf course in another posting in this blog.  Is the Tasmanian devil dangerous?  This website says no, as long keep their distance from one. 

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_a_Tasmanian_Devil_vicious

The top dangerous wild animals in Australia are:

1. The Box Jellyfish
2. Irukandji, jellyfish
3. giant salt water crocodile, very large and dangerous reptile and lay eggs.  The sex of their off spring is temperature dependent.
4. poisonous blue ring octopus
5. poisonous barbs stone fish
6. red back spider, cousin to the black widow spider, latrodectus.
7. brown snake
8. tiger snake
9. great white shark.  The Great Barrier Reef have these sharks, usually harmless, but not predictable behavior.
10. funnel spider
11. Maybe a neighborhood dog
12. flying birds to distract motorists, bicyclist, or motorcyclist to crash.

Drongo is an Australian bird as mentioned by Uncle Vernon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drongo

http://www.australianfauna.com/t10dangerous.php

[EEVblog]

Don't forgot Drop Bears, bloody dangerous.
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Drop-Bear

Dave.

[ivan747]

That's the only reason for me not to live in Australia. Their bugs are freaking huge and the birds seem to be "different". They have the second highest Human Development Index. That makes it a good country to live in. BTW, I should be learning about Australia's international situation. Any hints on where to get started, please?

[Lightages]

Just another reason to not go to Tasmania. When you look at the distribution map, the place is just full of those Drop Bears, never mind the Tasmanians!

[EEVblog]

That's the only reason for me not to live in Australia. Their bugs are freaking huge and the birds seem to be "different".

Also some of the most beautiful and colourful in the world.

They have the second highest Human Development Index. That makes it a good country to live in.

We don't like to boast, but, Yup! 

BTW, I should be learning about Australia's international situation. Any hints on where to get started, please?

What do you mean by "international situation"?
In terms of strength of our economy, we currently have few rivals.

Dave.

[Uncle Vernon]

Just another reason to not go to Tasmania. When you look at the distribution map, the place is just full of those Drop Bears, never mind the Tasmanians!

A definite concern, however the greatest risk in populated areas is the drongo. When drongos manage to find their way into motor vehicles the results can be catastrophic.



Damage caused by Drongos

[Uncle Vernon]

One more for those unsure that Maggies can be a very real danger

[DrGeoff]

Australia had a kangaroo that kick and attack golfers on a gulf course in another posting in this blog.  Is the Tasmanian devil dangerous?  This website says no, as long keep their distance from one. 

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_a_Tasmanian_Devil_vicious

The top dangerous wild animals in Australia are:

1. The Box Jellyfish
2. Irukandji, jellyfish
3. giant salt water crocodile, very large and dangerous reptile and lay eggs.  The sex of their off spring is temperature dependent.
4. poisonous blue ring octopus
5. poisonous barbs stone fish
6. red back spider, cousin to the black widow spider, latrodectus.
7. brown snake
8. tiger snake
9. great white shark.  The Great Barrier Reef have these sharks, usually harmless, but not predictable behavior.
10. funnel spider
11. Maybe a neighborhood dog

http://www.australianfauna.com/t10dangerous.php

The Eastern Brown snake is nowhere near as potent as the Fierce Snake (Parademansie microlepidotus) and is closely followed by the Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus).

There are also many differnt types of Funnel Web spider that have varying degrees of potency, from the Sydney Funnel web (Atrax robustus) to the Northern Tree-dwelling Funnel web (Atrax formidablis).

[Uncle Vernon]

Is the Tasmanian devil dangerous?

Some say they make great pets.

[EEVblog]

8. tiger snake

I know a guy that was 10's of minutes away from dying from a Tigersnake bite.
He was canyoning in the Blue Mountains and walking out on the trail when he was bitten on the leg.
Foolishly he tried to walk a bit further to get better rescue access and that pumped the poison through his body.
As the others ran out to find mobile phone coverage he started to foam at the mouth and cough up blood. It got so bad he eventually pushed the EPIRB button and a chopper was overhead within the hour.
He needed 12 shots of anti-venom (usually you only need 1-2) and they told him if he didn't have the EPIRB he would have been dead before they got to him.
Made the 6 o'clock news as a remarkable survival story.

