Chameleon snake!

[ICohen]

All this talk about snakes reminds me of a story my wife told me about her brother when they were growing up on a station up in the north west of Australia (for those in other countries a station is like a ranch or a farm only much, much bigger). Lets call him John (not his real name).

Anyway, they had a lot of little frogs that liked water, including the water found in a toilet. Apparently it wasn't unusual to feel them bumping against that part of the anatomy that comes in contact with the seat when making use of the facilities. Well, they had a hole in the septic tank attached to the toilet and the frogs were getting in there, so they eventually got around to fixing it one day.

A little while later John is sitting there having a quiet read when he feels bumping on his rump. No worries, he thinks, it just a frog trying to get out and he keeps on reading. That is, until a snake pokes up between his legs! It had been in the tank after the frogs and got caught in there when they repaired it so it had taken the only way out available. Apparently John ran so fast he didn't get his pants pulled up before he got to the rest of the family to tell them about it.

Well, you may be aware that, of the top ten most deadly snakes in the world, Australia has all ten. Well this one was a King Brown, well and truly up there towards the top of the top ten and it was mad! It was striking at the walls it was so mad. But John was madder, so mad he blew a hole in the wall trying to shoot this thing with a shotgun! Sadly the end was swift and decisive for the snake when it came.

Ian

[Cynth]

In the states we get a public broadcasting show called Nature. It's really a good show. But quite honestly, I don't think these two episodes could have done the Australian tourist industry much good. Unfortunately, I can't remember what sort of deadly spider it was that swims in back yard swimming pools and bites people. I have actually never been quite the same since seeing these episodes.

One episode was called AUSTRALIA'S LITTLE ASSASSINS. It wasn't just about snakes. It was about everything.

A Lethal Land
They bite, they sting, they spit, they spring. On the island continent of Australia, deadly creatures come in all shapes and sizes -- by land and by sea -- as you will discover on the NATURE episode, AUSTRALIA'S LITTLE ASSASSINS.

Australia's majestic saltwater crocodiles, for instance, are an obvious threat. Growing 20 feet long and armed with a ferocious mouth of teeth, these reptiles are typically content to feed on fish or birds and mammals that venture too near the water. Every now and then, however, a "croc" makes a run at a boater or swimmer. As one croc-attack survivor on LITTLE ASSASINS notes, the ambush comes as a shock [NO KIDDING!]. Before the victim can react, the croc clamps its jaws shut and dives underwater, corkscrewing violently in a bid to drown its victim and rip it in half. Luckily, more than half of Australia's 100 or so croc-attack victims over the last century have survived.

On land, the sea snake's scaly relatives also boast fangs that can inject a deadly dose. Indeed, Australia boasts more than 100 kinds of poisonous snakes -- about a dozen of which rank among the most poisonous on earth. Doctors estimate about 3,000 Australians are bitten each year, with several hundred requiring shots of life-saving antivenom, which counteracts the poison. But a few people each year don't make it to the hospital in time and die. (In the United States, about 8,000 people a year receive venomous snake bites, and about six die.)

Victims may also need antivenom to save them from spider bites. Australia is home to more than 40 species of funnel web spiders, for instance, a group of arachnids known for their toxic venom. Some can paralyze a person with a tiny bite. Others may carry bacteria on their fangs that enter the bite wound, causing the skin to die and flesh to literally melt away. Sometimes, the victims don't even know they've been bitten. And for some, there is no known antidote.

CLICK--->

Taipan Oxyuranus scuttelatus

The taipan may be found mostly along the non-desert areas of north and north-east Australia (from Brisbane to Darwin). It is an aggressive, large, slender snake, and may be coloured any shade of brown but always has a rectangular head (large in proportion to the body) and red eye. Venom output is high and causes neurotoxicity, coagulopathy, and rhabdomyolysis, and the amount retrieved from just one milking from one taipan is enough to kill many million mice . Paralysis is difficult to reverse unless treated early. Untreated, a good bite will almost certainly be fatal.

