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If you’ve decided to visit Australia, I’m sure there is a slight amount of nervousness setting in about some of its creatures. No doubt someone has told you a little horror story that has set your mind racing. This article will tell you more about some of these nasty creatures. It also aims to reassure you that there is a VERY low chance that you will encounter one of these dangerous Australian animals.

Australia has at least 10 animals that could kill you. That’s well over its fair share! There is one that can even kill you in less than 3 minutes. They range greatly in size too from the very large (Great White Shark,) to the very small, (Funnel Web Spider.) Many people have heard of these two nasty creatures.

The truth is that there is a very slim chance that you will encounter any of the dangerous Australian animals. There have only been 11 shark fatalities in Australia over the last 50 years. These tended to be by those who did not follow the basic rules. There have been no deaths from funnel web spiders over the same time period as there is now an anti-venom available. So, as long as you follow some practical advice you should not feel threatened or in danger when here in Australia.

Lets have a look at some of the dangerous Australian Animals.

The Great White Shark

The White Shark can be as long as 6m and weighs over 2,200kg(!!) All sharks have an extra sense which allows them to detect the electromagnetic field emitted by the movement of living animals. It’s certainly not something you would want to meet whilst out swimming!

Swimming in the Australian ocean is fantastic and should be done as part of your Australian holiday. There are sharks in Australian waters but its rare that they come up to the shore line. You should avoid swimming at dusk and dawn when sharks are more active. Don’t go too far from the shore and stay away from schools of fish as a shark could mistake you for food! Also don’t go into the water if you have an open cut which is bleeding.

Shark attacks have risen slightly in the last couple of years and experts are unsure why. It is thought that it may have something to do with our waters getting cleaner and the fact that there is an algae in our waters which is bringing the sharks further into the bays.[I:http://traveltheworld360.com/img/2009/09/JenniferSchellington10.jpg]

The funnel web spider

You could be fooled by thinking someone is playing a practical joke on you. These spiders look like a spider that you might buy from a joke shop. It’s black and can be very glossy. The funnel web spider likes to create little burrows so you are more likely to find them in garden rockeries but they are also found in garages. They like water too so are sometimes found around swimming pools. There is a species called the Sydney Funnel Web which is found in and around Sydney.

To be safe, it’s best to keep away from all spiders in Australia. They are probably harmless but its better to be safe than sorry. If the funnel web spider is about to bite, it raises up on its back legs to show you his fangs. At that point, I’d start running!

Even if the funnel web spider does bite you, there is a 1 in 4 chance that it will inject any venom. If there is venom in the bite, you are likely to feel pain instantly and you should get yourself to hospital for anti venom as soon as you can. You need to stop the venom from spreading around your body. (For more details go to the website. Details are below)[I:http://traveltheworld360.com/img/2009/09/JenniferSchellington12.jpg]

Saltwater Crocodile

There are in fact 2 reported deaths from crocodiles every year. That makes them the most dangerous animal in Australia from a statistics point of view. They are found in the very north of Australia but can be seen as far down as Broome to the west and Tropical Queensland in the East. It’s easy to avoid an encounter with a croc by following some simple rules.

These crocodiles don’t actually live in salt water and prefer to cruise around in freshwater lakes and rivers. They are very large and can be very ferocious. They are extremely territorial.

Best way to avoid them is to obey any NO SWIMMING signs in the top end and the far north Queensland areas. The signs usually have a crocodile on them to warn you. If you go off the beaten track, don’t risk going for a swim in this area as they may have just not put a sign up and there could still be crocodiles about.

If you do decide to camp in this area, don’t camp too near to the waters edge and don’t wash etc at the same point near the water every day as one day you may have an unexpected guest!

There are 7 other dangerous Australian animals to find out about. Which one could kill you in less than 3 minutes? What would you do if you got bitten by a snake? For more information go to the Real Australia Travel Website.

Jennifer Schellington has nearly 5 years of experience in travelling Australia and has recently had a baby. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers useful information for planning your trip to Australia as well as what to do and where to go. Click here for more details on the 10 most dangerous Australian animals