Don’t believe us? Then check out this headline: Top End man attacked by croc, escaped by wrestling and poking it in the eyes, then drank beer as first aid. Yes, it’s real.
Still need more proof? Here are 10 pictures that prove Australia is the craziest:
Not only are crocodiles present throughout Australia, but they’re also huge.
This saltwater croc caught on film is estimated to be about five and a
half meters–or some 18 feet–in length. Sure… the dinosaurs went extinct,
but with creatures like this still around, the question remains: who
needs them? We’re not sure how you feel, but we would certainly respond
“not us.”
Now, here come the crown jewels of Australia’s craziest and most
dangerous animals–its snakes. The creatures are such a normal part of
everyday life in the country that you can find snakes like this snake
eating bats in city parks, warning people not to let pets loose–you
know, just in case Fluffy gets eaten alive by a massive, monster-like
snake.
And even when you’re careful not to go to the snakes, sometimes the
snakes come to you. This photo of a nearly six meter (20-foot) python
was snapped after it fell through the roof of a charity store in
Queensland. Somehow, I feel better sleeping at night knowing that a
massive legless creature isn’t going to collapse my roof and land on my
body at any given moment.
Even in flight–you’re never safe! This python was found dangling
precariously on the wing of a plane headed from Australia to Papua New
Guinea in January of 2013. Though it took quite a beating during the
hours-long flight, crew and passengers alike were surprised to find that
their snake companion had survived the journey upon landing. This may
seem like a charming story at first, but I believe it hints at the
horrors that these snakes are capable of.
Thought maybe you could escape the onslaught of frightening animals by
heading offshore? Not likely. Australia’s coastlines are famous for
their surfing, but it’s best you don’t spend too much timing thinking
about what lurks beneath the waves. Check out, for example, this
photograph of a surfer about to cross paths with what is almost
definitely a great white shark. I’m sure he had no idea. Ah… ignorance
is bliss.
And sharks aren’t the only creatures lurking off Australia’s shores.
Besides the aforementioned crocodiles, which do occasionally head out to
sea, Australia’s waters are apparently home to this species of giant
jellyfish. If it’s any comfort, it’s true that jellyfish of this kind
aren’t particularly common–this species was known to exist but only
cataloged by science earlier in 2014. That said, floating into one of
these as I’m out for a swim doesn’t sound so appealing to me.
And the list goes on… The reef stonefish, one of the world’s most
dangerous fish, exists in abundance off the Australian coast. Perhaps
the most dastardly aspect of the stonefish’s hunting strategy is its
camouflage–it’s able to blend in almost perfectly with the rocks around
it, giving it an advantage against its prey. This, of course, is bad for
humans–a step on one of its barbed spikes can cause excruciating pain
and a trip to the hospital.
And finally, the blue-ringed octopus. This admittedly cool-looking
creature is known to hide out in the tiny rock crevices of Australian
tide pools and is responsible for more than 20 recorded deaths–mostly of
young children who didn’t know any better. Perhaps most frightening is
that there is no known anti-venom for its powerful poison. Death
generally occurs within two hours.
If you thought Australia’s wildlife was a bit crazy for your tastes,
have you checked out its weather? For example, tornadoes are pretty
scary, right? And fires? Well they can be pretty worrisome too. But have
you ever thought about what might happen if the two joined forces?
Maybe not–but if that’s the case, then you’re probably not Australian.
This here is a classic Australian fire tornado.
And what’s more, Australia’s crocodiles aren’t afraid to leave their
aquatic habitat. Though the water remains their primary hunting grounds,
crocodiles are certainly comfortable enough on land to get out and
explore, occasionally clashing with humans in the process. For example,
this croc was killed in a Northern Territory town after his presence
there was deemed threatening to humans. Threatening? Yeah, I’ll say…