People may, or may not, believe me, but when I was a kid (about 10 or 11) growing up in the Blue Mountains area of Australia; I used to catch and handle red belied black snakes! On one occasion, I actually milked the venom out of one. Ok, I was a weired kid, and probably a weirder adult nowadays. I would always later release them at the capture point, unharmed. I had an almost academic interest in reptiles, back then. I would never touch the brown, or tiger snakes - too dangerous. By the grace of what ever is out there, in the universe, I never got bitten (lucky, that). If anyone is in Australia, in the future, DON'T HANDLE THESE ANIMALS!!!! (See warning above)
When I was a kid, (about 8 or 9 years old), I went on a trip to Taronga Zoo, (Sydney)..Fascinated with the monkey-house; I watched, with some horror, as the monkeys threw their waste products at me. I still remember the soft splattering sound, as the "organic projectiles" hit the inside, of the glass wall, of their enclosure. To this very day, I remain grateful for the strength, and integrity, of that glass!
Now, the platypus, is also an interesting animal. Perhaps one of the weirdest things ever created by Evolution (more on platypus peculiarities, later). Suffice to say, for now, that the platypus is also venomous! They have a poison spur near their back legs. A spurring by a platypus, whist not fatal, is said to induce months of pain in a victim. Generally speaking, however, they are shy creatures, and will not bother humans, unless handled incorrectly. They are also an Endangered Species, and so need our protection.
Thanks for the comments. I don't claim that we have a complete monopoly on dangerous species, but we do have more than our fair share...Even the Emu can attack! Once I was photographing one at a native animal zoo. The Emu didn't like the glint of the camera in the Sun, and so launched a pecking attack, to try to get the camera. Luckily, I jumped back from the containing fence quickly, and just managed to dodge the thing!
Isn't there any way of preventing these Defective Lunatics from being born? With all, we know about the Human Genome, and the role of Genetics on Behaviours; is it possible to prevent these Monsters from being born, in the first place?.... (Those who perpetrate these mass casualties, in America)..... Someone should have a word to Biden, about possible solutions here.....yeah right!....we all know where that idea would go......
We do, they are sort of ok, for now, not critically endangered, but not well, but...we can not control the world's CO2 emissions, driving the Climate Change, and that is a big part of the problem......to wit: The recent catastrophic bushfires (wildfires)....(among other things)............
Well, not a whole lot more....they are under threat, due to climate change, and habitat destruction....it is possible we could lose one of our National Icons.....
lovecanbereal Blog Comments (2,767)
Australia's Formidable Wildlife
People may, or may not, believe me, but when I was a kid (about 10 or 11) growing up in the Blue Mountains area of Australia; I used to catch and handle red belied black snakes! On one occasion, I actually milked the venom out of one. Ok, I was a weired kid, and probably a weirder adult nowadays. I would always later release them at the capture point, unharmed. I had an almost academic interest in reptiles, back then. I would never touch the brown, or tiger snakes - too dangerous. By the grace of what ever is out there, in the universe, I never got bitten (lucky, that). If anyone is in Australia, in the future, DON'T HANDLE THESE ANIMALS!!!! (See warning above)