A Platypus. Furry, cute, unusual. Armed and dangerous.

[Bally002]

From Wiki,




 
The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypus is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species appear in the fossil record.
Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. Like other monotremes it senses prey through electrolocation. It is one of the few species of venomous mammals, as the male platypus has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans. The unusual appearance of this egg-laying, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal baffled European naturalists when they first encountered it, and the first scientists to examine a preserved platypus body (in 1799), judged it a fake, made of several animals sewn together.
 
Platypus venom differs to that of non-mammalian species; A platypus may deliver about 2 and 4 ml of its poison in one hit.That dose may kill or diable small critters such as dogs. Not recorded as lethal to humans its quite painful and has a dehabilitating effect.






 
The venom is delivered via a stinger on the rear leg of the beasty called locally as a Platypus Spur. Possessed by the male.

 “long lasting excruciating pain that cannot be relieved with conventional painkillers,” 
 
Better news: There are no recorded human fatalities. It is known from a few case reports that the excited male can drive his spurs into you so viciously that it “require manual disengagement”—so you’ll have to yank his spurs out of your wound. Coul be hard, due to the pain “immediate, sustained, and devastating.” Morphine would work against it. A dose of .local anesthesia may alleviate the pain. As the pain beings nausea may set in, sweating and the loss of muscular use near the pucture. This may continue for some months.
 
 



 
Study from the University of Adelaide in Australia located a metabolic hormone found in the venom and digestive tract of platypuses, called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), has the potential to treat type II diabetes, also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or NIDDM. A hormone which may help lower blood sugar, that is also secreted in humans, but the form in the platypus venom is better resistant to being degraded by enzymes in the human body and thus shows therapeutic promise.
 
So there you go. Don’t pick up a platypus or attempt to pat it.They breed on a river just down the road from me. Tourists pay to see them. You can’t tell male from female. I’m glad they burrow like a beaver.
 
Can be more dangerous than a cuddly ‘drop bear’.
 
Kind regards,
 
Bally

[Mystic Wanderer]

 

Is there any creatures there, other than horses and dogs/cats, that aren't dangerous? 

[F2d5thCav]

A Newsweek article claimed the platypus had DNA of mammals, birds, and amphibians.  Trifling odd.

Cheers

[guohua]

DAMN!     Even the cute creatures have some form of poison to give you great pain.
Nope, Australia is off my bucket list. 
If you wanted to go for a hike or camp out you'd need to be prepared, Armed   

[Bally002]

DAMN!     Even the cute creatures have some form of poison to give you great pain.
Nope, Australia is off my bucket list. 
If you wanted to go for a hike or camp out you'd need to be prepared, Armed   

Nek minnut.  "Taipan"  Write up coming soon.

lol.

Kind regards,

Bally

[Bally002]

 

Is there any creatures there, other than horses and dogs/cats, that aren't dangerous? 

Perhaps the Bilby.  There live underground and are nocturnal.   So I guess they survive.






Cheers,

Bally:)

[Bally002]

A Newsweek article claimed the platypus had DNA of mammals, birds, and amphibians.  Trifling odd.

Cheers

I haven't researched that.  That's something I'll look at.  

It certainly is an odd animal.  As I posted it was originally thought to be a hoax.

Guess it's an ancient survivor.

Regards,

Bally

[ChiefD]

I would love to visit Australia some day. Sounds like there is a darn good chance that if I went out into the wild wilderness country, something could very well injure or kill me. Damn! 

[Bally002]

I would love to visit Australia some day. Sounds like there is a darn good chance that if I went out into the wild wilderness country, something could very well injure or kill me. Damn! 

Most of our tourists go for the cities and coastal areas where apart from surfing the dangers are remote.  In the bush areas where you may have to take a dump behind a tree, unless you are knowledgeable, you may come across a bitey.  I guess it come from being 'situationally aware".  

Don't go swimming in a lagoon up north where the sign says "Crocodiles inhabit these waters" with a depiction of a croc and jaws.  But people do and get taken.  

Heed the warnings of the locals.  Many kangaroo signs posted but there are those that still exceed the speed limit and are ignoring the warning.  Same with simple cattle and horse warning signs.  