Dave.

[gamozo]

I find it funny that the drop bear distribution map happens to have a cartoon-like bear face on it...

http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Drop-Bear/

[Lawsen]

Australian drop bear (Koalas Droppii v. terroraustralis), a marsupial animal, mean, attack mock up on video to warn forest travelers the dangers. 



This one is a little gore and terrible sight, but it is a stern warning of the Department of Dangerous Fauna Management, almost one in ten Australians and ignorant visitors have been mauled by a drop bear often needed cosmetic surgery repairs afterwards.  Drop bears attack in the day time from morning to dark.  "Look up. stay alive;" - Department of Dangerous Fauna Management.

http://outbackcooking.blogspot.com/2011/02/koala-drop-bear.html

Nearby islands New Guinea and Borneo native Dayaks headhunters:

Before converting these near by Borneo island natives to Christianity or Muslim, the Dayaks were the head hunters of near by Australia.  The violence occurred again in the 1990s attacking the Madurese immigrants. 

http://outbackcooking.blogspot.com/2011/09/australian-headhunters.html

Australian Army special forces units, guerrilla operations, deadly jungle and island warfare, more covert or as dangerous as the U.S. Green Berets and U.S. Navy Seals. 

Headhunting is a health risk, a cause of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, infectious prion disease by the natives in New Guinea and Borneo consuming cranium in Kuru-kuru disease endemic to cannibalistic New Guinea headhunters with similar symptoms.

http://house.wikia.com/wiki/Creutzfeldt-Jakob_disease

http://www.austincc.edu/microbio/2993i/cjd.htm

Victoria Police keeping the province safe from gangs and unemployment demonstrations during the world wide great depression before and slightly after World War Two. 

http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=314

Risky sections and neighborhoods, similar problems in California U.S.A.:

http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=781

Mining minerals and fossil fuels, coal:

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/tags/-mining-accidents

Giant haul trucks are large and limited driver vision to see geologist and helpers in the open pit mine.

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/Blast-fumes-injure-miners

Australian rip currents are hazard to swimmers, waders, snorkelers, and divers.  Always wear a floatation device while in the water, even an orally inflate snorkel vest collar.  Even the very best Australian swimmer can become tired and disorientated with the powerful rip currents.

http://www.surfrescue.com.au/main/beach-safe/rip-currents/

http://www.ripcurrents.com.au/

Animation showing how rip currents work:

http://www.ripcurrents.com.au/About-Rip-Currents/What-is-a-Rip-Current.aspx

I wished there was a way to use these sea currents to generate electricity.

HP, hydrofluoric acid, HF, in the semiconductor wafer fab industry to remove oxide impurities from silicon wafers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrofluoric_acid

A wafer software company in Australia:

http://www.astc-design.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=30

Stingray fish (Myliobatoidei) at the beach is risky to be around:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin#Death

[AntiProtonBoy]

A lot of mention of animals, but not much talk on natural chemical phenomena. For example, in some parts of the world you'll find dangerous volcanic lakes that release lots of carbon monoxide gas, wiping out an entire village.  Hydrogen sulfide chemical emissions can also occur naturally; it's quite toxic, generally found in wells and deep lakes. In our case, we had a very rare and disastrous dihydrogen monoxide scare in Queensland recently. Many people died as a result. These events usually occur every 40 years.

[ndictu]

I was watching a documentary long time ago about various animals that can bite/sting/... you and they are poisonous even for humans. It had many episodes and featured everything from spiders, snakes, scorpions, lizards, ant, bees, fish ... But there is one thing I remember from it. 99% of those things live in Australia. Almost every case report of people who (almost) died of those things was Australians or tourists in Australia.

