But it’s not so bad...
And now the question is: How the hell, then, will
not Australia be the country with the most deadly fauna and flora in the world?
Precisely because a few people die every year by poisoning. Depending on the
source, the number of deaths related to bites and bites of animals, arthropods,
shark, mollusks and plants vary, but on average are between five and seven a
year.
Poisonous platypus? They are relatively
peaceful, and barely interact with humans. Deadly jellyfish, octopuses and
snails? With first aid measures you can survive without much trouble and
authorities on the beaches are alert to any accident. Sharks and crocodiles?
They do not usually target groups of people, and dangerous places are mostly marked.
Toads, spiders and poisonous insects? Toads and most insects are not deadly to
humans and there are antidotes to spider bites. Snakes? They do not tend to be
aggressive, and with first aid measures can be endured until arriving at a
clinic, where there are antidotes.
Survival
Techniques
Now, this
does not mean that Australian creatures are not dangerous, so it is always good
to take precautions. If you are going to do outdoor walks, wear trekking shoes
and hopefully thick socks or leggings, plus insect repellent. It is advisable
to walk making noise to frighten snakes. If they are not provoked, they do not
tend to be aggressive and they will get out of the way. At the end of the walk
it is good to check behind the ears and body nooks to see that there are no
ticks or leeches. (A park ranger told me that a poor walker had found him over
a hundred and twenty leeches stuck to his body on a wet day.)
In case of
a snake bite, a compress is applied over the wound and the person should remain
motionless while asking for help. The pressure helps the venom not spread
rapidly, and it can take several hours before there are fatal consequences.
In the sea
(where life is more palatable) it is good not to get on foot peeled in rock
pools, and not to take shells or unknown animals with your hands. If you are
going to swim, make sure you do it in a group and see if there are any warnings
on the beach. If you want to get to know the Great Barrier Reef, you will
probably get a sting-proof suit during the jellyfish season, and if for some
reason you might get a sting, it is recommended to have vinegar by hand and
wash the wound with water as hot as possible (45 degrees Celsius is the norm).
In the case of the sea wasp, it is very likely that the poor victim will have
to be helped with mouth-to-mouth.
As the
thousands of tourist who travel to Australia every year and millions of people
that live in the country can attest, this great island is a place with an
exuberantly beautiful fauna and flora, paradisiac beaches, excellent quality of
life and a lot of friendly people, and it is a destination one hundred percent
recommendable to either study, work or just meet.