Sometimes, I wish news agencies would put a few more basic facts in. :)

[Tap]

I was killing time, and reading this article......Snake eats crocodile in a midnight feast with teeth in WA's Kimberley From the MSN website. 

 

I live in WAshington, and have never heard of a town called Kimberley.  After reading the story, I gathered from context that it wasn't in Washington. I looked for clues...ABC news, no help there.  Don't recognize the river, or other reference point.

 

I had to Google "WA Kimberley" to figure out where they were talking about.......West Australia.....LOL  I am sure lots of people here, will think....of course, that is as obvious as saying Paris or New York City! But to me, and I assume lots of regular ole USA folks, when I see "WA" and see that it is "ABC news" I think Washington, not the other side of the planet!!! LOL  Oh, and the ABC news....well, that is Australian Broadcasting Corporation apparently. LOL   

 

A little more details please!! AY! LOL

Edited April 7, 2017 by Tap

[Tanaqui]

But it states right in the URL that this takes place in Australia...?

[eternalsummer]

For me it is the crocodile.  Not too many crocodiles in Washington :)

 

Aaaaannnnd, another reason I am not interested in living in Australia (Western or Not Western)

[Tap]

But it states right in the URL that this takes place in Australia...?

LOL yep, but I clicked a link and wasn't reading the URL.  I just googled to figure it out.  I wouldn't think to read the URL to figure out where it was from. 

Edited April 6, 2017 by Tap

[Tanaqui]

Really? With a news story, that'd be my first step. Huh. Maybe I'm just weird, though :)

[Tap]

The story mentions Darwin and Tasmania, which are also clues :)

Never been to Australia.  Don't know of a place called Darwin.   And I did read the Tasmania part....but it said he was flying there, not near there. 

 

Washington is pretty big.  There are lots of towns here.  LOL 

[Melissa in Australia]

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[maize]

Really? With a news story, that'd be my first step. Huh. Maybe I'm just weird, though :)

I don't often read URL's.

[Tanaqui]

Hm. How can we trust you? Maybe you ARE a crocodile, and you're trying to lull us into a false sense of security!

[bookbard]

I always find it weird that Americans think Australia is scary. We have crocodiles up north, sure, but they're not walking around, they're in rivers. And there are some spiders and snakes, but again, in the bush. But you guys have BEARS. And mountain lions and other wild cat things, and coyotes and wolves! I mean, far out! You also have snakes and spiders that are deadly. And like your possums are scary things with teeth!

 

Basically your country is far scarier.

[abba12]

I always find it weird that Americans think Australia is scary. We have crocodiles up north, sure, but they're not walking around, they're in rivers. And there are some spiders and snakes, but again, in the bush. But you guys have BEARS. And mountain lions and other wild cat things, and coyotes and wolves! I mean, far out! You also have snakes and spiders that are deadly. And like your possums are scary things with teeth!

 

Basically your country is far scarier.

 

I wouldn't say the snakes and spiders are in the bush exactly.... I've had no less than 3 different deadly critters in my backyard (red back spiders we see quite frequently, I've seen 3 or 4 eastern brown snakes over the years, and we occasionally get a red bellied black snake. There's also much debate about the specific breed and lethality of two other spiders we get here). But, aside from the browns, they will leave you alone. They don't come out hunting humans. I don't know anyone who's ever been bitten ever in my own circle of friends and family.

 

But, yeah, I'm pretty sure the chances of getting killed by a critter here are less than getting shot over there. That's the scariest thing about america, right there. 

[Liz CA]

I always find it weird that Americans think Australia is scary. We have crocodiles up north, sure, but they're not walking around, they're in rivers. And there are some spiders and snakes, but again, in the bush. But you guys have BEARS. And mountain lions and other wild cat things, and coyotes and wolves! I mean, far out! You also have snakes and spiders that are deadly. And like your possums are scary things with teeth!

 

Basically your country is far scarier.

 

:lol: :lol: It's all in the perspective, isn't it? I take a bear and a coyote any day over a croc or snakes.

But, of course, you are right that we have plenty of snakes here as well - and alligators in places like FL for example.

Possums are kind of ugly but not really scary...because I am used to them I suppose. :laugh:

 

[abba12]

See, this guy is totally harmless. Big, but totally harmless. I guess he would probably bite, but they usually don't. 

 

No? Still not convinced?  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Liz CA]

See, this guy is totally harmless. Big, but totally harmless. I guess he would probably bite, but they usually don't. 

 

No? Still not convinced?  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

 

Is this the average size of a spider you might find in your house?

