Animal Attacks In Australia
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Wildlife attacks in Australia occur every year from several different native species, including
snakes Snakes are elongated Limbless vertebrate, limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales much like other members of ...
, spiders,
freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. The term excludes seawater and brackish water, but it does include non-salty mi ...
and saltwater crocodiles, various sharks,
cassowaries Cassowaries (; Biak language, Biak: ''man suar'' ; ; Papuan_languages, Papuan: ''kasu weri'' ) are flightless birds of the genus ''Casuarius'', in the order Casuariiformes. They are classified as ratites, flightless birds without a keel (bird a ...
,
kangaroo Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use, the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...
s,
stingray Stingrays are a group of sea Batoidea, rays, a type of cartilaginous fish. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae (sixgill stingray), Plesiobatidae (deepwate ...
s and
stonefish ''Synanceia'' is a genus of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Synanceiinae, the stonefish, which is Taxonomy (biology), classified within the Family (biology), family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfish and relatives. Stone ...
and a variety of smaller marine creatures such as bluebottles,
blue-ringed octopus Blue-ringed octopuses, comprising the genus ''Hapalochlaena'', are four extremely venomous species of octopus that are found in tide pools and coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, from Japan to Australia. They can be identified by thei ...
, cone shells and
jellyfish Jellyfish, also known as sea jellies or simply jellies, are the #Life cycle, medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, which is a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animal ...
. It is estimated that there are about 100,000
dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
attacks in Australia each year.


Land


Cassowary

Cassowaries have a reputation for being dangerous to people and domestic animals. The 2007 edition of the
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
lists the cassowary as the world's most dangerous bird. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
American and Australian troops stationed in New Guinea were warned to steer clear of them. In his book ''Living Birds of the World'' from 1958, ornithologist Thomas E. Gilliard wrote: However, Gilliard did not include any such records or any references for them, and although this assessment of the danger posed by cassowaries has been repeated in print by authors including
Gregory S. Paul Gregory Scott Paul (born December 24, 1954) is an American freelance researcher, author and illustrator who works in paleontology. He is best known for his work and research on theropoda, theropod dinosaurs and his detailed illustrations, both l ...
(1988),Paul, G. S. (1988). and
Jared Diamond Jared Mason Diamond (born September 10, 1937) is an American scientist, historian, and author. In 1985 he received a MacArthur Genius Grant, and he has written hundreds of scientific and popular articles and books. His best known is '' Guns, G ...
(1997)Diamond, J. (2008). recent research on hundreds of cassowary attacks has only been able to find one human death. A 2003 study of attacks by the southern cassowary in Queensland found no wounds larger than punctures about 1.5 centimetres in diameter.Kofron, C. P. (2003). Of 221 attacks studied, 150 were against humans. A total of 75% of these were from cassowaries that had been fed by people. In 71% of cases the bird chased or charged the victim. In 15% of cases they kicked. Of the attacks, 73% involved the birds expecting or snatching food, 5% involved defending natural food sources, 15% involved defending themselves from attack, 7% involved defending their chicks or eggs. Of all 150 attacks there was only one human death.Kofron, C. P. (1999). The one documented human death caused by a cassowary was that of Phillip Mclean, aged 16, and it happened on 6 April 1926. He and his brother, aged 13, were attempting to beat the cassowary to death with clubs. They were accompanied by their dog. The bird kicked the younger boy, who fell and ran away. Then the older boy struck the bird. The bird charged and knocked the older boy to the ground. While on the ground, Phillip was kicked in the neck, opening a 1.25 centimetre wound. Phillip got up and ran but died shortly afterwards from the haemorrhaging blood vessel in his neck. Cassowary strikes to the abdomen are among the rarest of all, but there is one case of a dog that was kicked in the belly in 1995. The blow left no puncture, but there was severe bruising. The dog later died from an apparent intestinal rupture.


