Words: Dr Ben Walters, Emergency Medicine Specialist I’m sure many of you would agree with me when I say we live in paradise! Australia has one of the best climates, highest standard of living, lowest unemployment rates and easy access to the very highest standards of health care in the world. There must, however, be some down side. I guess as an expat Pommy, I can attest that the rest of the world lives in fear of the vast array of deadly creatures that share a home with us here in ‘paradise’. Whilst it is true that we do boast a fearsome array of deadly creatures – and it seems that a life threatening encounter with a snake, spider or shark is only metres away at any given time – I would argue that you are way more likely to injure yourself putting up Christmas decorations on a ladder than you are to come-a-cropper with a passing snake. The Australian Museum in Sydney have put together a list of the most dangerous creatures in Australia. They based this on the nature of the injury/toxin the creatures can produce combined with the likelihood of us meeting one! The top 10 might be relatively predictable. There are two jellyfish, three snakes, a crocodile, a shark, a spider, and a cute little octopus. But would you believe that the second most deadly animal in Australia is actually the humble honey bee! pindaramagazine.com.au Pindara Magazine 17
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Nine
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