[Lawsen]

Dihydrogenmonoxide is H2O, water.  Yes, water is dangerous that many people swimming off the coast of Australia have drowned.  Surf here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009323/American-tourist-Ian-Cole-left-dive-boat-shark-infested-Australian-seas.html

Australia do not have gas emissions volcanic lakes like the Lake Nyos, in West of Cameroon.  Australia have volcanic lakes when water filled the caldera or when a volcano blown off its top, cone leaving behind a magma chamber filled with water after rains.  The 1986 Lake Nyos, Cameroon bubbles of CO2 suffocated more 1700 people and livestock and animals that are low to the ground more than 25 km from the lake.  Since 1990s, a French team worked out a CO2 degassing relief pipe to lower the volcanic CO2 gas vents at the lake bed.  CO2(g) is heavier, more dense than air and it suffocated people sleeping in their huts and houses around Lake Nyos, Cameroon at night. 

http://mhalb.pagesperso-orange.fr/nyos/commun/indexcontact.htm

http://mhalb.pagesperso-orange.fr/nyos/2006/index2006.htm

Volcanic gases are not an Australian geologic hazard. 

California has volcanic gases, C)2(g) and inert isotope He at the Long Valley Caldera by Mammoth Mountain skiing and hiking resort suffocating trees.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs172-96/

Great Bush fires in 125 km (78 miles) west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia a tragedy conflagration with massive property and farm animal loses and 166 people burned to death in 2009.  It is not very far away from Dave Jones.  The fire was so hot and fast that it overwhelmed the people trying to escape it and the heat so intense that it became a horrific fire storm melting alloy metals in cars. 

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/bushfires_in_victoria_australi.html

Coal seam methane gas is hazard and energy source in the Surat and Bowen basins in Queensland, Australia:

http://www.qgc.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=305

http://www.qgc.com.au/

Australian earthquakes caused by stress in the Australian continent rocks or Australian plate moving towards the Eurasian plate 6 to 7 cm/year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Australia#Geological_history

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plates_tect2_en.svg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Australian_Plate

There is the Darling Fault, 1500 km long fault that travels north to south orientation along the west coast of southern Australia.  The Darling Fault was the last active break of the Proterozoic (2500 to 542 million years ago) East Gondwana super continent breakup:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Australia#Geological_history

The Darling Fault have little recorded major rupture and been dormant for awhile.  The geologic features like the giant Darling Scarp raises concerns with some Australian earthquake experts.  A scarp is a piled of earth materials shoved by a earthquake fault:

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-sits-on-deadly-fault-line/story-e6frg14u-1225782494162

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darling_Scarp

Australian riots during the 2005 Cronulla, New South Wales by name calling and foolish behavior over nationality and Muslim religious paranoia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Cronulla_riots#Injuries_and_arrests

High speed police chase of young adult and teenagers stolen a car and crashed into a tree in the Glenquarie housing estate, western suburb of Macquaire Fields, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.  The crash by Jesse Kelly and death of the passenger teenagers in the crash resulted into a riot between the police and public  in the impoverished neighborhood of Macquaire Fields with an unemployment rate of 10.6%.  The unemployment rate is probably higher at the moment with the global downturn. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macquarie_Fields_riots

Here is some good advice when traveling to rural Australia:

http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/australian-outback-dangers.html

[AntiProtonBoy]

I think you taken my previous post way too seriously! 

[DrGeoff]

I was watching a documentary long time ago about various animals that can bite/sting/... you and they are poisonous even for humans.

I think you mean venomous. Only poisonous if you eat them.

[DrGeoff]

High speed police chase of young adult and teenagers stolen a car and crashed into a tree in the Glenquarie housing estate, western suburb of Macquaire Fields, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.  The crash by Jesse Kelly and death of the passenger teenagers in the crash resulted into a riot between the police and public  in the impoverished neighborhood of Macquaire Fields with an unemployment rate of 10.6%.  The unemployment rate is probably higher at the moment with the global downturn. 