CLICK--->

Sydney Funnel Web (Atrax robustus)

This is one mother of a spider!

It is a large (6-7 cm), black, aggressive, ugly looking spider with massive fangs. These are large and powerful enough to easily penetrate a fingernail. When disturbed it tends to rear up on its hind legs, a defensive posture that exposes the fangs. They don't jump. During a bite the spider firmly grips its victim and bites repeatedly; in most cases the experience is horrific [NO KIDDING!]. The venom is highly toxic. Before an effective antivenom was developed, significant bites usually resulted in severe symptoms and death was not uncommon.

The Sydney funnel web spider is mostly found near Sydney (from Newastle to Nowra and as far west as Lithgow but sightings have been reported as far north as Brisbane. Related species are found along the eastern coast of New South Wales.

The venom of the slightly smaller male spider is five times as toxic as the female. This is unfortunate [ONCE AGAIN, NO KIDDING!], as male funnel webs tend to roam about, particularly after heavy rain in summer, and often wind up indoors.... For some strange reason, human beings (and other primates and monkeys) are particularly sensitive to the venom, whereas toads, cats and rabbits are almost unaffected!

Atraxotoxin causes acute massive release of neurotransmitters at autonomic and neuromuscular junctions with associated uncontrolled autonomic hyper-reactivity and muscle twitching, followed about 2 hours later by neurotransmitter depletion and weakness.

Symptoms

The bite is usually immediately painful, and if substantial envenomation occurs, symptoms commence usually within a few minutes. They include, progressively:

Piloerection, sweating, muscle twitching (facial and intercostal, initially), salivation, lacrimation, tachycardia, and then (fairly rapidly) severe hypertension.
Vomiting, airway obstruction, muscle spasms, writhing, grimacing, pulmonary oedema (of neurogenic or hypertensive origin), extreme hypertension.
Unconsciousness, raised intracranial pressure, widely dilated pupils (often fixed), uncontrolled twitching, and death unless artificial ventilation is provided.
After about 2 hours the muscle fasiculations and most symptoms start to subside, and are replaced with insidious but profound hypotension, primarily due to severe cardiac failure[WHICH WILL CLEARLY COME AS A BLESSING AT THIS POINT! DANG!].

Then there was THE VENOM CURE. Not all of this show took place in Australia but a large part of it was about sea snake research at the Australian Venom Research Unit at the University of Melbourne.
CLICK--->

Oh sorry! I didn't do the King Brown snake.
CLICK--->

potentially dangerous; ready biter; apply first aid and seek urgent medical attention for all suspected bites; responsible for human deaths.

[gonzo914]

I want these $%^$&%*& poisonous chameleon snakes off the ##@$#@& plane!!!

Opens August 18.

I fly every week, and I'm feeling a toy store visit coming on.



"Can I have a receipt, please? I need these for my work."

[gonzo914]

I don't think these two episodes could have done the Australian tourist industry much good.

Bill Bryson, in his book In a Sunburned Country, was writing about some kind of dangerous Australian critter (I think it was those blue jellyfishes), and he said it appeared on page 275 of volume 3 of the 6 volume set entitled Things That Can Kill You in Australia.

[Cynth]

I don't think these two episodes could have done the Australian tourist industry much good.

Bill Bryson, in his book In a Sunburned Country, was writing about some kind of dangerous Australian critter (I think it was those blue jellyfishes), and he said it appeared on page 275 of volume 3 of the 6 volume set entitled Things That Can Kill You in Australia.

Oh, was that the Box Jellyfish?
CLICK--->

Sea Wasp
Synonyms - Box Jellyfish, Fire Medusa, Indringa.

An American author named Mayer who was speaking about some of the stinging Cubomedusae found in the Caribbean waters of Central America coined the name Sea Wasp.

In Australia it is more commonly known as the Box Jellyfish.

Yet of all the types described none are as venomous as the Indo-Pacific Box Jellyfish. It is claimed to be the most venomous marine animal known.