Dingoes

Dingo attacks in Australia are rare but can happen.
Dingo The dingo (either included in the species ''Canis familiaris'', or considered one of the following independent taxa: ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient (basal (phylogenetics), basal) lineage ...
s are more of a danger to livestock such as sheep which is why the
Dingo Fence The Dingo Fence or Dog Fence is a pest-exclusion fence in Australia to keep dingoes out of the relatively fertile south-east part of the continent (where they have largely been exterminated) and protect the sheep flocks of southern Queensland. ...
was constructed. As wild dogs are large predators, they can be potentially dangerous to humans. The likelihood of wild dogs being a danger to humans depends to a large degree on how humans behave toward them. The more frequently these dogs are fed or scavenge human leftovers, the more likely it is that they lose all caution and sometimes react aggressively towards humans when they no longer receive or find food. Even when
habituation Habituation is a form of non-associative learning in which an organism’s non-reinforced response to an inconsequential stimulus decreases after repeated or prolonged presentations of that stimulus. For example, organisms may habituate to re ...
to humans seems to be the cause for attacks, it is not clear what the ultimate cause for attacks and overall threat towards humans is. The first well documented case of a dingo attack on K'gari is from the year 1988. Already 60 years before, a newspaper account reported of problems with dingoes. Between 1996 and 2001 altogether 279 incidences with dingoes have been reported, with 39 of the cases assessed as "major" and one as "catastrophic". In April 2001 at Waddy Point on
K'gari K'gari ( , ), also known by its former name Fraser Island, is a World Heritage List, World Heritage-listed sand island along the south-eastern coast in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The island lies approximately nort ...
, a nine-year-old male was attacked and killed by two dingoes. On 19 August 1980 a nine-week-old girl named Azaria Chamberlain was captured by a dingo near the
Uluru Uluru (; ), also known as Ayers Rock ( ) and officially gazetted as UluruAyers Rock, is a large sandstone monolith. It outcrop, crops out near the centre of Australia in the southern part of the Northern Territory, south-west of Alice Spri ...
and killed. Her mother was suspected and convicted of murder. Four years later she was released from prison when the jacket of the baby was found in a dingo den and the mother was therefore found innocent. This incident caused much outcry for and against the dingoes. To be better prepared for dingo attacks demands were made that a better recording of problematic cases should be implemented. Also non-lethal guns, spray cans with appropriate content, whips and aversive baits should be used to increase the caution of the dingoes.


Emu

Emu attacks are rare but have occurred. When attacked, the
emu The emu (; ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is a species of flightless bird endemism, endemic to Australia, where it is the Tallest extant birds, tallest native bird. It is the only extant taxon, extant member of the genus ''Dromaius'' and the ...
will move in a zigzag pattern to prevent attacks from the wedge tailed eagle, or use kicking at close range. In 1932 many emus moved into farm territory in Western Australia, with the army called in to dispatch them in the so-called Emu War. Some attacks noted include in 1957 an emu charged a car, in 1904 an emu attacked a dog's owner after the dog attacked it, in 1873 an emu attacked children and a woman at Johnstone Park, Geelong. A man fell off a horse which was attacked by an emu in Bullarook in 1864 which went to court as ''Seagrave v Tarte'', where the judge ruled the emu is '' ferae naturae''.


Kangaroos

Kangaroo attacks in Australia are rare because kangaroos are usually docile; however, they can attack when provoked or cornered, and they have been known to kill dogs. Very occasionally they can attack even if not provoked. If there is a shortage of food, kangaroos will enter suburbs, and may attack (which may be unintentional or in self-defence), as noted in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
and
Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
. There were two incidents in 1999 and 2002, and 15 to 20 reports in the area between
Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour, locally nicknamed Coffs, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 a ...
and
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
. The New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled in '' Shorten v Grafton District Golf Club'' (2000) that a golf course had a duty of care to warn patrons of the danger of kangaroo attack, after a 13-year-old boy was injured by one in 1996. The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management mentions kangaroos can be aggressive towards people, and advises that if approached by an aggressive kangaroo, people should keep it at a distance so that it cannot kick or scratch. An
Animal Planet Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel focusing on the animal kingdom owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1 ...
video on avoiding kangaroo attacks says the main defence is to keep moving out of the animal's kicking range. Several of the attacks have been widely reported in international media. In particular a 1988 attack in the
Grampians The Grampian Mountains () is one of the three major mountain ranges in Scotland, that together occupy about half of Scotland. The other two ranges are the Northwest Highlands and the Southern Uplands. The Grampian range extends northeast to so ...
which was filmed was shown on ''World's Most Shocking Moments'' and reported elsewhere. The 1996 attack on the golf course in Grafton was shown on ''After the Attack'' and reported by
National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...
and others. The recent attacks in Sunbury were widely reported in Australia as well as international media. In March 2009 a kangaroo smashed through the window of a suburban house in
Garran Garran is a suburb in the Woden district of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. Garran was named after Sir Robert Garran who made numerous contributions to the development of higher education in Canberra. The streets in Garran are nam ...
which also made international news. A 77-year-old man has died in 2022 after being attacked by a kangaroo he had been keeping as a pet in
Redmond, Western Australia Redmond is a town and locality of the City of Albany in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. It is located 399 km south-south-east of Perth and the closest populated town is Albany. The town began when a railway siding was o ...
. It is the first fatal kangaroo attack reported in Australia since 1936.