 

[maize]

Most of our wild life stay away from people. I've never seen a mountain lion or wolf in the wild. I've seen bears, mostly they come looking for food from trash cans in woody areas. My mom's cat chased one up a tree and it cowered there for several hours until the cat finally went away. That was a black bear in Florida, they're smallish and not particularly aggressive.

 

I've run across a rattle snake while hiking, I consider them quite polite for warning you off when you get too close.

 

Found a black widow spider and an egg sack in my back yard; got rid of those but I'm sure there are more around.

 

Have never been threatened by a gun even though half the people in town own them.

 

Irresponsible drivers are the scariest thing in my life.

Edited April 6, 2017 by maize

[bookbard]

our possums are so cute though. And then I saw an American version on one of those shows where people trap pests? And it had these full on scary teeth!! 

[eternalsummer]

Maize is right about irresponsible drivers.  

[bookbard]

I think I did read that you had a higher rate of drunk-driving deaths and so forth - Australia's road toll dropped hugely because of random breath testing, and now random drug testing for drivers; I don't think you have that? Or perhaps only in some states?

[Liz CA]

our possums are so cute though. And then I saw an American version on one of those shows where people trap pests? And it had these full on scary teeth!! 

 

I just checked and yes, they do look quite different.

[gardenmom5]

crocodile would tell me it's africa or Australia.

[gardenmom5]

I always find it weird that Americans think Australia is scary. We have crocodiles up north, sure, but they're not walking around, they're in rivers. And there are some spiders and snakes, but again, in the bush. But you guys have BEARS. And mountain lions and other wild cat things, and coyotes and wolves! I mean, far out! You also have snakes and spiders that are deadly. And like your possums are scary things with teeth!

 

Basically your country is far scarier.

 

I live in the middle of a city.  (lots of greenbelt).  there was a bear in our neighbors yard.   the deer are more common.  I came home and there were four stags  munching on my strawberries. . .. not a single neighborhood dog in sight.

 

I've seen two grizzlies in the wild - in canada.

 

not as many coyotes as I used to see.  they're a danger  to small critters.  like cats.   it's always weird when they start howling.  (greenbelt.)

never seen a wolf.  saw a fox once on our road.  and another at mt. rainier.  it was resting in the the grass strip of the campground road.  wasn't really interested in any of the people.  

 

we have had a pair of bald eagles move into the valley below us - I see them on occasion.

 

the south has alligators - not just florida.  but in florida I've seen more and more footage of allligators meandering across the greens at golf courses. they live in the water traps.  ds's gf lives in florida.  she wants him to get a job almost anywhere else. 

Never been to Australia.  Don't know of a place called Darwin.   And I did read the Tasmania part....but it said he was flying there, not near there. 

 

Washington is pretty big.  There are lots of towns here.  LOL 

 

depends what you're comparing it to.

washington is 71Kish square miles

Western Austrailia is 2.9M square miles

 

eta: I live in washington state

 

Most of our wild life stay away from people. I've never seen a mountain lion or wolf in the wild. I've seen bears, mostly they come looking for food from trash cans in woody areas. My mom's cat chased one up a tree and it cowered there for several hours until the cat finally went away. That was a black bear in Florida, they're smallish and not particularly aggressive.

 

I've run across a rattle snake while hiking, I consider them quite polite for warning you off when you get too close.

 

Found a black widow spider and an egg sack in my back yard; got rid of those but I'm sure there are more around.

 

Have never been threatened by a gun even though half the people in town own them.

 

Irresponsible drivers are the scariest thing in my life.

 

careful what you say "never" about.

My sil and her dh had a 10 day visit.  sil arranged to stay with people.  they went shortly after a major california earthquake - so it was discussed.  I think they were in sydney for their first day.  the aussies said they *never* have earthquakes . . . . . wanna know what happened right then?  they had an earthquake.

 

eta: spelling.  I hate homonyms sometimes.

Edited April 6, 2017 by gardenmom5

[gardenmom5]

I just want to say . . . opposums are DUMB.  dumber than dumb!   errrghgh!  "oh, look at the pretty lights" start walking towards them . . . kathunk kathunk. at least twice, maybe even three times.

 

why did the chicken cross the road - to show the opposum it could be done.

[Tanaqui]

They are really, really dumb. We had them in our attic once. The woman we called in to trap them told us that opposums will just lose their babies. They can't count, so when they walk off, any babies that aren't with them get left behind!