That's just a practical example of Darwinism.

[Uncle Vernon]

....... in the Glenquarie housing estate, western suburb of Macquaire Fields, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

That's just a practical example of Darwinism.

Far from it, MF in fact shown many examples of emerging Reverse Darwinism. 
Breeding patterns demonstrating  the fittest and smartest of the species as the group nearing extinction.

[DrGeoff]

....... in the Glenquarie housing estate, western suburb of Macquaire Fields, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

That's just a practical example of Darwinism.

Far from it, MF in fact shown many examples of emerging Reverse Darwinism. 
Breeding patterns demonstrating  the fittest and smartest of the species as the group nearing extinction.

Think that one all the way through. Once the fittest and smartest have disappeared, all you are left with is a dead-end species aboard the B-Ark.

[ndictu]

I think you mean venomous. Only poisonous if you eat them.

Yeah, that's what I meant, thanks.

I think the best part was a snake that some guys shot in the desert, cut it's head off and then when one of them went to pick the head up it bit him. Apparently that species' head can survive for hours after being cut off, just waiting to deliver it's last bite. They drove him to a hospital immediately and they gave him the antivenom just minutes before he would've died.
(Disclaimer: this might have been one of those animals outside Australia, but if someone knows what kind of snake can do this let us know)

[david77]

Drop Bears ... bloody hell, I wouldn't want to meet one of them.
I spent a year in Australia (QLD/NSW) in 2004 and nobody there ever mentioned them  .

[Neilm]

Looking at the pictures of the cars, I remember when I was over there the directions I was given to my Uncles house. "When you see the car in the tree, turn left". There was a car in the tree - the turning was opposite.

Neil

[Lawsen]

There are no particular species of snake that will not bite, even with a snake carcass decapitated.  The snake has nerves that could still fire a reflex reaction and stick the venomous fangs into the person playing with the snake's head.  Most snake bites are caused when some one is drunk and decided to get close to the snake or step on it unintentionally while hiking in the woods or at night in the hot weather.  Snakes are most active in the hot weather.  California has a lot of snakes like in Australia, too. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakebite#Prevention

[GeoffS]

Just another reason to not go to Tasmania. When you look at the distribution map, the place is just full of those Drop Bears, never mind the Tasmanians!

As a recent Tasmania immigrant, I resent that remark! 

You forgot scorpions. I've just finished chopping about 6 tonne of firewood and disturbed few sleepy lizards (it's cold down here), a couple of large but harmless huntsman spiders and any number of small scorpions. I don't know how dangerous these scorpions are but add them to the Do Not Touch list anyway.

[Uncle Vernon]

As a recent Tasmania immigrant, I resent that remark! 

You forgot scorpions. I've just finished chopping about 6 tonne of firewood ...........

Not to worry, once they get the power on down there you'll beable to use electric lighting.

Another dangerous Tasmanian creature we forgot to mention is the Toxic Boar. Examples of these, smuggled onto the mainland by hippies, have proven to be a real menace.



A real Toxic Bore

[EEVblog]

Director of the Australian Museum talking about Drop Bears:
http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2011/10/07/3334604.htm?site=sydney

And given that it's Bathurst today, this video is in order:

and


Yes, kangaroos do actually hop across our race tracks!

Dave.

[ErikTheNorwegian]

In terms of strength of our economy, we currently have few rivals.

Dave.

Heeemm.. well, a few.. at least one..   

[Uncle Vernon]

Yes, kangaroos do actually hop across our race tracks!

As yet, only now retired driver and team owner Dick Johnson, holds the Bathurst trifecta, having encountered Animal(Roo), Vegetable(tree) and mineral(rock) while racing at Bathurst.

[Achilles]

Hmm, well, Australia is known as the Poisonous-Continent. ...If you keep your eyes open and not act foolish in nature you have low chances to get in trouble.
I have been several time in the Amazon and in middle America, saw coral snakes, Pitvipers, tarantulas, poison dart frogs, stingrays and they all were more or less afraid and just moved away.