Magpies

The
Australian magpie The Australian magpie (''Gymnorhina tibicen'') is a black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea, and introduced to New Zealand, and the Fijian island of Taveuni. Although once considered to be three separate ...
often swoops people in suburban areas. There are three known deaths from a magpie attack: one caused by
tetanus Tetanus (), also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'' and characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually l ...
, a second when an elderly cyclist crashed his bicycle while attempting to avoid being dive-bombed, and most recently in August 2021 a third death when a baby died as a mother tried to protect her from a swooping magpie. Magpies are ubiquitous in urban areas all over Australia, and have become accustomed to people. A small percentage of birds become highly aggressive during breeding season from late August to early October, and will swoop and sometimes attack passers by.Jones, p. 37 These magpies may engage in an escalating series of behaviours to drive off intruders. Least threatening are alarm calls and distant swoops, where birds fly within several metres from behind and perch nearby. Next in intensity are close swoops, where a magpie will swoop in from behind or the side and audibly "snap" their beaks or even peck or bite at the face, neck, ears or eyes. More rarely, a bird may dive-bomb and strike the intruder's (usually a cyclist's) head with its chest. A magpie may rarely attack by landing on the ground in front of a person, lurching up and pecking at the face and eyes.Jones, p. 48 Attacks begin as the eggs hatch, and tail off as the chicks leave the nest.Jones, pp. 43–44 Magpie attacks can cause injuries, including wounds to the head and the eyes, with the potential for bacterial infections from a beak used to fossick in the ground.Jones, p. 52 A case of anaphylaxis was reported after a Magpie attack. If it is necessary to walk near the nest, wearing a broad-brimmed or legionnaire's hat or using an umbrella will deter attacking birds, but beanies and bicycle helmets are not entirely effective, as birds can attack the sides of the head and neck. Magpies prefer to swoop at the back of the head; therefore, keeping the magpie in sight at all times can discourage the bird. Magpies are a protected native species in Australia, and it is illegal to kill or harm them. However, this protection is removed in some Australian states if a magpie attacks and harms a human, allowing for the bird to be killed if it is considered particularly aggressive (such a provision is made, for example, in section 54 of the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Act).


Snakes

Snake attacks in Australia which cause deaths are less common than they used to be due to increased medical knowledge and more readily available
antivenom Antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin, is a specific treatment for envenomation. It is composed of antibodies and used to treat certain venomous bites and stings. Antivenoms are recommended only if ...
. Around half of all deaths from snakebites are caused by brown snakes. In Australia, the only continent where venomous snakes constitute the majority of species, the kraits,
tiger snake The tiger snake (''Notechis scutatus'') is a large and highly venomous snake of southern Australia, including its coastal islands and Tasmania. These snakes are often observed and locally well known by their banding, black and yellow like a ti ...
and
eastern brown snake The eastern brown snake (''Pseudonaja textilis''), often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of extremely venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to eastern and central Australia and southern New Guinea. It w ...
inflict virtually all reported venomous bites. with the latter responsible for perhaps 60% of deaths caused by snakebite. Although Australian snakes are among the most venomous in the world (the inland or western taipan having the most toxic venom), wide access to antivenom has made deaths exceedingly rare, with only a few fatalities each year. Australian snakes are known to possess particularly potent venom: 10 of the world's most venomous snakes, as measured by LD50 in mice, inhabit the continent. The estimated incidence of snakebites annually in Australia is between 3 and 18 per 100,000 with an average mortality rate of 4 per 100,000 per year. Between 1979 and 1998 there were 53 deaths from snakes, according to data obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Between 1942 and 1950 there were 56 deaths from snakebite recorded in Australia. Of 28 deaths in the 1945–49 period, 18 occurred in Queensland, 6 in New South Wales, 3 in
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
and 1 in
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
. Availability of antivenom has reduced the number of fatalities from
tiger snake The tiger snake (''Notechis scutatus'') is a large and highly venomous snake of southern Australia, including its coastal islands and Tasmania. These snakes are often observed and locally well known by their banding, black and yellow like a ti ...
bite, which previously had caused the most fatalities. Four types of tiger snake ranked among the top 10 of the world's most venomous snakes. The
inland taipan The inland taipan (''Oxyuranus microlepidotus''), also Common name, commonly known as the western taipan, small-scaled snake, or fierce snake,White, Julian (November 1991)''Oxyuranus microlepidotus'' "Neurotoxic paralysis usually takes 2-4 hours ...
is the most venomous land snake in the world, but is only located in remote desert regions. The
red-bellied black snake The red-bellied black snake (''Pseudechis porphyriacus'') is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae, indigenous to Australia. Originally described by George Shaw in 1794 as a species new to science, it is one of eastern Australia ...
is common, but less venomous than other deadly snakes.