Description

The Box Jellyfish has a shape of a bell or cuboid with four distinct sides, as in a box, hence the local name - Box Jellyfish. From each of four corners of the cube, or bell measuring up to 20 cm along each side, the Box Jellyfish projects into pedaliums, each of which may contain up to as many as fifteen tentacles each 3 metres in length.

Box Jellyfish are pale blue and transparent and are difficult to see, even in clear ocean waters they are almost invisible, and for years it wasn't known what was actually causing such excruciating pain often followed by death [MY GOD!]. It was first thought to have been the Portuguese man-of-war, but as most stings from the Portuguese man-of-war are usually accompanied by a sighting it became obvious that it was probably something else. As death occurred sometimes within 2 to 3 minutes, researchers began to search for another culprit.

Box Jellyfish Season

The Box Jellyfish season across the top of northern Australia starts with the onset of the wet season, usually around October and lasts until April. Further south along the northern Queensland or northern Western Australian coast the season is usually from November to March. The Box Jellyfish sometimes appear further south and sometimes a few weeks beyond the official close of season before disappearing until the next wet season.

Always check with local authorities for advice before swimming in the ocean; otherwise wear fully protective clothing. Never swim on your own in isolated areas[HOW ABOUT NEVER SWIM PERIOD?]. If you are stung, your chance of survival or even getting yourself to the shore is virtually zero. The pain has been described as so excruciating that you will probably go into shock and drown, even before the full affect of the venom takes place.

How can anyone even put so much as a big toe in the water there?

[gonzo914]

How can anyone even put so much as a big toe in the water there?

They probably end up n the water when they're not watching where they're going when they're running from snakes.

And crocodiles.

And whatever other nasty piece of fauna is after you.

I see you have the entire six-volume set.

[Cynth]

How can anyone even put so much as a big toe in the water there?

They probably end up n the water when they're not watching where they're going when they're running from snakes.

And crocodiles.

And whatever other nasty piece of fauna is after you.

I see you have the entire six-volume set.

Yes. And I haven't even begun to investigate the flora.

[herbivore12]

Yes. And I haven't even begun to investigate the flora.

Hiking in the rainforest of Queensland, we were warned to be careful of a tree called the Blind-Your-Eye Mangrove, which exudes a sap that can cause skin blisters and, yes, blindness if you get it in your eye. The claim was that the tree could actually squirt the sap several feet from a freshly broken twig or branch, but I'm not sure . . .

When I was in Australia I was always getting warned about deadly things. Even the cassowary -- a big unlikely-looking flightless bird -- came with this caution from a ranger when I told him I was hoping to see one: "If ya do see one, sling your backpack 'round so you're wearin' it in front of ya, so he can't disembowel ya." Sheesh.

Even the adorable little platypus has the distinction of being one of the only poisonous mammals on Earth (the males have a spur on their hind legs through which they can deliver a venomous kick). Cute is different from harmless, it turns out.

A scary place, but wonderful nonetheless, for all that.

[Lambchop]

How can anyone even put so much as a big toe in the water there?

I was about to suggest just sticking to swimming pools, but . . . umm . . . no . . . that's where the spiders drop into . . .


And y'all think Florida is bad? Sheesh!

[ICohen]

Oops. See below...

[ICohen]

Unfortunately, I can't remember what sort of deadly spider it was that swims in back yard swimming pools and bites people. I have actually never been quite the same since seeing these episodes.

And...

CLICK--->

Sydney Funnel Web (Atrax robustus)

This is one mother of a spider!

It is a large (6-7 cm), black, aggressive, ugly looking spider with massive fangs. These are large and powerful enough to easily penetrate a fingernail. When disturbed it tends to rear up on its hind legs, a defensive posture that exposes the fangs. They don't jump. During a bite the spider firmly grips its victim and bites repeatedly; in most cases the experience is horrific [NO KIDDING!]. The venom is highly toxic. Before an effective antivenom was developed, significant bites usually resulted in severe symptoms and death was not uncommon.

