We Americans can’t get enough of Australians. Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Steve Irwin, the Hemsworth brothers, Russell Crowe, Crocodile Dundee, koala bears, kangaroos! We love, love, love ‘em all!
But it turns out there are some Australian natives that aren’t so delightful. If your travels ever take you Down Under, you’d be wise to avoid these Aussies. Australia, you see, is home to some of the world’s most venomous animals, including 20 of the 25 deadliest snakes.
The worst of the worst is the Eastern Brown Snake, which kills more humans than any other snake in Australia. The Eastern Brown’s venom is 8,000 times more potent than cyanide and can end a life in less than an hour.
The Sydney funnel-web spider is another stone-cold killer. Its venom can kill a human in one-to-two hours by sending the central nervous system spinning into hyperdrive until it shuts down.
The oceans around Australia are like a moat filled with scary monsters. A sting from the Australian Box Jellyfish will kill you in 15 minutes. The Blue-ringed Octopus is equally deadly. Its neurotoxin venom can take a life in 2-40 minutes by paralyzing the muscles needed to breathe.
Don’t let these devilish creatures deter you from visiting Australia. With a bit of common sense and caution, you can completely avoid them. And that will make everyone Down Under happy, including the creepy crawlies.
