How to survive attacks from Australia’s most deadly animals

AUSTRALIA is full of domesticated and wild animals that could be deadly when they attack. Here is how to survive an encounter with these predators.

AUSTRALIA is known for the Sydney Opera House, Uluru and The Big Pineapple.

It is also known for playing home to some of nature’s deadliest beasts.

Both domestic and wild, encounters with these dangerous animals can be fatal if not prepared with the correct knowledge.

With danger lurking on the land and in the water, it’s helpful to know how to survive an encounter with nature’s killers from Down Under.

HOW TO SURVIVE A SHARK ATTACK

I am going to gill you, son. Take that Jaws.

Summer is quickly approaching, with many Aussies heading to the beach to cool down.

But what happens if Jaws is lurking? We have all heard the best way to defend yourself against a shark is to punch its nose. But is this actually the most effective protection method?

Shark researcher George Burgess said prevention was the best method, suggesting people got out of the water as soon as a shark had been sighted.

Seems obvious, but if the worst happens, Mr Burgess has some advice.

“If the shark is actually coming at you and it looks like it is going to make contact with you, the nose is the sensitive spot,” he told Business Insider.

“If you can bop it on the nose with your fist, it likely will veer away and, once again, you hopefully will have enough time to get out of the water.”

If you ended up in its jaws, the eyes and gill slits are your best bet for escape.

“Stick your fingers in the [eyes and gill slits]. Claw at them. Some people that have been bit have had success in getting them to open their mouths when you poke at their eye.”

HOW TO SURVIVE A CROC ATTACK

So basically your chances of survival with a croc are not great.

Having been around since the time of dinosaurs, Crocodiles are one the world’s most resilient predators. With multiple deaths recorded in Australia each year, these beasts are trained killers leaving you little chance of survival.

British wildlife presenter Chris Packham said crocs were extremely intelligent and silently approached their prey underwater, before launching a fast and deadly assault.

“Trying to open its mouth with your hands isn’t going to work — its jaw closes with the power of 13 tonnes (13,000 kilograms) per square inch,” he told the BBC.

“Its skin is so thick you aren’t going to pierce it and its head is a solid mass of bone, there are no weak points. The one thing you can do is get your fingers in its eyes but with crocodiles, prevention is always better than cure.”

Australian bushcraft expert Bob Cooper offered the same grim outlook on surviving an attack.

“If they’ve got hold of you, poking the eyes is the only possible way you can fight back — they have thousands of years of instinct telling them this is the only vulnerable part of their body and they need to let go,” he said.

“But the chances are you aren’t going to get anywhere near them. Once they’ve got you underwater, that’s it, you’re going to drown.”

HOW TO SURVIVE A SNAKE ATTACK

Snakes don’t go looking to attack humans, so don’t give them a reason. Photo Greg Calvert

Yep, Australia loves a deadly animal and snakes are everywhere.

Fortunately, it’s possible to minimise the chance of attacks by wearing protective clothing such as long pants, tall hiking boots and long sleeves when in an area snakes are known to frequent.

If you do encounter a snake, it is helpful to remain calm so you can make the right decisions.

“Snakes usually prefer to retreat when disturbed but if they feel threatened, they can become defensive,” explained the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP).

“If you see a snake, don’t panic. Back away to a safe distance and allow the snake to move away. Snakes often want to escape when disturbed.”

While snakes don’t have ears, they are sensitive to vibrations and can be driven away by loud noises. Experts suggest stomping your feet, banging sticks together and yelling at the snake.

If you were bitten, restrict your movements to reduce the flow of venom. If possible, take note of the appearance of the snake so medical professionals can administer the correct antivenene.

Gently clean the wound with water and a clean cloth, making sure not to flush the wound with water. Finally, wrap the wounded limb with compression bandages.

HOW TO SURVIVE A KANGAROO ATTACK

You wanna go, mate? I’ll box your face off.

Death by kangaroo is rare, in fact the last recorded human killed by one was in 1938.

This doesn’t mean you won’t still get a touch up from Skippy, if he isn’t happy.