In europe we have wild-pigs, deers, rabbits and so on which cause accidents. The chances are given everywhere I think.


not so charming.... A deer got hit by racecar.

Well, other drivers cause accidents without any animals involved. Today I have just visited a classic mountain race (just short track) to take some pictures and the only accident was caused by some guy who has build his offroad-buggy with a Hayabusa-engine. He drove in another car, but obviously it was more HP than skill with those guys.

I would never keep away from a beautiful place because there are dangerous animals or so. You may not encounter them if you go there, but you loose some great impressions if you don't go there.....

[EEVblog]

I would never keep away from a beautiful place because there are dangerous animals or so. You may not encounter them if you go there, but you loose some great impressions if you don't go there.....

Sadly there are people stupid enough to believe all the urban myths about Australia being a dangerous place (mostly Yanks!  ).
Yes, we have some dangerous animals, but as usual, they are more scared of you than you are of them, and they bugger off at the fist sign of you.
http://www.sydney100.com/snakes-spiders-sharks.htm

Dave.

[Achilles]

[quote author=EEVblog link=topic=4828.msg66919#msg66919 date=1318207617

Sadly there are people stupid enough to believe all the urban myths about Australia being a dangerous place (mostly Yanks!  ).
...
http://www.sydney100.com/snakes-spiders-sharks.htm

Dave.
[/quote]

Well, honestly, you should also see that as an advantage, because I have seen tourists making stupid things, because they didn't know what they were playing with....and that's not affected by nationality (...but there seems to be tendencies....)

I had two colleagues who just wanted to came to our research camp by helicopter because they had the impression to get murdered when they drive there by boat. Then they have always been afraid of snakes......deadly ugly snakes
Guess what: One of them got stung by a ray when he was bathing for fun in the river downside and crossed some sandbanks...... No Problem, just wrong behavior
I also saw americans petting with a wild sloth that came down for it's weekly toilet...... well, honestly, I think if they act in that way they should be afraid and keep out of the country......

[Uncle Vernon]

A 3 footer only a baby.

[Achilles]

Ohh nice colors. Well, it keeps you house free from parasites

No honestly, I think you live a bit outside of the cities. Do you often have snakes around your House or even in your House? There are sometimes documentaries in our  TV about Krokodile and Snake captures to free them again in the Wilderness down there in AUS.

In Germany I am happy if I see a rabbit or sth. like that. Wild animals have declined very much over the past decades, but are coming back again slowly. Very nice to have a chance to spot a Wild-Cat or so again.
In the tropics....hehe, don't know it, don't touch it and don't be a fool

[vk6zgo]

There aren't many things that can actually EAT you in Australia though.
No land animals,anyway,though a croc could have honorary land animal status,whereas in the USA & Canada,there are several!

VK6ZGO

[Bored@Work]

There aren't many things that can actually EAT you in Australia though.

I consider the difference between just being dead or being dead and eaten marginal and not relevant.

[Achilles]

I consider the difference between just being dead or being dead and eaten marginal and not relevant.

Hehehe 
No honestly, most animals which are called deadly are dangerous but nor lethal. It could happen if you don't get medical treatment. Venenemous snakes often have very high toxins but inject small amounts because they know they won't eat you and actually have to work to get their poison. High injection may mean no poison left for pray.
It's a problem if you get a bite in a remote area (which could possibly be the case in Australia). If you keep a bit careful it's mo Problem, even if you encounter a snake or scorpion or tarantula. Keep Moving away and she keeps moving away.
Most cases of snakebites in South America are plantation workers which have to walk through shrubs and high grass and can't see what's beneath that

@Uncle Vernon:
The snake may have liked you music and wanted to move in
Snakes are curious

[Uncle Vernon]

Ohh nice colors. Well, it keeps you house free from parasites

No this one has been dispatched to the far end of the creek! Blacks are fairly timid, but he was getting a tad pissed off by the time that we got him in the bag.
Blacks you don't have to be too brave even if they can kill you, they'll only strike when they feel threatened. Browns are a different story much more aggressive, and tigers will chase you at any sign of threat.

