Tag Archives: Asia

The planets largest continent. Arbitrarily separated from Europe, the combo of which is called Eurasia.

Deadly Sea Critters: The Sea Wasp Jellyfish

Posted by on March 7, 2012 Comments Off

The sea wasp, or Chironex fleckeri, is one of several box jellyfish and possibly the most toxic, having been described as “the most lethal jellyfish in the world”.  The sea wasp is also the largest of the box jellyfish species.  It lives in the waters of North Australia all the way up to the coastal waters of the Philippines.

The venom of the sea wasp has been known to kill in as little as three minutes.  The sting is extremely painful, and in addition provides a triple threat to your body by attacking your skin, heart, and nervous system.

First aid for a sea wasp sting:  First the victim must be taken out of the water in order to provide first aid.  The area of the sting should be washed in vinegar, which will deactivate the venom.  Emergency medical services should be contacted for treatment as soon as possible.  While not all box jellyfish stings are typically fatal, the sea wasp’s sting is particularly dangerous and should be treated as such.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training.  If you find yourself in a life-threatening/emergency medical situation, you should seek medical attention immediately.

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Dangerous Insects: Hornets

Posted by on January 12, 2012 Comments Off

Hornets have stingers which they use to both kill prey and defend their nests. These stings can be very painful to humans, significantly more than a bee sting.  Unlike bees, hornets can sting repeatedly; making them that much more unpleasant to deal with. Hornets are provided this benefit because their stingers are not barbed, such as those of bees.

A single hornet sting is not fatal, with the exception of anyone with an allergic reaction to the sting.  Multiple stings from non-European hornets can be fatal.  The stings of the Asian giant hornet is very poisonous and can even be fatal to those who are not allergic.

Image by William Warby

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Killer Insects: The Tarantula

Posted by on December 21, 2011 Comments Off

Tarantulas (A group of related spiders under the family name Theraphosidae) can be found on every continent save Antarctica. While their large and frightening appearance can be startling, Tarantulas are mostly not a significant danger to people.

  • Tarantulas found in the New world (those indigenous to the Americas) have bites that pose very little threat to humans other than causing some pain in the area of the bite.
  • Tarantulas found in the Old world (particularly those indigenous to Asia), bite as both a defense mechanism and a method for catching prey. They are more likely to bite when provoked and are significantly less docile than new-world tarantulas. The venom old-world tarantulas is less well understood, and some early observations suggest that they are more potent than those of their new-world cousins.

There are reports of significant bites from Poecilotheria species of Tarantula, sometimes resulting in hospitalization of the patient. Indicators include both pain and swelling in the affected area, physical exhaustion, muscle cramping, difficulty breathing, and fever. In such situations, emergency medical assistance should be sought immediately.

Featured Photo by jcantroot

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Dangerous Snakes: The Reticulated Python

Posted by on November 29, 2011 Comments Off

The reticulated python (aka Python reticulatus)  is a species of python living in Southeast Asia.  They can grow to great lengths, up to as much as 30 feet.  Most don’t get quite so big, however.  Still, they are considered the longest snake species on the planet.  They possess no venom, and kill their prey through constriction.  They are capable swimmers and have found their way out to colonize islands within their range of habitat.

Most of the time, they don’t attack people, though it has been known to happen.  They are among a small number of snake species known to fairly reliably eat people.

The Agta are a tribal group of people living in in the Philippines who have a great deal of experience in dealing with reticulated pythons.  On average, the Agta are only about 4 and a half feet tall, making them even better targets for snakes that can grow as long as 30 feet.  According to the Agta.  According to the Agta, up to a quarter of all Agta men will be attacked by one of these massive snakes in their lifetime, though this figure could be an exaggerated estimate. (Source: Meet the Agta, a tribe where a quarter of men have supposedly been attacked by giant snakes)

Featured Photo by Ryan Somma

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Dangerous Snakes: Burmese Python

Posted by on November 27, 2011 Comments Off

The Burmese Python lives in Southern and Southeast Asia.  They are known to exceed lengths of about 20 feet, though the average specimen is just about 12 feet long.  They are somewhat aquatic and frequently live near water, and can be found in trees.  A larger Burmese Python can swallow a deer.  They are somewhat popular with exotic pet owners, and escaped/abandoned specimens have come to live in the Everglades of the USA.  Like other large pythons, it is nonvenomous and kills its prey through constriction.