The Sydney funnel web spider is mostly found near Sydney (from Newastle to Nowra and as far west as Lithgow but sightings have been reported as far north as Brisbane. Related species are found along the eastern coast of New South Wales.

The venom of the slightly smaller male spider is five times as toxic as the female. This is unfortunate [ONCE AGAIN, NO KIDDING!], as male funnel webs tend to roam about, particularly after heavy rain in summer, and often wind up indoors.... For some strange reason, human beings (and other primates and monkeys) are particularly sensitive to the venom, whereas toads, cats and rabbits are almost unaffected!

Atraxotoxin causes acute massive release of neurotransmitters at autonomic and neuromuscular junctions with associated uncontrolled autonomic hyper-reactivity and muscle twitching, followed about 2 hours later by neurotransmitter depletion and weakness.

Symptoms

The bite is usually immediately painful, and if substantial envenomation occurs, symptoms commence usually within a few minutes. They include, progressively:

Piloerection, sweating, muscle twitching (facial and intercostal, initially), salivation, lacrimation, tachycardia, and then (fairly rapidly) severe hypertension.
Vomiting, airway obstruction, muscle spasms, writhing, grimacing, pulmonary oedema (of neurogenic or hypertensive origin), extreme hypertension.
Unconsciousness, raised intracranial pressure, widely dilated pupils (often fixed), uncontrolled twitching, and death unless artificial ventilation is provided.
After about 2 hours the muscle fasiculations and most symptoms start to subside, and are replaced with insidious but profound hypotension, primarily due to severe cardiac failure[WHICH WILL CLEARLY COME AS A BLESSING AT THIS POINT! DANG!].

You answered your own question in your post. It's the Sydney Funnel Web that doesn't mind a bit of a dip.

Ian

[Martin Milner]

I don't think these two episodes could have done the Australian tourist industry much good.

Bill Bryson, in his book In a Sunburned Country, was writing about some kind of dangerous Australian critter (I think it was those blue jellyfishes), and he said it appeared on page 275 of volume 3 of the 6 volume set entitled Things That Can Kill You in Australia.

In the UK the book was snappily entitled "Down Under".

I usually don't understand why names of books and video games are sometimes different for the US and the UK, but this time I do.

[Lambchop]

I don't think these two episodes could have done the Australian tourist industry much good.

Bill Bryson, in his book In a Sunburned Country, was writing about some kind of dangerous Australian critter (I think it was those blue jellyfishes), and he said it appeared on page 275 of volume 3 of the 6 volume set entitled Things That Can Kill You in Australia.

In the UK the book was snappily entitled "Down Under".

I usually don't understand why names of books and video games are sometimes different for the US and the UK, but this time I do.

Why?

[Cynth]

Bill Bryson, in his book In a Sunburned Country, was writing about some kind of dangerous Australian critter (I think it was those blue jellyfishes), and he said it appeared on page 275 of volume 3 of the 6 volume set entitled Things That Can Kill You in Australia.

In the UK the book was snappily entitled "Down Under".

I usually don't understand why names of books and video games are sometimes different for the US and the UK, but this time I do.

Why?

Well, maybe it didn't sell well because people starting thinking it meant like down under 6 feet of clay. I'm not sure really. Maybe in the states people are more scared of poisonous things. It's probably a very subtle thing.

Say, Martin, if you don't mind a silly question. Is there a difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom? I am making a lot of progress in this area, but I realized that this is something I hadn't thought about. Oh yes, I could google that.

Also, there is a phrase I come across in British novels and TV shows, mostly said by detectives I believe and I've just come across it in Dickens, also said by a detective. "It's early times yet." Do people commonly use this phrase nowdays? It is just something detectives say? I don't suppose that could be the case. Just wondering if it is used alot and used currently.

[Jack]

I'm not Martin, but this is interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Is ... inology%29



Or, as my Welsh friend who didn't learn English until she was 12 tells me, "Great Britain is a country where they speak Great British."