OLIVIA: From these guys to these,
and even these...
..Australia's home
to some really special but also really dangerous creatures.
Today we're going to come face to face
with some of those animals
and find out what to do if you come across them.
Let's go.
First up, snakes,
from some pretty harmless ones
to some of the most venomous ones on the planet.
Australia has around 140 species of snakes.
Dean here is a snake catcher.
So, Dean, what have we got here?
We have a red-bellied black snake.
These guys are found near water.
They are absolutely great swimmers
and they can hold their breath for about 10-15 minutes or so.
Next, Dean introduced me to his tiger snake
and its doppelganger.
Quite a few people have mistakenly gone
to pick up the blue-tongued lizard
and found one of these guys at the end of their fingers.
And is that a problem? Are these ones quite dangerous?
Yes, they are considered the fourth most venomous snake in the world.
Oh, my goodness. Hmm.
So definitely not somewhere you want to be putting
your fingers close to. Definitely not.
So, what are your top tips for kids to stay safe this summer?
Definitely a good idea to stick to your paths
and stay away from long grass.
Also, avoid going and picking up or turning over rocks and big logs
and things like that,
'cause that's where the snakes like to hide out during the day.
Dean says it's a good idea to carry a compression bandage.
We will just slowly work our way up the limb.
If you're with someone who gets bitten by a snake,
call an ambulance immediately,
work your way up the bitten limb with a bandage
and keep them nice and still until medical help arrives.
That'll help slow down the spread of venom in the body.
But what if a snake turns up in your house or backyard?
If you do find one of these guys,
probably best just to call a snake catcher
and have them come and catch it
and relocate it for you. Nice.
My next stop, the beach.
No, we're not looking for sharks.
Surf lifesaver Chris says
you're much more likely to have a run-in with jellyfish.
There's a variety of jellyfish around,
from nearly harmless to potentially fatal.
Yeah, from the ones that usually just cause a bit of a sting,
like bluebottles,
to the most venomous animal in the world, the box jellyfish.
Getting stung by one of these guys is something to avoid.
So, the really dangerous ones
are in the northern parts of the country,
so the tropical waters of Queensland, the Northern Territory
and Western Australia.
The best bet is just to take all precautions.
Speak to the lifesavers or, if they're not available,
seek medical assistance
because jellyfish stings in those regions
can be very, very dangerous.
So, Alex, what sort of crocodiles...?
My final stop is the Nature Education Centre,
where I'm going to meet a crocodile.
We have got two species of crocodile here in Australia -
the smaller freshwater crocodile
and then the largest saltwater crocodile,
like the skull that we've got here.
Yeah, he's got some massive teeth on him, hey.
(LAUGHS)
Crocs are found in the northern parts of Australia.
It's important to be careful of them all year round,
but during the wet season, from about November to April,
they can move around a lot more than usual.
Would you like to meet a crocodile today?
Oh, I'm pretty scared of crocodiles.
He's a bit friendlier than this one would have been.
Wow.
OK, so he's not a huge one, but... (LAUGHS)
No, this is Smiley.
He's about a six-month-old... (SMILEY SQUEAKS)
..freshwater crocodile.
And what's that little sound he's making?
So, that little noise he's making
would actually be him calling for his mum in the wild.
Crocodiles are actually quite good parents.
They do protect their young,
and he'd be calling out for Mum to come protect him.
He's quite cute. (SQUEAK!)
Alex says freshwater crocs generally won't bother you
if you keep away from them,
but their saltwater cousins can be very dangerous.
Anywhere where there's crocodile warning signs or no signage,
you should never swim, just in case there is a crocodile hanging around.
So, stay safe out there this summer and remember to respect
the weird and wonderful creatures we're sharing it with.
Oh.
You're right? Yeah.