Spiders

There are spider attacks in Australia every year, but deaths are much less common, and are mostly in the very young or old. There have been 14 recorded deaths due to
funnel-web spider Funnel-web spider refers to many different species of spider, particularly those that spin a web in the shape of a funnel: * spiders in the family Agelenidae, including ** '' Hololena curta'' * funnel-web tarantulas (suborder Mygalomorphae): ** f ...
bite. Between 1963 and 1976 there were more than 2000 cases of redback spider bites reported to the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories. There are more than 250 cases of redback spider bite which receive antivenom each year. There are around 2000 redback spider bites each year, while antivenom for funnel-web spider bites has been given to more than 100 patients since 1980. It is believed that thousands of people are bitten each year across Australia by the redback spider, although only about 20% of bite victims require treatment. Besides the
funnel-web spider Funnel-web spider refers to many different species of spider, particularly those that spin a web in the shape of a funnel: * spiders in the family Agelenidae, including ** '' Hololena curta'' * funnel-web tarantulas (suborder Mygalomorphae): ** f ...
and the redback spider, there is also the
mouse spider ''Missulena'' is a genus of mygalomorph spiders in the family Actinopodidae. It was first described by Charles Walckenaer in 1805, and is a senior synonym of ''Eriodon''. ''M. tussulena'' is found in Chile, but the rest are indigenous to Aust ...
which can cause severe illness in young children, although serious cases are rare. The
white-tailed spider White-tailed spiders are spiders native to southern and eastern Australia, with the name referring to the whitish tips at the end of their abdomens. The body size is up to 18 mm, with a leg-span of 28 mm. Common species are ''Lampona ...
's bite can cause nausea and local pain.


Oceans, coasts and rivers


Blue-ringed octopus

The blue ringed octopus (''Hapalochlaena maculosa'') is only 10 cm long but carries enough
tetrodotoxin Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin. Its name derives from Tetraodontiformes, an Order (biology), order that includes Tetraodontidae, pufferfish, porcupinefish, ocean sunfish, and triggerfish; several of these species carry the toxin. Alt ...
venom to kill 26 adults, although records indicate it has only killed 3 humans. There is no blue-ringed octopus antivenom available. Very few cases of children being envenomated are reported.


Jellyfish

Jellyfish stings in Australia can cause death, with there being several venomous species of jellyfish including the
box jellyfish Box jellyfish (class Cubozoa) are cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their box-like (i.e., cube-shaped) body. Some species of box jellyfish produce potent venom delivered by contact with their tentacles. Stings from some species, including ' ...
and
Irukandji jellyfish The Irukandji jellyfish ( ) are any of several similar, extremely venomous species of rare box jellyfish. With a very small adult size of about a cubic centimetre (1 cm3 or 0.061 in3), they are both one of the smallest and one of the ...
. Bluebottles are often mistaken for jellyfish but are in fact
siphonophores Siphonophorae (from Ancient Greek σίφων (siphōn), meaning "tube" and -φόρος (-phóros), meaning "bearing") is an Order (biology), order within Hydrozoa, a class of marine organisms within the phylum Cnidaria. According to the World Re ...
.


Bluebottle

The Australian bluebottle is ''Physalia utriculus'' or Pacific man o'war (not to be confused with '' Physalia physalis''), belongs to the phylum Cnidaria, which includes corals and sea anemones, and stings from it rarely cause death. Outside Australia the other species, Physalia physalis, are known as the "Portuguese man o'war". The bluebottle is responsible for between 10,000 and 30,000 stings on the eastern coast of Australia each summer, with only around 500 in
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
and
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
combined. In 2006, there were 26,000 stings in
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
, with 4,256 in
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
. There have only been a few recorded fatalities and none in recent times. In December 1939, a three-year-old boy was stung on the leg while walking in of water at Proserpine. His death was described as the fifth death from a Portuguese man o'war in 32 years. An eleven-year-old male was stung in March 1938 by a bluebottle near Darwin, dying a few minutes after being stung. A nineteen-year-old male was stung in January 1937 by a bluebottle at Branston, near
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
. He was waist deep in water when stung and after moving he collapsed and died. Salvatore Cantarelle, an Italian cane farmer received a fatal sting in December 1934 by a bluebottle at Coogarra Beach, near Tully Another youth also died in January 1930 from a fatal bluebottle sting at Picnic Bay,
Magnetic Island Magnetic Island ( Wulguru: ''Yunbenun'') is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville. The island is accessible from Townsvi ...
, stung while bathing.


Box jellyfish

Box jellyfish Box jellyfish (class Cubozoa) are cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their box-like (i.e., cube-shaped) body. Some species of box jellyfish produce potent venom delivered by contact with their tentacles. Stings from some species, including ' ...
(''Chironex fleckeri'') have caused more than 79 deaths in Australia since records began in the 1880s. Recent fatalities from box jellyfish stings include a 17-year-old boy in March 2021 swimming at a beach near
Bamaga Bamaga ( , ) is an Indigneous town and locality about from the northern tip of Cape York in the north of Queensland, Australia. It is within the Northern Peninsula Area Region. It is one of the northernmost settlements in continental Australi ...
on Queensland's western Cape York; a seven-year-old girl in January 2006 at Umagico Beach near
Bamaga Bamaga ( , ) is an Indigneous town and locality about from the northern tip of Cape York in the north of Queensland, Australia. It is within the Northern Peninsula Area Region. It is one of the northernmost settlements in continental Australi ...
; a seven-year-old boy in March 2003 near
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
; and a 44-year-old male in April 2002 at
Port Douglas Port Douglas is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia, approximately north of Cairns. In the , the locality of Port Douglas had a population of 3,650 people. The town's population can often double, however, ...
.About.com
.