No honestly, I think you live a bit outside of the cities.

I'm spending time in both but yes this is in coastal NSW, south of Sydney.
There are plenty of snakes about in the cities or more accurately in the outer suburbs of the cities.

Do you often have snakes around your House or even in your House?

Around yes! Especially at this time of year, with new chums looking for spaces, and the older ones coming out of hibernation. Lots of ponds around, means lots of frogs, which means more than a few snakes.
In the house, not so often, they are timid, but it does happen from time to time.

There are sometimes documentaries in our  TV about Crocodile and Snake captures to free them again in the Wilderness down there in AUS.

I don't think my bit of snake wrangling today was quite to doco standard, but there was some crouching, jumping back and shouts of crikey. And a thick pair of welding gloves probably marks me as less butch (foolhardy).

In Germany I am happy if I see a rabbit or sth. like that. Wild animals have declined very much over the past decades, but are coming back again slowly. Very nice to have a chance to spot a Wild-Cat or so again.

You can have all the rabbits you want from here. A couple of idiot poms released a few 200 years ago and it's been plague and damage ever since. Rabbits don't belong here.

[Achilles]

No you can keep the rabbits, you may ned the fur for the next Ice-Age .

We have some struggles with racoons which were released in the 1930's here for hunting. Guess what, they got an invasive species..... People never learn

So all in all it keeps you moving and active down there in Australia. I would prefer frogs in my House, .....ok I have frogs in my house...., but as long as you can move out what you don't like it's OK

[Uncle Vernon]

@Uncle Vernon:
The snake may have liked you music and wanted to move in

No one likes my music but me. And it certainly wasn't heavy metal snake music.
Should I have put the receiver on eBay as genuine Metal Amp? Could have captured the headbanger market, who'd probably appreciate it if their amp bit them.

[vk6zgo]

There aren't many things that can actually EAT you in Australia though.

I consider the difference between just being dead or being dead and eaten marginal and not relevant.

The thing is,snakes & suchlike are usually reacting to something you(probably inadvertently)did to them, whereas the creatures that eat you like lions & tigers & bears (Oh my!) are usually proactive in the process of killing you.

VK6ZGO

[baljemmett]

The snake may have liked you music and wanted to move in

No one likes my music but me.

Didn't you have a Tom Waits quote in your signature for a while?  That's good enough to get a thumbs up from me, at any rate  

(New album out tomorrow, hope my pre-order arrives; the record shop in town couldn't guarantee they'd have any in on the day, and wanted 50% more than their own web operation to boot.  Bah.  But I digress.)

[ThePranksta]

The Australian drop bear is similar to Quade Cooper = quite gay with bark a lot worse than its bite.

The South African tokoloshe on the other hand is real scary, it bites of your toes and rapes your ass.

[Uncle Vernon]

The Australian drop bear is similar to Quade Cooper

Still bitter about the rugby huh? Australia got a miserable third! Where did the Boks come again?  :-)

[ThePranksta]

The Australian drop bear is similar to Quade Cooper

Still bitter about the rugby huh? Australia got a miserable third! Where did the Boks come again?  :-)

Me? Bitter about the rugby??? Never!!
      
F%#$ YOU BRYCE LAWRENCE!

Well at least South Africa produces proper refs. 

PS - will stop hi-jacking the thread now.

[kolbep]

You think Oz is dangerous.
In South Africa if you are a cyclist in a nature area, you are in danger of being ambushed:
(This happened just the other day, about 150Km from where I live):

[Time]

die antwoord?

[Uncle Vernon]

Well at least South Africa produces proper refs. 

The finest refs money can buy.