4 ms·

If one wanted to do a thru-hike of this, what fauna would one have to worry about taking your life. My understanding is that all the crocodiles are in the north

If one wanted to do a thru-hike of this, what fauna would one have to worry about taking your life. My understanding is that all the crocodiles are in the north of Australia. Are there any in the southwest of the country? Any other animals and insects one would have to worry about?

mdeg 7y ago
No crocs in southwest Australia. There are many poisonous snakes but they're really not a worry - more scared of you than you are of them. Wear boots and long socks if you're concerned. A lot of poisonous spiders, too, but just shake your boots out before you put them on and you'll be right. The real danger is heat, lack of water and remoteness. Hiking in summer is extremely ill-advised. The big thru-hike track in SW Australia is the Bibbulmun Track: https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/
- bufferout 7y ago
  Venemous. They're only poisonous if you eat them.
dbetteridge 7y ago
Redback spiders Tiger snakes Dugites No crocs in south West that I know of Heat and dehydration during summer
bufferout 7y ago
Just snakes, spiders and the occasional drop bear. The risk is exaggerated though: 2 snake bite fatalities last year in total, 1 spider bite fatality in the last few decades.
- 2019-nCoV 7y ago
  Anywhere near civilisation and anti-venom is readily available. Snakes and spiders are only a concern when remote, and even then a healthy hydrated adult should fare well.
fian 7y ago
As others have said, dehydration is your probably your biggest risk. Access to fresh water can be challenge, especially in summer. Depending on where you are, exposure would be the next biggest risk (many hikers get into trouble in the Stirling Ranges when they underestimate how cold it can get). When you are hiking, you generally make enough noise/vibration to warn snakes of your approach. They will usually get out of the way. There is more risk if the temperature is still a bit cool. Snakes will then be sluggish, won't have moved away and may get startled. Wear gaiters it you are concerned and you'll be pretty well protected. At certain times of the year, male kangaroos can get a bit obstreperous. It is rare though for one to get aggressive unless frightened or provoked. As with hiking trails elsewhere in the world, keep your food well sealed. This is minimise the risk of mice or quolls eating through your pack to get to the food. If you are interested in hiking the South West of Australia check out the Bibbulmun track: https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ Which meanders for ~1000km from Perth (state capital of Western Australia) to Albany. It passes through or close to many towns, so you can resupply relatively often. There is also a MTB trail, the Munda Biddi, that follows a similar route: https://www.mundabiddi.org.au/ https://www.mundabiddi.org.au/ Both trails have huts placed reasonable distances apart. The huts also have rain water tanks to help with the water access problem.
dragonsky67 7y ago
Interesting you ask this. Essentially there are no animals that are aggressively dangerous in this area. You might have some problems with snakes if you step on them, but as most Australian venomous snakes, wearing something decent covering your legs and avoiding sticking your hands where they don't belong and you avoid that problem. There are venomous spiders and scorpions but as others have said, keep you hands out of holes and gaps and put your gear away and you can avoid those. Wild dogs (not really many dingoes any more) might cause you problems if you leave food around, same with feral pigs. Other animals like Emu and Kangaroo can cause you problems if you bother them in the same way as a bull or horse could get pissed if you hassle it. Don't crowd the wild life and it tends to ignore you. Your biggest risk if you are in eucalyptus forest is that some of the species of gum tree like dropping branches at the slightest provocation. Before you pitch a tent, look up and make sure that nothing can drop on you, especially if there is a wind. Other issues are environmental. It can get really hot or cold with little notice, so make sure you have decent water and clothing suitable the season. Also keep you eyes open for bushfires in the dry season (around Christmas) as they can start and move very quickly. Australia tends to get a bad rap WRT dangerous animals, but the truth is that considering the number of clueless tourists who visit our remote areas every year we have a very low number of deaths caused by animals. Mostly it's car accidents, drownings and exposure.

mdeg 7y ago

No crocs in southwest Australia. There are many poisonous snakes but they're really not a worry - more scared of you than you are of them. Wear boots and long socks if you're concerned. A lot of poisonous spiders, too, but just shake your boots out before you put them on and you'll be right. The real danger is heat, lack of water and remoteness. Hiking in summer is extremely ill-advised. The big thru-hike track in SW Australia is the Bibbulmun Track: https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/

bufferout 7y ago
Venemous. They're only poisonous if you eat them.

dbetteridge 7y ago

Redback spiders Tiger snakes Dugites No crocs in south West that I know of Heat and dehydration during summer

bufferout 7y ago

Just snakes, spiders and the occasional drop bear. The risk is exaggerated though: 2 snake bite fatalities last year in total, 1 spider bite fatality in the last few decades.

2019-nCoV 7y ago
Anywhere near civilisation and anti-venom is readily available. Snakes and spiders are only a concern when remote, and even then a healthy hydrated adult should fare well.

fian 7y ago

As others have said, dehydration is your probably your biggest risk. Access to fresh water can be challenge, especially in summer. Depending on where you are, exposure would be the next biggest risk (many hikers get into trouble in the Stirling Ranges when they underestimate how cold it can get). When you are hiking, you generally make enough noise/vibration to warn snakes of your approach. They will usually get out of the way. There is more risk if the temperature is still a bit cool. Snakes will then be sluggish, won't have moved away and may get startled. Wear gaiters it you are concerned and you'll be pretty well protected. At certain times of the year, male kangaroos can get a bit obstreperous. It is rare though for one to get aggressive unless frightened or provoked. As with hiking trails elsewhere in the world, keep your food well sealed. This is minimise the risk of mice or quolls eating through your pack to get to the food. If you are interested in hiking the South West of Australia check out the Bibbulmun track: https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ Which meanders for ~1000km from Perth (state capital of Western Australia) to Albany. It passes through or close to many towns, so you can resupply relatively often. There is also a MTB trail, the Munda Biddi, that follows a similar route: https://www.mundabiddi.org.au/ https://www.mundabiddi.org.au/ Both trails have huts placed reasonable distances apart. The huts also have rain water tanks to help with the water access problem.

dragonsky67 7y ago

Interesting you ask this. Essentially there are no animals that are aggressively dangerous in this area. You might have some problems with snakes if you step on them, but as most Australian venomous snakes, wearing something decent covering your legs and avoiding sticking your hands where they don't belong and you avoid that problem. There are venomous spiders and scorpions but as others have said, keep you hands out of holes and gaps and put your gear away and you can avoid those. Wild dogs (not really many dingoes any more) might cause you problems if you leave food around, same with feral pigs. Other animals like Emu and Kangaroo can cause you problems if you bother them in the same way as a bull or horse could get pissed if you hassle it. Don't crowd the wild life and it tends to ignore you. Your biggest risk if you are in eucalyptus forest is that some of the species of gum tree like dropping branches at the slightest provocation. Before you pitch a tent, look up and make sure that nothing can drop on you, especially if there is a wind. Other issues are environmental. It can get really hot or cold with little notice, so make sure you have decent water and clothing suitable the season. Also keep you eyes open for bushfires in the dry season (around Christmas) as they can start and move very quickly. Australia tends to get a bad rap WRT dangerous animals, but the truth is that considering the number of clueless tourists who visit our remote areas every year we have a very low number of deaths caused by animals. Mostly it's car accidents, drownings and exposure.