For example.  I was travelling in an 'open' speed limited area in Central Australia some years back.  I was controlling a large 4 x 4 at 160 km/h.  Round about 100 mp/h.  Road was bitumen.  I came over a small rise and had to double check my vision.  Something was sprawled out across the roadway in from of me.  Hitting the anchors I left some marks and smoke. Took a while to stop.  The figure didn't move.  I drove slowly up to within 5 metres or about 15 feet.  The figure still didn't move.  I saw it was a human with a camera pointed to the side of the road and I spied a push bike on the opposite side.  I hit the siren. 

Sure, this short spindly guy gets up.  Stands there with his camera grinning and gives me a bow.  I was on the Uluru Road by the way, going to an unfortunate accident about 1998.  So I get out of my 4 x 4 and walk up to him.  I asked him what the hell he was doing.  He bowed and said something in Japanese.  Then pointed.

There was a 'frilled neck lizard' on the side of the road which he was attempting to photograph at 'ground zero'.  'Now me being me at the time, I lost my politeness as an officer and said, "Get the 'eff' off the 'effin' road and on yer 'effin' bike and don't stop until 'Uluru'.

He bowed and said some Japanese thing but then raised his camera and it indicated to me that he wanted to take a pick of me and the 4x4.  Crap.  Traffic was coming from both directions at speed.  I picked the bike up.  Indicated for him to join it in the back of the truck.  Took his stupid, flamin camera off him and placed him uncomfortably with his crappy push bike.  I dropped him off miles up the road, pointed and then yelled "ride! don't stoppy, understandee".  I indicated to him with using camera as a prop on a rock what a rolled 26 inch aluminium baton would do to his camera. (Add-we were miles from nowhere).

I think 'happy' got the message, bowing, bowing, bowing and jumped on his deadly treadly cutting a fine groove directly to "Uluru" .  I made a 'right turn' and continued to the 'job' at 'Kings Canyon'. 

So Chief, what am I attempting to put out here?  A true story. I'm saying more tourists die from misadventure and no situational awareness than from the flora and fauna.   Try to approach the wrong roo or god forbid, a cassowary and you may end up in hospital.  Lying on a roadway with signage that indicates 'no speed limit' will get you killed.  And for 'f's sake to those out there who would like to cycle around Australia.  Think of the conditions and potential traffic.

I can see it now on a head stone, "Yamamoto Kawasaki died from, you know, a frilled neck lizard in Australia."   

I candidly put these posts out there for awareness. :)  Wait for the "Taipan" thread.  Deadliest snake in the world.  True one :) 

My kind regards and respect to you,

Bally

[ChiefD]

@Bally002 Yeah, what you’re saying is use some common sense. Yeah, I don’t see myself going out in the outback or anything like that. I love cities. 

Reminds me of when I did a two week Navy Reserve Annual Training in southern Germany in 2006. So we went on cable cars up the side of this mountain that was a little over 4,000 feet at the top. It had a little “trail” at the top that pretty much circled around. It was a dirt path with a 3,000 foot drop on one side. No fencing, no signs or anything like that. Common sense told me it would a very bad idea if I decided to go on this path. My two friends did, and I went and sat at some picnic tables and took pictures. My friends say I’m klutzy. I would totally agree. I did not want my klutziness to result in my death. 

It seems amazing at how many people do not use common sense or situational awareness. I like the term situational awareness, because it is used a lot in all the military branches. If my situational awareness is screaming at me “Don’t fucking do it!”, I listen.

[Mystic Wanderer]

 

Is there any creatures there, other than horses and dogs/cats, that aren't dangerous? 

I found one!    These are quokkas.  They look like friendly little buggers.  

[guohua]

@"Mystic Wanderer" 
Now that was a Happy and Cute looking little creature, yes I seen the Smile, just before it jumps up and rips my face off.

[Bally002]

@"Mystic Wanderer" 
Now that was a Happy and Cute looking little creature, yes I seen the Smile, just before it jumps up and rips my face off.

Yes, quokkas can be dangerous but not the marsupial itself.  Not from the animal but by third parties.  They live remotely on an island off the west coast of Western Australia.  Rottnest Island.  Don't accidentally hurt one or god forbid run over one as you'll be chased off the island by the locals.  The ferry doesn't leave until certain times.  Lock yourself in the dunny of the ferry.  

Your suffering will be by media who will strip you naked on air/TV.  

Cheers, happy times,

Bally.:)