Internet meet Daddy Long-Legs...Again

Thanks very much for your varied views on yesterday's post. I appreciate everyone's well considered and interesting comments. It has given me a lot of 'food for thought'.

Today, I wanted to move on and repost a lighthearted post.  It is one that for some strange reason gets lots of views every month from all parts of the World. I'm not really sure why. Maybe people are interested in deadly animals or something.

Some people think we Aussies spend our lives wrestling crocodiles, stepping on deadly spiders and wearing snakes around our necks as some kind of fashion accessory. (Yes Sarah, that would be you!) A myth more than likely created by the popularity of Steve Irwin and Paul Hogan before him.

While we love the outdoors, we don't all wear khaki or carry huge knives just in case we stumble upon a deadly creature.  The Land Down Under is home to many of Earth’s most venomous creatures, such as the inland taipan (whose venom is 50 times more toxic than that of the king cobras) and the box jellyfish where death can occur within three minutes of being stung.

Strangely though, many Australians are unaware that they are sharing their backyard with extremely venomous animals. While the animals in this country may be much more deadly than anywhere else in the world, they are treated with the same amount of thought and respect that others may give to water moccasins or the black widow. Their presence is accepted and there is an unwritten rule that you 'don't mess with the wildlife'.

Like most Australians, I've had my own share of 'wildlife encounters', but only with the world's most deadliest animal.

Which one?

No, I didn't get up close and personal with a BEAR even though they kill up to 10 people across the world each year

Or SHARKS which kill 100 people a year

Or BOX JELLYFISH which kill 120 people a year

Or HIPPOPOTAMI which easily outpace humans on land and kill 150 people a year

Or ELEPHANTS which kill up to 500 people a year

Or BIG CATS which kill around 800 people a year

Or CROCODILES which kill around 850 people a year

Or SCORPIONS which paralyse their prey and cause 2,000 fatalities a year

Or SNAKES which cause up to 125,000 deaths a year.

No, the only animal which has caused me grief and which kills up to 3 million people a year

is the

mosquito.

See, you really don't have anything to fear in visiting Australia. Other than the 17 hour plane flight to get here.

Warning: Please don't frighten the children by clicking on the spider image without warning them - the old boy has a surprised look on his face and very hairy legs!