Irukandji

Irukandji (''Carukia barnesi'') are found in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Between 1985 and 1997 from cases of Irukandji sting where location was recorded, there were 83.4% in Queensland, 9.1% in the Northern Territory, and 7.5% in Western Australia; 81.5% of cases occurred in the afternoon. In a fourteen-year period there were 660 Irukandji stings in Australia, which were recorded by Dr Fenner, a medical officer with Surf Lifesaving Australia. There were 159 Irukandji stings reported in Broome in a five-year period with 25% of those stung being hospitalised but no recorded deaths. There were 62 people reported being stung by Irukandji in
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
in 1996; of these more than half occurred in December, 92% were stung on hotter than average days, with 63% occurring while swimming inside a stinger net enclosure on the beach. In summer 2001-02 there were 160 people stung by the middle of February, with around 100 of these in Cairns, and between 10 and 20 in
Townsville The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...
, the
Whitsundays The Whitsunday Islands are 74 continental islands of various sizes off the central coast of Queensland, Australia, north of Brisbane. The northernmost of the islands are off the coast by the town of Bowen, while the southernmost islands are ...
, Great Keppel and Agnes Water. In January 2019, 19 people reported being stung in Queensland. In January 2002 a 58-year-old male was fatally stung at Hamilton Island.


Cone shells

There are around 80 species of
cone shell ''Conus'' is a genus of venomous and predatory cone snails.Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2015). Conus Linnaeus, 1758. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&i ...
(''Conus spp''.) in Australian waters, some of which carry highly toxic venom when they are alive. A ''
Conus geographus ''Conus geographus'', popularly called the geography cone, geographer cone, or geographic cone, is a species of predatory cone snail. It lives in reefs of the tropical Indo-Pacific, and hunts small fish. While all cone snails hunt and kill prey ...
'' caused the death of a 27-year-old male in
Hayman Island Hayman Island is the most northerly of the Whitsunday Islands, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The island is and lies to the north-west of Hook Island. It is a private island open to the public, most famous for its luxury resort which ...
in 1935Fatal sting by Shellfish
Argus, 27 June 1935.
after the man handled the cone and its radular tooth pierced his hand, injecting venom; he was unconscious by the time the launch returned to the mainland, and died on reaching the hospital.


