Danger

Australia is well known for it’s special, unique and also dangerous animals. One of the things that have fascinated me from the very beginning are the different kind of jelly fish that are lethal. While the box jelly is one you can actually spot and hope that you spot its body before the tentacles get to you, the Irukandji is tiny. Thankfully we do not have to worry about either of them down here in Australia’s South. Up in the North it’s a different story though and during certain times of the year you should not enter the water without either wearing a stinger suit or swimming in one of the netted areas. And even there you have no guarantee to not encounter an Irukandji.

It took us 9 years living in Australia before actually encountering the first snake in the wild. We were on a hike and it was suddenly in front of us. It disappeared very quickly which was good. My heart was racing as my son was right next to me and I can’t imagine what I would have done if it would have bitten him. He still claims that it was only a baby black-headed python but I’m not so sure about it. It think it might as well have been a tiger snake, which is one of the venomous snakes in Australia. In any case, I’m glad we actually didn’t have the time to make sure we can properly label it.

One of the locals everywhere in the coastal region of Australia is the shark. Again, I have never seen one from up close in the wild and I’m glad this is so. I do honestly think that we should cut them some slack. After all it’s not as if they jump out of the water, chase us along the beach and eat us there. When we enter the ocean we enter their habitat and actually their food bowl. I also believe that if you consider some simple rules you will be much safer too. Never swim in murky water, never swim after heavy rain and close to where rivers flow into the ocean. Basically don’t swim in the middle of the food they like to eat.

The one thing I can’t share with you here is a picture of a big spider as I always chicken out when I see one. Danger, I think! So just google huntsman spider and you will find some nice pics from many people…