# re Deadly Australia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 25, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037 "2019-04-25T14:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/21 "2019-05-09T12:35:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Cone snails, cone shells, or cones are common names for a large group of small to large-sized extremely venomous predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs.[1] Even their freaking snails are poisonous?! It’s like Australia is a penal colony for Mother Nature where she drops off the worst bad asses she has. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/22 "2019-05-09T19:03:49Z")
[Cone snails](https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/killer-cone-snails-for-your-health/) [aren’t exclusive](https://www.app.com/story/sports/outdoors/fishing/hook-line-and-sinker/2014/09/25/ocean-facts-beautiful-deadly-cone-snails/16230425/) [to Australia](https://researchmatters.in/news/stinging-tale-cone-snail). ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/23 "2019-05-09T20:57:05Z")
On the other hand, the Caribbean coast including parts of Florida is home to the [Manchineel Tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchineel), which is so toxic that raindrops dripping off its leaves will raise blisters. How did Australia miss that one? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/24 "2019-05-09T21:53:07Z")
For the benefit of our international readers (ie, 90% of the thread), “deadly” is also Indigenous slang for “f’kin excellent” Yeah, I’ll wear that 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/25 "2019-05-09T23:55:14Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > ASIO is now monitoring every keystroke [shrug]Haven’t I just lucked out … I have an active ASIO file and my snitch is a telemarketer. [/shrug] 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/26 "2019-05-10T11:56:32Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > [shrug]Haven’t I just lucked out … I have an active ASIO file and my snitch is a telemarketer. [/shrug] 😉 Ooooh, _burn(ed)_\*\* by the telemarketer aside. Hope a drop-bear rips ya face off. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/27 "2019-05-10T12:50:01Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > On the other hand, the Caribbean coast including parts of Florida is home to the [Manchineel Tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchineel), which is so toxic that raindrops dripping off its leaves will raise blisters. How did Australia miss that one? Just blisters? Too wimpy for Australia. It has to be an agonizing death to even be considered. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/28 "2019-05-10T20:54:02Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Just blisters? Too wimpy for Australia. It has to be an agonizing death to even be considered. 😃 You get that from direct contact with the sap. ---
**Author:** ![Fundisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Fundisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fundisi)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/29 "2019-05-13T12:40:59Z")
New Zealand also has a deadly nettle tree, Urtica Ferox From Wikipedia: "Multiple stingings can have a very painful reaction which causes inflammation, a rash, itching, and in high concentrations loss of motor movement, paralysis, drop in blood pressure, convulsions, blurred vision and confusion. " ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/30 "2019-05-13T15:33:54Z")
> [@Fundisi](#): > > New Zealand also has a deadly nettle tree, Urtica Ferox > > From Wikipedia: "Multiple stingings can have a very painful reaction which causes inflammation, a rash, itching, and in high concentrations loss of motor movement, paralysis, drop in blood pressure, convulsions, blurred vision and confusion. " Sounds like Monday morning to me. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/31 "2019-05-16T18:54:00Z")
[quote=“Annie-Xmas, post:6, topic:833037”] Deadly Australia Deadly Australia Don’t touch a rock or a plant or a tree And as for animals, don’t even think of touching them. They are as deadly as deadly can be.[/QUOTE Some of them are cute too Some of them are cute, too One of my life goals is to pet a kangaroo Kookaburras, wallabys, and don’t forget the Cockatoo Moving to Australia is what I want to do! ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2019, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/32 "2019-05-16T19:04:15Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Deadly Australia > Deadly Australia > Don’t touch a rock or a plant or a tree > And as for animals, don’t even think of touching them. > They are as deadly as deadly can be. Some are awfully cute too Some are awfully cute too Koala bears, wallabys and the Cockatoo One of my life goals is just to pet a kangaroo Moving to Australia is what I want to do! ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/33 "2019-05-16T19:33:02Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > On the other hand, the Caribbean coast including parts of Florida is home to the [Manchineel Tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchineel), which is so toxic that raindrops dripping off its leaves will raise blisters. How did Australia miss that one? When I lived in Trinidad in the Caribbean, I was stung by a giant version of a puss caterpillar (a new species that had not been identified before) that caused excruciating site pain that migrated into my joints and caused my heart to race. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/34 "2019-05-16T22:29:00Z")
So, did you get to name the new caterpillar, for discovering it? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/35 "2019-05-17T00:08:18Z")
Of course, it’s now known as the jillgaterpillar. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/36 "2019-05-17T00:17:18Z")
Sure makes it look like Strayan outdoorsmen and outdoorsladies could qualify as Special Forces in some other countries’ armies right off the bat… > [@JillGat](#): > > > [@Lumpy](#): > > > > On the other hand, the Caribbean coast including parts of Florida is home to the [Manchineel Tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchineel), which is so toxic that raindrops dripping off its leaves will raise blisters. How did Australia miss that one? > > When I lived in Trinidad in the Caribbean, I was stung by a giant version of a puss caterpillar (a new species that had not been identified before) that caused excruciating site pain that migrated into my joints and caused my heart to race. Word. Those bastids are some mean muthas. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/37 "2019-05-17T02:25:29Z")
Maybe not many people know but the playful platypus is said to have the most painful venom of all animals. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/38 "2019-05-17T02:27:32Z")
[quote=“JillGat, post:31, topic:833037”] [quote=“Annie-Xmas, post:6, topic:833037”] Deadly Australia Deadly Australia Don’t touch a rock or a plant or a tree And as for animals, don’t even think of touching them. They are as deadly as deadly can be. [/QUOTE Some of them are cute too Some of them are cute, too One of my life goals is to pet a kangaroo Kookaburras, wallabys, and don’t forget the Cockatoo Moving to Australia is what I want to do![/QUOTE] They are wild animals. They aren’t carnivores, but I’d no sooner pet a kangaroo than I’d pet a fox. (Partly because, of course, fox fur is nicer, but still…). ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037/39 "2019-05-18T02:08:01Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Maybe not many people know but the playful platypus is said to have the most painful venom of all animals. They’re definitely in the top ten, but the top two usually cited are the Bullet Ant and the Tarantula Hawk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-deadly-australia/833037.md?page=1)