Crocodiles

Crocodile attacks in Australia have occurred in the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
and Queensland. Nearly all
crocodile Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large, semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term "crocodile" is sometimes used more loosely to include ...
attacks are caused by the
saltwater crocodile The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats, brackish wetlands and freshwater rivers from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaland to northern Australia and Micronesia. It ha ...
, with the
freshwater crocodile The freshwater crocodile (''Crocodylus johnstoni)'', also known Common name, commonly as the Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnstone's crocodile, and the freshie, is a species of crocodile native to the northern regions of Australia. Unlike ...
being smaller and less likely to attack. Between 1971 and 2004 there were 62 crocodile attacks recorded, 17 of which were fatal. 39 of the attacks were in the Northern Territory (10 fatal), 15 in Queensland (5 fatal) and 8 in Western Australia (2 fatal). Of these attacks, the highest numbers occurred between September and December, although there was at least one in each month. All of the fatal attacks occurred while in water, rather than in a boat or on land. From June 1981 to June 1991 there were 16 crocodile attacks reported in the Northern Territory, four of which were fatal. The most recent fatal attacks include the October 2017 death of a grandmother who had gone missing a week prior to her remains and personal belongings being found inside a 4.3-metre crocodile; the January 2017 death of a 47-year-old man killed by a crocodile after attempting to wade across the
East Alligator River Alligator Rivers is the name of an area in an Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory of Australia, containing three rivers, the East, West, and South Alligator Rivers. It is regarded as one of the richest biological regions in Australia, ...
at Cahill's Crossing near
Kakadu National Park Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, southeast of Darwin. It is a World Heritage Site. Kakadu is also gazetted as a locality, covering the same area as the national park, with 313 people recorded l ...
; and the death of 35-year-old Warren Hughes in March 2017 who was found two days after the spearfisherman's dinghy and speargun were discovered off Palmer Point, north of Innisfail, where investigations pointed to him being taken by a 4m crocodile. On 29 May 2016, 46-year-old Cindy Waldron was killed when she was dragged underwater during a late-night swim with a friend, who tried in vain to save her, at Thornton Beach in the
Daintree National Park The Daintree National Park is located in Far North Queensland, Australia, northwest of Brisbane and northwest of Cairns. It was founded in 1981 and is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. In 1988, it became a World Heritage Site. The park co ...
. On 17 May 2016, 75-year-old Noel Ramage drowned when a crocodile capsized his boat at Leaders Creek, Northern Territory. In August 2014, 57-year-old Tran Van Lanh was taken by a crocodile on the
Adelaide River The Adelaide River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia. Course and features The river rises in the Litchfield National Park and flows generally northwards to Clarence Strait, joined by eight tributaries including the west branc ...
when he waded into the water to free a fishing lure from a snag. In June 2014, 62-year-old fisherman Bill Scott was killed in front of his family by a 4.7 metre crocodile while on his boat in the Kakadu National Park. In January 2014 a 12-year-old indigenous boy was killed while swimming at
Jabiru The jabiru ( or ; ''Jabiru mycteria'') is a large stork found in the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, except west of the Andes. It sometimes wanders into the United States, usually in Texas, but has also been reported in Mississippi, Oklahoma ...
, Northern Territory. In August 2013 26-year-old Sean Cole was killed while racing a mate across the Mary River, 100 km from Darwin. An eleven-year-old girl was killed in 2009 in the Northern Territory;Police confirm Australian girl killed by crocodile
18 March 2009.
a five-year-old boy killed on 8 February 2009 in Queensland by a 4.3 metre crocodile; a 62-year-old man in September 2008 in Queensland while checking crab pots; a 37-year-old Canadian mine worker on 24 September 2005 at Picnic Beach, south of Umbakumba, who disappeared while snorkelling; a 22-year-old male in December 2003 at the Finniss River, 80 km SW of Darwin; and a 23-year-old female German tourist in 2002 at Kakadu, while swimming in a water hole. In February 2021 human remains were found inside the stomach of a 14-foot-long (4.2 meters) crocodile on
Hinchinbrook Island Hinchinbrook Island (or Pouandai to the Biyaygiri people) is an island in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It lies east of Cardwell, Queensland, Cardwell and north of Lucinda, Queensland, Lucinda, separated from the north-eas ...
, Queensland, which local authorities believed to likely belong to Andrew Heard, a 69-year-old fisherman who went missing from the area on 11 February (a second, 3m crocodile was also killed and examined). Recent non-fatal attacks include a 60-year-old man who had been fishing on the banks of the McIvor River, near Hope Vale (Cape York, Queensland) who escaped the jaws of a crocodile by stabbing it in the head with a pocket knife as it dragged him into the river. A 32-year-old man was injured after a 5m crocodile jumped out of the water into his boat in Kakadu National Park on 24 April 2021. In January 2021 a 44-year-old man survived an attack from a 1.5m to 2m (4.9 ft to 6.5 ft) crocodile in Lake Placid, Queensland, by prising the crocodile's jaws from his head. on 7 May 2017 a 54-year-old man from the remote community of Palumpa was attacked by a 2m crocodile near the Daly River, suffering puncture wounds to his arm and chest. On 25 April 2016 a crocodile tried to drag 19-year-old Peter Rowsell from a tent by his foot at Palm Creek, in the Douglas Daly region of the Northern Territory. On 16 May 2015 29-year-old
kitesurfer Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, snow, sand, or other surface. It combines the aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snow ...
Chris Keeping fought off repeated attacks by a crocodile at Casuarina Coastal Reserve's Lee Point near Darwin. In April 2013 29-year-old Frenchman Yoann Galeran survived an attack at
Nhulunbuy Nhulunbuy () is a town and locality in the far north of the Northern Territory of Australia. Founded on the Gove Peninsula in north-east Arnhem Land when a bauxite mine and deep water port were established in the late 1960s, the town's econ ...
in
Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territorial capital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compa ...
. In
Darwin Harbour Darwin Harbour is a body of water close to the city of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the traditional waterways of the Larrakia people. It opens to the north at a line from Charles Point in the west to Lee Point in the ...
, rangers routinely catch up to 300 crocodiles per year as part of a program designed to reduce the risk of fatal attacks. In November 2021, Banjo the Staffordshire bull terrier was attacked in the harbour by a crocodile estimated to be 2 to 3m long. In 2022
Steve Irwin Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 19624 September 2006), known as "the Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian zookeeper, Conservation movement, conservationist, television personality, wildlife educator, and environmentalist. Irwin grew up ar ...
's son Robert was nearly attacked by a 12-foot crocodile while filming a television segment.


