24 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Visit Australia

If you don’t know this already, Australia is a pretty dangerous place. The people may be warm and welcoming, but it’s the wildlife you have to watch out for. There are some extreme climates down under and there are some pretty extreme animals to go along with them. Some of the biggest bugs, most venomous creatures and craziest animals live in Australia. You may not believe it now, but you will after you see this list. The next time you think of going on a trip to Australia… don’t. (Or, just bring lots of Cortisone cream, tube socks and thick hiking boots.)

Commonly found along the Great Barrier Reef, each corner of the box jellyfish has about 15 tentacles. Each tentacle contains about 500,000 cnidocytes, which are explosive cells that inject venom into the victim.

This is a box jellyfish sting actually looks like. Ouch! The sting of a box jellyfish causes excruciating pain and can often be fatal.

Did you know that pythons are this enormous? Perhaps you also weren’t aware that flying foxes (which pretty much look like the modern day pterodactyl) exist? Why yes, large pythons do eat large flying foxes. No thank you, Australia.

Powerful pythons are strong enough to pull wallabies up out of the water. Wow.

Deceptive at a demure 5 to 8 inches, the delicate blue ring octopus is one of the most venomous creatures in the deep blue sea. There is no antidote to its venom, which is powerful enough to kill humans.

The sneaky stonefish can look like a rock or coral reef but it is one of the most venomous fish in the world. Its spines, located on the dorsal fin, inject toxic venom that causes immense pain and possible death.

Here is what happens when an unsuspecting person comes in contact with a stonefish.

Three of the most dangerous sharks in the world, the bull shark, tiger shark, and great white, call Australia their home. All three are extremely likely to attack humans given the chance. Let’s hope that surfer didn’t get attacked by this great white swimming near him.

The great white shark can grow up to an incredible 21 feet long. Though humans are not their choice of prey, great whites are responsible for the highest tally of reported unprovoked attacks on humans.

Though most attacks are not fatal, tiger sharks’ strategy is to dwell along shallow reefs, harbors, and canals, where they have ample opportunity to encounter unsuspecting humans. The tiger shark falls second to the great white on attacks towards humans.

Like tiger sharks, aggressive bull sharks also lurk in warm, shallow waters, giving them more interaction with humans than any other shark.

Found only on Australia’s island state of Tasmania, Tasmanian devils are considered the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world. The crazy critters shake nervously or become still when faced with a human. They have been known to consume the corpses of murder victims and there are also persistent myths of the devils eating unlucky humans that wander into the forest.

No, they aren’t out of a sci-fi film. These alien-like creatures are actually called coconut crabs and their grab, unsurprisingly, causes excruciating pain. However, venom isn’t their secret weapon, the pain from a strike comes from the extended grip of each pinch: patient coconut crabs hold on after their attack for an agonizing long time.

Who would have thought that one of the most poisonous animals on earth would be this sweet and innocent-seeming snail? One drop of venom of the deadly venom from a marble cone snail can kill twenty humans, and there is no known antidote.

The huge saltwater crocodile is the largest reptile in the world, with males growing up to a whopping 22 feet. They are quick and strong, and have no problem treating human as prey if they dare to venture into the croc’s territory.

Enourmous saltwater crocodiles sometimes even wash up on city streets. And you thought earthworms on the sidewalk after a storm were gross.

Australia is unfortunately also home to a variety of heinous of insects, like this scary swarm of soldier beetles.

Perhaps not shockingly, it’s also where some of the world’s most poisonous spiders live. Good luck unseeing this cringe-worthy web.

The charming Sydney funnel web spider can grow up to 2 inches long. Their intense venom is toxic enough to cause serious injury and death if left untreated, and an aggressive defensive behavior causes them to strike multiple times when they bite.

The infamous redback spider is responsible for the most incidences that require antivenom, more than any other venomous creature in all of Australia, including this list. Each year 2,000 to 10,000 humans in Australia are bit by these warrior spiders.

But look on the bright side, in Australia, you can also be swarmed with tons and tons of (too) friendly flies.

And everything is bigger in Australia. This is not a garden hose, it’s an earthworm. An earthworm! Sure, it’s not dangerous, but it is giant.

Known to kick humans and other animals if provoked, the dangerous cassowary is a flightless bird that is slightly smaller than an ostrich. Their feet have sharp, dagger-like claws, which cause serious injury that can lead to death.

Okay, so this is not a dangerous animal. But who would want to be stuck in a storm when hail bigger than pool balls are falling out of the sky? Ouch.