Featured Photo by Tambako the Jaguar

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Dangerous Snakes: The Spitting Cobra

Posted by on November 21, 2011 Comments Off

A spitting cobra is one of several cobra species capable of ejecting venom from their fangs when defending themselves against perceived threats.  They generally aim for the eyes and have good accuracy up to 7 feet away.  This sprayed venom is harmless to normal skin, but it can cause permanent blindness if sprayed in the eye if left untreated.  These eye injuries are also vulnerable to dangerous secondary infections.  Spitting cobras can also inject venom through a bite.

Featured Photo by Department of Sustainability & Environment

 

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Animals to Generally Avoid: Bears

Posted by on November 19, 2011 Comments Off

Bear attacks are relatively rare, but can be frequent enough to be a concern to people who share a habitat with them.  When they do attack, they are very dangerous, and bear attacks can be fatal.  It is sensible for hikers, hunters, campers, fisherman, and others who find themselves in bear country to take precautions against bear attacks.  With the increase of mans infringement on and destruction of bear habitats, interactions between the two species have increased a will likely lead to more conflicts in the future.

Since hunters try to be stealthy/quiet when hunting prey, they are the most likely to surprise a bear, startling the creature into instinctive aggression.  Under less surprising circumstances, a bear’s first reaction upon spotting the person is to run away.

Should a mother bear perceive someone as a threat to her offspring, this is likely to result in an attack from the mother. Female bears are well known for being extremely defensive of their offspring, and they must devote years of their life in order to raise cubs.  Black bears can be an exception, mother black bears will sometimes urge their cubs to climb trees for safety to protect the young.

A human who comes across a bear that is both hungry and has also lost its normal fear of humans can be in big trouble.

Should a bear claims an animal carcass as its own, it becomes very protective of the kill. This leads to conflict when a bear claims a hunter’s kill. It’s best to just let the bear have the kill. Read more »

Animals to Generally Avoid: Wolves

Posted by on November 18, 2011 Comments Off
mexican wolf

Under normal circumstances, wild wolves are mostly timid around people. They mostly avoid contact with people, to the degree of sometimes abandoning a kill when a human is detected to be near. However, there are also reports in which wolves were recorded to act aggressively toward humans.

Contrasted to other larger carnivorous mammals known to have attacked people, the frequency of fatal or serious wolf attacks is relatively much lower.  Wolves are wild and carnivorous animals, but are among the least threatening considering their size and predatory capabilities.  Also note that a starving wolf may be prone to take actions a healthy, well-fed wolf might not take.It has been noted by some that there is a significant behavioral difference between the wolves of Eurasia and the wolves of North America.  Wolves in Eurasia have been considered much more aggressive toward humans than those in North America. One theory is that North American wolves have learned to be more fearful of humans.  In the past, the hunting of wolves in the Old World was a sporting activity just for the nobility, but in America, wolf hunts were enjoyed by ordinary citizens, almost all of which had guns.  This difference in experiences with humans may have lead American wolves to be more fearful of humans.

Increased contacts with wolves are being recorded in modern times because humans continue to encroach on wolf habitats. A typical cause of this contact is due to the person is walking a pet dog, which a wolf pack considers to be valid prey.  Tragedy often ensures.  

While the grey wolf has been known to attack people, the red wolf has not.  However, packs of red wolves are not above some human carcass scavenging when given the opportunity, such as on a battlefield.

Like many creatures that contact Rabies, rabid wolves will crazily attack for no apparent reason. Read more »