Sharks

The Australian Shark Attack File has recorded that since 1791 there have been 639 shark attacks in Australia with 190 of them being fatal. Since
shark net A shark net is a submerged section of gillnets placed at beaches designed to intercept large marine animals including sharks, with the aim to reduce the likelihood of shark attacks on swimmers. The gillnets form a wall of netting that hangs in t ...
ting began in 1937, the number of deaths from sharks on beaches has been reduced in New South Wales, with only one fatal attack on a netted beach during that time. In Queensland there has not been a fatal attack on a netted beach since nets were introduced in the 1960s. There has been an average of 20 shark attacks per year since 2010. The Australian
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts was an Australian Government department that existed between December 2007 and September 2010. Scope Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation ...
states precautions which can be taken to reduce the risk of shark attacks. These include avoiding swimming far from the shore, at the mouth of a river or on drop-offs to deeper water; avoiding swimming in dirty water, swimming alone or with domestic animals, near people fishing, not swimming at dusk or at night, and to leave the water if schools of fish behave erratically or group in large numbers. Four species of sharks account for the vast majority of fatal attacks on humans: the
bull shark The bull shark (''Carcharhinus leucas''), also known as the Zambezi shark (informally zambi) in Africa and Lake Nicaragua shark in Nicaragua, is a species of requiem shark commonly found worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in riv ...
,
tiger shark The tiger shark (''Galeocerdo cuvier'') is a species of ground shark, and the only extant member of the genus '' Galeocerdo'' and family Galeocerdonidae. It is a large apex predator, with females capable of attaining a length of over . Popula ...
,
oceanic whitetip shark The oceanic whitetip shark (''Carcharhinus longimanus'') is a large requiem shark inhabiting the pelagic zone of tropical and warm temperate seas. It has a stocky body with its iconic elongated rounded fins, with white tips. The species is ...
and the
great white shark The great white shark (''Carcharodon carcharias''), also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large Lamniformes, mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major ocea ...
.


Stingrays

Stingray attacks in Australia usually cause minor cuts but have very occasionally led to deaths. There have been four recorded fatalities from stingray attacks in Australia. On 4 September 2006
Steve Irwin Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 19624 September 2006), known as "the Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian zookeeper, Conservation movement, conservationist, television personality, wildlife educator, and environmentalist. Irwin grew up ar ...
died from a stingray attack at
Batt Reef Batt Reef is a coral reef off Port Douglas in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia. Geography Batt Reef is centred at The reef is about 18 km long by 5 km (11 miles by 3 miles) wide, lying northwest to southeast, at the nort ...
near
Port Douglas Port Douglas is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia, approximately north of Cairns. In the , the locality of Port Douglas had a population of 3,650 people. The town's population can often double, however, ...
A twelve-year-old boy in 1988, who was hit by stingray jumping from the water, died six days later due to poison from the barb. Luigi Deguisto in June 1953 died at Weribee after a stingray punctured his thigh, piercing a vein. Sergeant Arthur Biggins died on 9 January 1945 at St Kilda Baths after a stingray wounded him in the heart. A 1938 death from a stingray attack of an 18-year-old girl in
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
has sometimes been wrongly attributed as having happened in Australia.


Stonefish

Stonefish ''Synanceia'' is a genus of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Synanceiinae, the stonefish, which is Taxonomy (biology), classified within the Family (biology), family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfish and relatives. Stone ...
venom causes severe pain, poisoning and can cause death if not treated. The
stonefish ''Synanceia'' is a genus of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Synanceiinae, the stonefish, which is Taxonomy (biology), classified within the Family (biology), family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfish and relatives. Stone ...
is the most venomous fish in the world. The stonefish has venom in its dorsal spines; when stepped on by a human, the venom is forced into the foot. Most stonefish stings occur when stepped on, it is less common for stings when the fish is picked up. Stonefish stings can occur on the beach, not just in the water, with stonefish being able to stay out of the water for up to 24 hours. They often cannot be seen easily as they look similar to rocks or coral. Stonefish antivenom is the second most administered in Australia. Aborigines knew of the venom of the stonefish and had
corroborees A corroboree is a generic word for a meeting of Australian Aboriginal peoples. It may be a sacred ceremony, a festive celebration, or of a warlike character. A word coined by the first British settlers in the Sydney area from a word in the ...
which involve re-enacting death from someone who trod on the fish. The Aborigines of Northern Australia and the Great Barrier Reef had different ways of preparing the fish for eating to avoid poisoning.The Poisonous Stone Fish Dreaded Denizen of the North
The Argus 14 March 1936.
After stonefish poisoning, the amount of antivenom given depends on the number of puncture wounds from the stonefish spines. There were 25 cases of the use of antivenom for stonefish reported to
Commonwealth Serum Laboratories CSL Limited is an Australian Multinational corporation, multinational specialty biotechnology company that researches, develops, manufactures, and markets products to treat and prevent serious human medical conditions. CSL's product areas inclu ...
for a one-year period between July 1989 and June 1990, with most from Queensland and four from the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
.Marine Bites and Stings
Dr Mark Little.
There were 14 calls to the Queensland Poisons Information System in 2008 regarding stonefish poison Fatalities have included Dr J.L. Wassell "some years" before 1936 from a stonefish sting at the
Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
, and in 1915 a fatal stonefish sting recorded at
Thursday Island Thursday Island, colloquially known as TI, or in the Kalaw Lagaw Ya, Kawrareg dialect, Waiben or Waibene, is an island of the Torres Strait Islands, an archipelago of at least 274 small islands in the Torres Strait. TI is located approximately ...


