Wednesday 7 March 2007

Cute one day, deadly the next

It's comforting to know that in a country with a staggering number of killer creatures, there are also plenty of cute, cuddly marsupials and lots of chirpy little types like these wild rosella parrots, which had a snack courtesy of Annie a while back.

It makes me nuts that there are spiders big enough to eat birds here – how INSANE is that? - and that nine of the 10 most venomous snakes in the world will bite the life out of you faster than you can say “Crikey!”

So I fear I must always watch my back. Even the spiders IN MY HOUSE can grow as big as the palm of my hand ... and if that's not heart attack-inducing stuff, I don't know what is.

Soon we will be going to the top end of Oz, where the animals are much deadlier than they are down here in Victoria. So if I find myself at the business end of a saltwater crocodile, for example, or a stonefish, which is the deadliest fish in the world, or a box jellyfish ‑ which has the deadliest venom of any species anywhere in the world and kills more people in Australia than snakes, sharks and crocs combined – I will surely pray for a quick end, for surely there is little hope of seeing another sunset.

Wish me luck.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nance, I do wish you luck. An Australian friend of mine years ago convinced me that everything that lives there-of the non human variety that is- basically- can kill you. So I think you are of a much braver sort than I to even venture out of doors. But then there are those spiders in your house! I'd be in a state of shock constantly. I definitely am the family coward.
AJ

Nancy Harper said...

You're not the only family coward, believe me. I'm just lucky I have a Doog. EVERYBODY should have a Doog!
love ya
nanc