“If you enter an area where kangaroos live, give them as much space as possible. If you see one, stay away from it and watch how it behaves,” according to the EHP.

“If it moves toward you, or shows signs of being aggressive, move away. Even if it is only looking for food or human contact, a kangaroo may still become aggressive. Don’t act aggressively towards the kangaroo, as this will simply reinforce the idea that you are a threat.

“Don’t turn your back on it and run — a large male can easily outrun you and kick at the same time. Turn side-on, protect the front of your body with your arms and keep your head as far away from the kangaroo as possible to minimise the risk of being scratched on the face.

“Let the kangaroo know you are not a threat — give a short, deep cough, avoid eye contact and crouch down as you move away.

“As a last resort, if you can’t escape an attacking kangaroo, roll up into a ball on the ground with your arm covering your neck and call for help. Try to roll or crawl away to a safe place.”

HOW TO SURVIVE A DINGO ATTACK

Wild dingos are just one of Australia’s deadly dogs.

Queensland’s National Parks, Sport and Racing (NPSR) said generally dingoes went about their lives and stayed clear of people but some encounters could turn tragic so people should stay “alert and stay calm”.

But with over half of dog bite injuries occurring at home with family pets, it’s important to know how your animal’s body language could be an indicator of its mood.

A dog with its head above or lower than its body meant it was more likely to be relaxed, when its head was in line with the body it’s a sign that the dog was preparing to attack.

If your dog was growling or showing its teeth, it should be considered a sign of aggression. In this situation, remain still and calm, avoid loud noises and direct eye contact.

Stand with the side of your body facing the dog — facing the animal directly can appear aggressive. If this didn’t work and a dog attacked you, you can limit the damage inflicted.

“Put your purse, bag, or jacket between you and the dog to protect yourself,” the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. “If you are knocked down, curl into a ball with your head tucked in and your hands over your ears and neck.”

Once safe, wash wounds with soap and water and see a healthcare provider immediately if wounds appear infected as dogs contain over 60 different kinds of bacteria in their mouths.

HOW TO SURVIVE A BOX JELLYFISH ATTACK

Box jellyfish fights are not recommended. Picture: Dr Lisa Ann Gershwin

With extremely potent venom, the box jellyfish has up 15 tentacles on each corner which can be 3m long but there’s a secret to surviving the poisonous sting of a deadly sea creature.

Darwin man Rodney Brown said he had been stung between 2000 and 3000 times by box jellyfish and the key to survival was to stay in the water and “wash the tentacles off” before ­running from the ocean to find vinegar.

“When I was a kid, we used to chuck them on each other and have box jellyfish fights,” he told the NT News.

“But you don’t leave the water quickly while it’s on you, go to shallow water, kneel and wash it, brush it off in the water and within 20 minutes you can be eating at Hungry Jacks.

“A lot of people run out of the water because it’s very painful, but that’s a big mistake, that’s when you start scarring and getting sick.”

The Department of Health recommends witnesses to remove the person from the water, dial 000, commence CPR if necessary and douse the sting area with vinegar to neutralise stinging.

HOW TO SURVIVE A SPIDER ATTACK

Redback Spider is just one of Australia’s dangerous spiders.

As the Aussie weather warms up animals that have been relatively inactive during winter start to get on the move again — among them are spiders.

Redbacks like to make their webs in logs or under rocks in the natural environment, but human dwellings also provide places for them to make their nests and spin webs.

They are not aggressive but will strike if threatened. Redback venom can be fatal, but since the development of an antivenene in 1956 there have been no red-back related deaths.

Funnel-webs, deemed to be the world’s most deadly spider, hunt mostly at night and normally eat insects, but also small frogs and lizards.

When humans encounter the spider, it will strike defensively.

In February, a 10-year-old boy on the NSW Central Coast was bitten on the finger by a funnel-web that was hiding in his shoe. It took 12 vials of antivenene to treat him — the most ever administered in Australian history.

In the event of a bite apply a pressure immobilisation bandage over the area, keep the patient still and seek medical help.

Have you ever been attacked by an animal? Continue the conversation in the comments below or with Matthew Dunn on Facebook and Twitter.