Sydney Funnel-Web Spider
While spiders give the majority of us the creeps, we are fortunate in that we do not have to deal with spiders that are out to get us or that are out to kill us. Consider those who live in New South Wales, on Australia’s east coast, because this is the state that is home to the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Sydney funnel-web spider, among other things. In order to conceal themselves and pounce on unsuspecting passersby from their under-rock or hole-in-a-tree home, this spider buries itself in a funnel-shaped silk web, earning it the name funnel spider. However, to be fair to the Sydney funnel-web spider, it is most often seen pounce on passing beetles, cockroaches, snails, and small frogs and lizards rather than larger prey such as ants. However, in terms of venom, they are capable of killing a human. Or, to put it another way, the venom of the male Sydney funnel-web spider is extremely lethal. The female is a lot more relaxed than the male. Intoxicated by a fatal neurotoxin, a bite from the male (their fangs can penetrate leather and fingernails) can result in vomiting, breathing difficulties, muscular spasms, and drooling within 10 to 30 minutes of being bitten by the male. Fortunately, there is an antivenom available, but it will need to be delivered as quickly as possible.
Sydney Funnel Web Spider
Komodo Dragon
After being shipwrecked, it’s possible to believe that your fortune has changed if you wind up on the shores of an idyllic desert island. However, this is not the case if you happen to get washed up on the shores of a gorgeous desert island that also happens to be home to a few of Komodo dragons. Komodo dragons are both a) usually hungry and b) not picky when it comes to their food. They’ll eat just about anything that washes up on the shores of the island where they live, including relieved shipwrecked humans who mistakenly assume their fortune has turned around for the better. They are enormous creatures, measuring an average of 2.5 meters in length (in comparison to the average height of a human individual, which is 1.8 meters). Aside from that, they are quite fast. If you don’t have your wits about you, this is not a favorable situation. They also like to hide out in bushes and long grass, where they can prepare to pounce on unsuspecting washed-up humans or other animals who are not paying attention. As if all of this wasn’t enough, Komodo dragons have razor-sharp teeth and attack by injecting toxic venom into their prey. After septicemia has set in, it will take approximately three days for you to die, resulting in a slow and painful death, making you a prime candidate for the Komodo dragon’s next meal. So, if you find yourself shipwrecked, avoid getting stranded on an Indonesian island if at all possible.
Komodo Dragon