Unique and other cases

Most animals will defend themselves if in danger. Animals in which an attack on humans has occurred only in extreme circumstances or when provoked includeAmazing Australia, animal attacks
: * Buffalo – believed to have killed a 46-year-old man in 2005 * Corella – many entered the town of Stawell and caused problems in 2004. *
Eagle Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
– Two wedge tailed eagles attacked a woman who was paragliding in championships at
Killarney, Queensland Killarney is a rural town and locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It borders New South Wales. In the , the locality of Killarney had a population of 918 people. Geography Killarney is located south-east of Warwi ...
in 2007. *
Echidna Echidnas (), sometimes known as spiny anteaters, are quill-covered monotremes (egg-laying mammals) belonging to the Family (biology), family Tachyglossidae , living in Australia and New Guinea. The four Extant taxon, extant species of echidnas ...
– Girl who tried to rescue an echidna from a drain in Moe had her arm trapped by its quills and she had to be rescued. *
Grouper Groupers are a diverse group of marine ray-finned fish in the family Epinephelidae, in the order Perciformes. Groupers were long considered a subfamily of the seabasses in Serranidae, but are now treated as distinct. Not all members of this f ...
– Swedish scuba diver attacked by one on the
Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
in 2002. *
Koala The koala (''Phascolarctos cinereus''), sometimes inaccurately called the koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only Extant taxon, extant representative of the Family (biology), family ''Phascolar ...
– Thieves received scratches and lacerations when they unsuccessfully tried to steal one at the
Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. In the , the population of Rockhampton was 79,293. A common nickname for Rockhampton is "Rocky", and the demonym of Rockhampton is Rockhamptonite. The Scottish- ...
zoo. *
Platypus The platypus (''Ornithorhynchus anatinus''), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic, egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypus is the sole living representative or monotypi ...
– There are a few cases of people being envenomated with
platypus venom The platypus is one of the few living mammals to produce venom. The venom is made in venom glands that are connected to hollow spurs on their hind legs; it is primarily made during the mating season. While the venom's effects are described as e ...
, including in 1992 and 1994. *
Possum Possum may refer to: Animals * Didelphimorphia, or (o)possums, an order of marsupials native to the Americas ** Didelphis, a genus of marsupials within Didelphimorphia *** Common opossum, native to Central and South America *** Virginia opossum ...
– A day care centre out on a field trip was attacked by a group of possums in the Oxford Falls suburb of
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, 1994. A family was also attacked by one in the
Warrnambool Warrnambool (; Eastern Maar, Maar: ''Peetoop'' or ''Wheringkernitch'' or ''Warrnambool'') is a city on the south-western coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the Census in Australia#2021, 2021 census, Warrnambool had a populati ...
suburb of Dennington in 2008. *
Sea lion Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short and thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Together with the fur seals, they make up the family Otariidae, eared seals. ...
– 13-year-old girl attacked by a sea lion while surfing at Lancelin in 2007. *
Sea snake Sea snakes, or coral reef snakes, are Elapidae, elapid snakes that inhabit Marine (ocean), marine environments for most or all of their lives. They belong to two subfamilies, Hydrophiinae and Sea krait, Laticaudinae. Hydrophiinae also includes ...
– 2-year-old girl bitten by an '' Astrotia stokesii'' in
Yeppoon Yeppoon () is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, Australia. Yeppoon is renowned for its beaches, tropical climate, and the islands out on the bay. Located from the city of Rockhampton, Yeppoon is the seat of ...
. There have been some other cases but no fatalities in Australia. *
Tasmanian devil The Tasmanian devil (''Sarcophilus harrisii''; palawa kani: ''purinina'') is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It was formerly present across mainland Australia, but became extinct there around 3,500 years ago; it is now con ...
– It was reported in 1899 that: "many ghastly stories were afloat of their attacks upon escaped
convicts A convict is "a person found Guilt (law), guilty of a crime and Sentence (law), sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison". Convicts are often also known as "prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con", while a commo ...
who had taken to the bush." *
Wallaby A wallaby () is a small or middle-sized Macropodidae, macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same Taxonomy (biology), taxon ...
– Several attacks occurred in 2008 at White Rock, near
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
. *
Whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully Aquatic animal, aquatic placental mammal, placental marine mammals. As an informal and Colloquialism, colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea ...
— A man was crushed when a whale surfaced and landed on his boat. There are also domestic animals common to most places which can attack humans such as domestic dogs, cats etc. It was estimated in 1991 there were up to 30,000 people going to hospital annually because of domestic dog attacks in Australia. Other insects can also cause fatalities, such as
wasps A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...
and
bees Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamil ...
. There have also been deaths due to
mosquito Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a Family (biology), family of small Diptera, flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by ''Musca (fly), mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mos ...
-borne diseases such as
malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
(now eradicated).Mosquito factsheet
Dept. of Medical Entomology, University of Sydney.


See also

*
Fauna of Australia The fauna of Australia consists of a large variety of animals; some 46% of birds, 69% of mammals, 94% of amphibians, and 93% of reptiles that inhabit the continent are endemic to it. This high level of endemism can be attributed to the contin ...
* Animal attacks in Latin America * List of fatal snake bites in Australia


References

{{Animal bites and stings