 

Well, cats can't count either, but they don't lose their babies! No, if they want to move their young, they go back after each kitten until all of them are safely in the new nest!

[bookbard]

Oh, ok, so they are not aggressive?

 

[gardenmom5]

Oh, ok, so they are not aggressive?

 

don't underestimate cute (or ugly) looking critters.

 

we were at banff last summer.   want to know what critter is most likely to send someone to the ER? 

 

a squirrel.  (looks like our chipmunks, but it's a squirrel.)

 

around here, people put food out for raccoons . . . oh, they'll get hungry.   these are not animals you want thinking your home is a good place to visit.  or take up residence.

squirrels can also do a lot of damage.

[abba12]

Is this the average size of a spider you might find in your house?

 

 

Most varieties of spider are smaller (but deadlier), the huntsman is the only one in my area which grows to that kind of size. I once saw one who could just about wrap its legs around a small dining chair at my grandmothers house :laugh: . They do tend to live inside, but they're good, they eat the poisonous spiders and cockroaches and stuff. The worst I've ever heard of them doing is the time one dropped on my mothers face while she was sleeping, lol. That doesn't happen often though. We catch and release them outside, that's what the photo was from, a particularly impressive catch a few months ago

[eternalsummer]

When we lived in NZ I saw in a shop window a possum fur coat.  Could not believe it.  Here in the US, possums are definitely something you would not want to make a coat out of.  

[maize]

crocodile would tell me it's africa or Australia.

Or Central/South America or southern Florida (Florida is unique for having both gators and crocs)

[Wheres Toto]

I'm surprised when Americans don't know about Darwin, as since WwII its been strongly associated with the American military.

 

I've heard of it, I think from reading fiction.  Quite a few of the cheesy Harlequin-type romances seem to take place in Australia or UK.

 

If I'm really confused about a website, I will glance at the url to see if that gives me a clue.

 

 

I always find it weird that Americans think Australia is scary. We have crocodiles up north, sure, but they're not walking around, they're in rivers. And there are some spiders and snakes, but again, in the bush. But you guys have BEARS. And mountain lions and other wild cat things, and coyotes and wolves! I mean, far out! You also have snakes and spiders that are deadly. And like your possums are scary things with teeth!

 

Basically your country is far scarier.

 

LOL, we have bears and coyotes but they tend to avoid people.  Only two venomous snakes and one venomous spider are generally found in my state.

 

I used to volunteer at a zoo and one of the animals I handled all the time was an opossum.  It was found when mama was hit by a car but the babies in her pouch lived, and were hand-raised.  I used to hold it on one shoulder like a baby, with the tail wrapped around the arm supporting the bottom.   She was a sweetheart.  But, one time I saw someone think it would be cute to pet her under the chin.  She didn't appreciate that and bit the persons finger.  All those pointy little teeth leave holes that bleed quite a bit.  

 

My daughter also got to play with baby bobcats when she was about 5 years old. 

[Melissa in Australia]

Redbacks are the only spiders we are cautious about. They are local abd poisonous, but easy to avoid! Also they are small :)

strangely redbacks do not bother me . But Huntsmans :scared:  :scared:  :scared:  :scared: . I have almost crashed a car having one run across the ceiling while I was driving. If I see on in the house I scream - it happens spontaneously I cannot help myself. 

 

 

we live rural- very rural. in summer we see snakes almost daily that are just part of where we live and do not bother us overly.

[Guest]

I always find it weird that Americans think Australia is scary. We have crocodiles up north, sure, but they're not walking around, they're in rivers. And there are some spiders and snakes, but again, in the bush. But you guys have BEARS. And mountain lions and other wild cat things, and coyotes and wolves! I mean, far out! You also have snakes and spiders that are deadly. And like your possums are scary things with teeth!

 

Basically your country is far scarier.

Blame Animal Planet TV shows. Y'all always have the top 9 of the 10 most deadly anything on those episodes.

 

Do y'all have flying tree roaches and mosquitoes? It might be worth moving somewhere with deadly spiders and snakes to escape those. I am far more terrified of a flying roach than a copperhead or water moccasin in my yard, so maybe I'd be okay there after all.

[Carrie12345]

I have lots of big and small deadly stuff on my property all the time.

 

I mostly fear the itty bitty ticks.

[Tanaqui]

Y'all always have the top 9 of the 10 most deadly anything on those episodes.

 

It is technically true that Australia has 9 of the 10 most dangerous snakes in the world, however, it is equally true and a lot more accurate to state that of the 9 most dangerous snakes in the world, Australia has 'em all.