Snakes Spiders and Sharks
The cast of Australian Nasties!
Whether you live in Australia or are just visiting
you know they are out there. Under rocks, under floors and under
water. The underworld of the Australian Nasties is known and feared
throughout the globe. Things that bite, nip and sting are out there
just waiting to pounce. All they need is a victim. The graveyards
of Australia are full of them...with out wishing to offend - boulderdash!
Excerpt from "Australian Snakes, Sharks
and Spiders and what to do if you meet one" from Sydney100.com:
"The Facts
So what are the risks? Here are the stats:
Human Deaths in Australia Between 1980-1990, Inclusive (from
Stevens & Paxton, 1992)
Cause of Death |
Total Deaths |
Average per year |
Crocodile Attacks |
8 |
0.7 |
Shark Attacks |
11 |
1.0 |
Lightning Strikes |
19 |
1.7 |
Bee Stings |
20 |
1.8 |
Scuba Diving Accidents |
88 |
8.0 |
Drownings/Submersions |
3,367 |
306 |
Motor Vehicle Accidents |
32,772 |
2,979 |
No deaths by Spider bites?
In Australia, only male Sydney Funnel Web Spiders and Redback
Spiders have caused human deaths, but none have occurred since
anti venoms were made available in 1981. Each year in Australia
as many as 4,000 people are bitten. Of these 200 require anti
venom treatment and one bite was fatal.
No deaths from Snake bites?
Less than eight presumably. You should also bear in mind that
some of the snake attacks would be of people who handle snakes,
keep them as pets or other wise live in close proximity to the
beasties. In the extremely unlikely event you are bitten or witness
someone else being bitten, do not try to attack the snake as it
moves faster then you do and will probably have another go. More
people die worrying about snakes (‘I think I saw a snake’,
heartache –thud) than actually get bitten by them - just
a thought.
Alien Abductions
There are few stats on this one but if you do get abducted at
least let them know you are on holiday. There are no space tours
that I’m aware of and potential for great photography should
not be squandered.
What should you do if you witness a Snake, Spider or Shark attack?
- you'll have to go to
Sydney100.com to find out.
Spider Bites
Of the three nasties mentioned you are most likely
to see a Spider. A more recent study on Spider Bites had the following
results:
Sample Size
Overall, there were 750 people with definite spider
bites where the spiders were immediately collected and expertly
identified.
Did they all die a horrible death?
Significant effects occurred in 44 bites (6%) including 37 (of
56) redback spider bites (Latrodectus hasselti)
 The
bad boy of the Spider World - The Evil Red Back Spider!
with significant pain lasting >24 h. Of these, only 6 (11%)
received antivenom. One severe neurotoxic envenoming by an Australian
funnelweb spider required antivenom.
Conclusion
Australian spider bite caused minor effects in most cases....
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/95/11/723
and in the rest, nobody died.
Take Care
Just as you look both ways crossing the road or take care driving
your car (hopefully) so you should apply caution when in any environment
you are unfamiliar with. That said, you are far more likely to come
to harm from the crossing the road or driving than anything Australia's
cast of Nasties can dish out. So please - take care on the roads
and stop worrying about the Nasties.
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One Hundred Things To Do In Queensland, Australia
