Australia is notorious for its menagerie of venomous and man-eating animals. While most foreigners are aware of the saltwater croc, brown snake, white pointer and funnel-web spider, there are countless other critters lurking in the Aussie wilderness that are equally unpleasant and/or deadly. Here’s a handy bestiary to show annoying overseas relatives so they don’t come visiting.
Not all of these creatures are native to Australia – but every one of them can be found on our shores and most have been known to inflict fatal injuries on humans. From the ravenous maw of the bull shark to the killer kick of the cassowary, here are ten fauna-based encounters you definitely want to avoid Down Under.
AKA Chironex fleckeri or ‘marine stringer’. This species of jellyfish can be found in coastal waters around Australia. It sports tentacles up to three metres long which release microscopic darts of highly potent and potentially deadly venom. Untreated victim can die in two to five minutes. There have been at least 63 known deaths in Australia from 1884 to 1996.
AKA Carcharhinus leucas. While the great white shark is more notorious due to the novel and movie Jaws, the bull shark has likely been involved in more fatal attacks on humans. It is known for its highly aggressive nature and – terrifyingly – can survive in bodies of fresh water. They frequent very shallow waters which makes them especially dangerous to humans. They are also territorial and will attack without provocation.
AKA Casuarius casuarius or southern cassowary. This large, flightless black bird is chiefly found in northeastern Australia. It is the second-heaviest living bird on the planet and can inflict devastating injuries on humans via a curved nail on its talons. While there has only been one recorded human death in Australia, there have been hundreds of attacks. While generally shy if left unmolested, this is definitely a bird you don’t want to provoke.
AKA Synanceia horrida. The highly venomous stonefish is found throughout most coastal regions of Australia. It is one of the most venomous fish known to science: a single sting from one of its spines can cause paralysis and even death. Sinisterly, the stonefish — which resembles a stone, hence its name — can be found both in and out of the water, making it very easy to accidentally tread on.
AKA Acanthophis antarcticus or common death adder. The eastern brown snake, inland taipan and tiger snake get most of the headlines in Australia — but the death adder is arguably more dangerous. It is one of the most venomous land snakes in the world thanks to a highly toxic neurotoxin that can cause paralysis and death in humans. It also has the fastest striking attack of all venomous snakes. Human death can occur within six hours after a single bite.
AKA Conus striatus or ‘cone snail’. In Australia even goddamn seashells want to kill you. Cone shells live in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters around Australia. They catch and consume prey via a harpoon-like dart liberally coated in venom which is shot through the shell’s snout. Distressingly, these darts are sharp enough to puncture human skin — even through gloves and wetsuits. The sting is highly toxic and potentially fatal.
AKA Ethmostigmus rubripes. If you hate creepy crawlies this is your worst nightmare: the Australasian giant centipede can reach up to 16cm in length. It likes to live under logs, fallen leaves, bark and under rocks – which makes unexpected encounters high. Its claws are capable of delivering a highly toxic sting that can cause severe pain for days. While there are no recorded deaths in Australia, the venom is considered potent enough to kill children or small adults if left untreated.
AKA Hydrophis platurus. Aussie snakes are a menace at land and at sea. The venom of this species is highly potent – it can cause everything from damage to skeletal muscle to blood in the urine. An untreated bite could lead to paralysis and death. Your chances of encountering this slithery horror are pretty slim as it spends its entire life in the ocean. If you spot one while scuba diving, be sure to avoid.
AKA Missulena bradleyi. This ghastly looking creature is not as famous as the funnel-web, red back or huntsman spider — yet its bite is just as nasty. Its venom contains toxins similar to the robustoxin found in funnel-web spiders. According to some experts, it has the potential to deliver a deadly bite. Their eyes are spread out across the front of the head in the typical nightmare-fuel arrangement. They can be found in burrows covered with trapdoors which doesn’t sound evil and sinister at all.
AKA Thylarctos plummetus. Do not mess with these things. They’ll tear you apart.
Beachcombing for rare and beautiful seashells is a popular pastime for many Australians. But have you ever stopped to consider the legalities of your collection? </p><p>Contrary to popular belief, you can't just pick up and take home any shell that takes your fancy. Here are some of the rules you need to follow.
This story has been updated since its original publication.
Chris Jager is the former editor of Lifehacker, who specialised in technology and streaming.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
Chris, this is your most nope-full article yet!
11. Bullrout
Nearly stepped on one in a lovely waterhole near Bellingen. Still get cold sweats thinking about the what-if…
didnt realise these freshwater freaks existed.
thanks for the heads up.
Same here, everyone knows of stonefish, but I bet most don’t know there is a freshwater variety. One more thing lethal to us, ho hum…
well at least i got something out of this repost of a repost of a repost. read these comments before, but never really considered this one.
And the razorback.
surprised to not see brown snake, red belly black and inland taipan, blue ring octy, irukanji, great white, red back spider. i know they are givens, but no list of dangerous australian fauna would be complete without them.
Are you sure that jellyfish photo is actually a box jelly? It doesn’t look like it.
I’ve encountered a few of these as a kid kicking over rocks – both the Mouse Spider and a giant centipede (it was definitely over 16cm, probably closer to 30cm). Both my Dad and I got stung by box jellyfish while dragging a bait net near Mackay. We know because we actually pulled a few of the box jellies out of the net afterwards. About an inch long (counting tentacles). We both ended up with a few inch long welts and jesus did they hurt. I couldn’t imagine being stung by a big one.
And as a kid my Dad stepped on a stonefish at Hervey Bay. He was lucky to survive and ended up in hospital.
That is most definitely not a Box jellyfish. They are nearly transparent and can have tentacles up to 3m long. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_jellyfish
Other nasties are the Blue Ring Octopus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-ringed_octopus
Lion Fish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterois,
the cobbler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnidoglanis_macrocephalus
And don’t get me started on scorpions and ticks.
And it’s not just animals of course, even the trees are out to kill you.
Don’t step on a dead drop-bear
I like this description of Flinders Island, “There are four species of snake on Flinders Island, all of them venomous”
Don’t eat corn flakes when infected by an Alien, Kelloggs will make them burst out your chest.
The picture of the Koala with photoshopped sharp teeth identified as a ‘drop bear’ is extremely insensitive and inappropriate given thousands of these beautiful and harmless creatures have been and still are being roasted alive in the devastating fires which we are still suffering. I think you should pull that picture down and make a public apology. It’s thoughtless posts like this one that might make some simpletons think it’d be fun to go out and shoot a few. They are nearing the point of extinction. NOT funny!
I think you’re drawing a bit of a long bow with your outrage here. The image is supposed to be a joke about ‘drop bears’, which everyone knows are fake – no disrespect to koalas intended.
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