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By Ariel BogleAug 06, 2015

You've been warned.

Australia has what you might call a bad reputation for its deadly animals.
Some of the flack may be a fair call — after all, the country lost a beloved icon, conservationist and
crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, to a stringray — but not all threats are created equal.
The Australian Museum in Sydney has a ranking of Australia's most dangerous animals based on the
level of threat they pose, combined with how likely an unlucky punter is to encounter one in the wild.
While many of the usual suspects are there, you might be surprised to find the humble honey bee
features high up on the list.
Martyn Robinson, a naturalist at the Australian Museum, thinks the threat from creatures that bite
and sting may be overblown compared to the threat from moving vehicles. "The most dangerous thing
you can do is probably just crossing the road," he told Mashable Australia.
Still, if you plan to walk or swim in the land Down Under, here is a list of the 10 most dangerous
animals you should be worried about. Keep it handy.
1. Box jellyfish

A box jellyfish.
Image: Melanie Stetson Freeman
Highly dangerous, the box jellyfish is usually found in northern Australia during the warmer months —
exactly when you want to swim.
They're called box jellyfish because their bell — the top of the jellyfish — has four corners, as well as
clusters of trailing, stinging tentacles that can stretch more than two metres (6.4 feet), Robinson said.
Human encounters occur most often when the box jellyfish comes close to shore to breed in estuaries.
"That type of water is muddy, so you can't always see them and they can't see you," he added. If you're
in the murky water and brush against one, you can easily be stung.
Danger rating: 10/10
Scientific name: Chironex fleckeri
How to know if it's got you: A box jellyfish sting can be unbelievably painful, Robinson said. The
venom is designed to paralyse fish, so it immobilises your nerves and affects breathing and movement.
A large dose can cause cardiac arrest and death within minutes.
2. Honey bee

The European honey bee.

Image: Patrick Pleul/Associated Press
The humble honey bee, which is not native to Australia,
comes second on the list because it's both common and
deadly to small subset of people. Being stung by 100 or so
honey bees could put anyone at risk of a fatality, but for
those who are highly-allergic, even a single sting can be a life
threatening situation.
"The honey bee has barbed stings, so it can only sting once," Robinson. "The purpose of the sting is to
make you never want to bother a bee ever again."
Danger rating: 9/10
Scientific name: Apis mellifera
How to know if it's got you: You'll suffer a sharp, burning pain and minor swelling, unless you're
allergic, in which case a sting could cause swelling and severe breathing difficulties, among other
symptoms.
3. Irukandji jellyfish

A fully grown Irukandji jellyfish.

A type of small box jellyfish, the Irukandji jellyfish can be the size of a finger nail in the bell, and its
tentacles can be up to one metre (3.2 feet) in length.
Scientists are not certain of the full range of locations where they occur, Robinson said, but there have
been remarkably similar stings along the Australian coastline. While the box jellyfish is usually found
in shallow water, the Irukandji jellyfish is most often in deep water.
Danger rating: 9/10
Scientific name: Carukia barnesi
How to know if it's got you: Getting stung by these little buggers can bring on Irukandji syndrome.
Taking about 30 minutes to set in, the syndrome can be marked by severe lower back pain, cramps,
sweating, anxiety, nausea and other, more fatal, symptoms.

4. Bull shark

A bull shark.
Found worldwide in coastal waters, you're most likely to come across the bull shark in estuaries,
harbours and rivers.
It's a very good scavenger, as well as a predator, Robinson said, so you certainly don't want to be
swimming near any dead whale. It's probably responsible for most of the dogs that go missing from the
water, he added.
Danger rating: 8/10
Scientific name: Carcharhinus leucas
How to know if it's got you: Oh, you'll know.

5. Eastern brown snake

The brown snake group is likely responsible for the most snake bite fatalities of any Australian snake
genus, Robinson said, probably because the species is found all over Australia.
Usually more than one metre (3.2 feet) in length, it's a very nervy snake, he added, so if you come close
they can strike out and bite you quickly.
Danger rating: 8/10
Scientific name: Pseudonaja textilis
How to know if it's got you: According to the Australian Museum, the eastern brown snake's bite
can initially be painless and difficult to detect. That's a problem, because if bitten, you'll need medical
attention straight away. Its venom can result in eventual paralysis and uncontrollable bleeding.

Wordlist
flack Nonsense, crap
conservationist A person who acts for the protection of the
environment and wildlife
pose Present
punter A ‘sucker’
Estuaries The mouth of a large river
Immobilises Prevents someone/something from moving
Cardiac Relating to heart
Subset A part of a larger group
barbed prikkeldraadachtig
occur voorkomen
scavenger An animal that feeds on flesh or dead
animals
nervy nervous

1. Why do they compare deadly animals and crossing the road?

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2. Why is the European honey bee number two in the list although their sting isn’t
always deadly?
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3. Is the Bull Shark only found in Australia?
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4. Prepare to tell me who you think is the scariest and why (I am going to ask some
people because I like to know )
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