Still Waters Posted March 16, 2014 #1 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Australia certainly has its share of large and deadly reptiles. The saltwater crocodile grows as large as 7 metres, or 23 feet, and is definitely a seriously deadly predator with a diet that includes the occasional luckless human. The 'satly' as they are affectionately known in the Top End are in fact, the world's largest species of crocodile. http://weirdaustrali...nster-reptiles/ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davros of Skaro Posted March 16, 2014 #2 Share Posted March 16, 2014 WHAT A RIPPER! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted March 17, 2014 #3 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I really doubt any Megalania are still running around. I am sure we would notice something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msmike1 Posted March 17, 2014 #4 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Australia is such an interesting place, and one that I would love to visit. Mainly because of my interest in all things reptile, and dangerous. It is amazing that so many different and dangerous animals could live in one place. From the staggering array of venomous snakes, to the salt water crocs, funnel web spiders, and so many more it is amazing to me. As far as unknown creature running around, well give me some proof. If they could survive anywhere undetected it would be australia. Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted March 17, 2014 #5 Share Posted March 17, 2014 (edited) Would be a great find but I can't help feeling if they where running (galloping ) around Oz they would already be found. If something similar to what is outlined in the article turns up I would expect it will be a little less dramatic... Here to hope though. Edited March 17, 2014 by Junior Chubb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_kenshin Posted March 18, 2014 #6 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Considering how long they were known to be extinct for and their size i'm sure we would of found it by now if they still existed, so i'm pretty sure they wont find it (except for maybe some fossils) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldethyl Posted March 19, 2014 #7 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Another way to get killed in Australia. Still wanna go tho. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted March 19, 2014 #8 Share Posted March 19, 2014 (edited) Australia is such an interesting place, and one that I would love to visit. Mainly because of my interest in all things reptile, and dangerous. It is amazing that so many different and dangerous animals could live in one place. From the staggering array of venomous snakes, to the salt water crocs, funnel web spiders, and so many more it is amazing to me. As far as unknown creature running around, well give me some proof. If they could survive anywhere undetected it would be australia. Mike They are not so interesting close up. One time my wife called and I had to rush home. The kids were about to jump in the pool, but a Red Bellied Black Snake was already enjoying the cool waters. I rang the RSPCA, didn't care, I rang the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, they gave me the number of the local snake handler, who was at the pub, half cut, and wanted $80 to show up even if the snake had buggered of by the time he finally got there. I had to um, "relocate" him myself. Into a jar with metho. Edited March 19, 2014 by psyche101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted March 19, 2014 #9 Share Posted March 19, 2014 (edited) Sorry, couldn't help myself....... Edited March 19, 2014 by psyche101 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msmike1 Posted March 19, 2014 #10 Share Posted March 19, 2014 They are not so interesting close up. One time my wife called and I had to rush home. The kids were about to jump in the pool, but a Red Bellied Black Snake was already enjoying the cool waters. I rang the RSPCA, didn't care, I rang the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, they gave me the number of the local snake handler, who was at the pub, half cut, and wanted $80 to show up even if the snake had buggered of by the time he finally got there. I had to um, "relocate" him myself. Into a jar with metho. See, that is the difference between me and, well, most other people on earth, lol. I love snakes, venomous or not. I am the only person I know that will stop on the highway and move a venomous snake out of the road. I do realize that they can be potentially dangerous, and should not be taken lightly. I respect their potential dangers and have been handling them in one way or another ever since I was old enough to know what they were. While I am familiar with the species of snakes Australia has, I have not had the pleasure of contact with any as I have never been there. In my home state we only have 6 venomous species of snakes and approximately 40 or so species all together. I firmly believe education is the key. People are genuinely afraid of things they don't understand. Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted March 20, 2014 #11 Share Posted March 20, 2014 See, that is the difference between me and, well, most other people on earth, lol. I love snakes, venomous or not. I am the only person I know that will stop on the highway and move a venomous snake out of the road. I do realize that they can be potentially dangerous, and should not be taken lightly. I respect their potential dangers and have been handling them in one way or another ever since I was old enough to know what they were. While I am familiar with the species of snakes Australia has, I have not had the pleasure of contact with any as I have never been there. In my home state we only have 6 venomous species of snakes and approximately 40 or so species all together. I firmly believe education is the key. People are genuinely afraid of things they don't understand. Mike Well that lady in the Whitsundays seems pretty comfortable with them, maybe you two ought to get together....... No, they just don't work for me, I understand they have a role in the ecosystem, but I am not very fond of deadly creatures. I do not get people who keep snakes as pets to be honest, it seems a bit insane to me. I find them totally evil looking and acting things. I don't mind admitting I fear them, and would be more than happy to never see one again for the rest of my life. I find books and Zoo's more than enough contact with snakes. Funny how Goannas I see are much larger, but don't create the same level of fear. And they are pretty ugly too. Someone claimed they saw a King Cobra roughly in my area, it may be a released exotic pet, I am hoping that is only rumour and misidentification. LINK - King Cobra escapes house, on loose in suburbs If I see that one, I'll be relocating it with a freaking flame thrower. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MordorOrc Posted March 20, 2014 #12 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I really doubt any Megalania are still running around. I am sure we would notice something like that. Considering there was a tribe of Aborigines that hadn't been contacted by man until the 70's still roaming Australia, I don't think a reduced population of megalania wandering around seldom seen would be out of the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted March 20, 2014 #13 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Considering there was a tribe of Aborigines that hadn't been contacted by man until the 70's still roaming Australia, I don't think a reduced population of megalania wandering around seldom seen would be out of the question. They knew that Indigenous tribe was there, they just did not know where because they intended to stay hidden, and nobody had ever had a decent reason to contact them, as you must know citing the story, when they were sought out, it was for good reason. Not just to say "Gidday". A huge animal like that would have a significant impact on the environment, and not a chance in hell it would resist eating up all the livestock in the dead heart on the stations. And the most prolific dispenser of this tale is Rex Gilroy. That says enough in itself. Rex has no problems making crap up, and was the one who attributed the term "Yowie" to the alleged hairy man - which also simply does not exist - but in Indigenous terminology the term Yowie pertains to a six legged, 6 foot tall ant like creature with large red eyes on the sides of it's head that eats people at night. It's a big place, but not that big as to hide an entire population of 30 foot Lizards. Note how not one carcass has ever surfaced sporting huge tooth marks that could possibly be Megalania. In fact, when I consider my experiences growing up on broadacre farming, it sounds more preposterous by the second. This thing did exist, but dies out like 30,000 years ago. And historical record supports that conclusion. Why do nutjobs always pick the fearsome extinct creatures? Nobody ever says they saw a Giant Wombat or Kangaroo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.6.6 Posted March 20, 2014 #14 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I had a mongoose living in the boot of my car for months before I noticed! So anythings possible 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted March 20, 2014 #15 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I had a mongoose living in the boot of my car for months before I noticed! So anythings possible Actually, not anything's possible. Try sprouting wings and flying to the sun and wandering about on it's surface naked. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.6.6 Posted March 20, 2014 #16 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Actually, not anything's possible. Try sprouting wings and flying to the sun and wandering about on it's surface naked. Point taken Anythings possible (within reason) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemfred Posted March 20, 2014 #17 Share Posted March 20, 2014 You may believe this or not as you wish. In the early 1980's my partner and I were doing a caravan trip around Australia. We had left Ayres Rock ( as it was known in those days ) and were on the main highway to Alice Springs when we both saw something across the road ahead. The caravan we were towing was 8 feet wide and there was at least 2 feet clearance on both sides in our lane. The object ahead slowly moved across the road and disappeared into the scrub. At one point it's head was off the tarseal on one side while it's tail was just on the tarseal on the other side. A quick calculation of its length (8 + 2 +2) x 2 gave 24 feet. Unfortunately this was before cell phones with cameras amd our cameras were in the caravan so we could not take photos. By the time we reached its estimated position it had gone and I wasn't about to go scrub hunting for it. In Alice Springs I got talking to an old-time resident about what we had seen and asked him if it could be possible. He told me that some years previously joyride pilots flying customers over Ayers Rock had seen similar reptiles on the top of the rock, so he didn't doubt that we could have seen a "perenti" or "prenti" as I think he called it. I don't normally speak of this sighting but in view of this topic I decided to put in my two bob's worth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter B Posted March 20, 2014 #18 Share Posted March 20, 2014 msmike1 said: Australia is such an interesting place, and one that I would love to visit... coldethyl said: Still wanna go tho. Let us know when you're coming so we can put on a good Aussie UM welcome! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter B Posted March 20, 2014 #19 Share Posted March 20, 2014 You may believe this or not as you wish. In the early 1980's my partner and I were doing a caravan trip around Australia. We had left Ayres Rock ( as it was known in those days ) and were on the main highway to Alice Springs when we both saw something across the road ahead. The caravan we were towing was 8 feet wide and there was at least 2 feet clearance on both sides in our lane. The object ahead slowly moved across the road and disappeared into the scrub. At one point it's head was off the tarseal on one side while it's tail was just on the tarseal on the other side. A quick calculation of its length (8 + 2 +2) x 2 gave 24 feet. Unfortunately this was before cell phones with cameras amd our cameras were in the caravan so we could not take photos. By the time we reached its estimated position it had gone and I wasn't about to go scrub hunting for it. In Alice Springs I got talking to an old-time resident about what we had seen and asked him if it could be possible. He told me that some years previously joyride pilots flying customers over Ayers Rock had seen similar reptiles on the top of the rock, so he didn't doubt that we could have seen a "perenti" or "prenti" as I think he called it. I don't normally speak of this sighting but in view of this topic I decided to put in my two bob's worth Yep, the word is "perentie": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perentie Though the one you saw is just a tad larger than the article suggests is their maximum size. The largest goanna I've seen was about a metre long from tip to tail, clinging firmly to the side of a gum tree, about level with my head. I was on a white water rafting trip in northern New South Wales. The party included a group of young American men, and they were most impressed with a close-up look at some native Australian wildlife. Mind you, we all kept a respectful distance from Mr Goanna... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldethyl Posted March 21, 2014 #20 Share Posted March 21, 2014 msmike1 said: coldethyl said: Let us know when you're coming so we can put on a good Aussie UM welcome! Oh will do! This board will be eaten up with me talking about it!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamato Posted March 21, 2014 #21 Share Posted March 21, 2014 The bigger and more dangerous the beasts get the more motivated people are to kill them. "No sharks over 10 feet long!" and the Australian Drum Lines as a recent example. It reminds me of comments once made by Steve Irwin RIP, who told us that the largest crocs are the last ones we should have a death wish for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted March 21, 2014 #22 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Point taken Anythings possible (within reason) Can you post my little brothers middle name within ten minutes of me posting this? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MordorOrc Posted March 21, 2014 #23 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Why do nutjobs always pick the fearsome extinct creatures? Moas aren't fearsome and yet people claim to have seen them here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.6.6 Posted March 21, 2014 #24 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Can you post my little brothers middle name within ten minutes of me posting this? I'm not in the office atm, so dont have access to the data base! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.6.6 Posted March 21, 2014 #25 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Can you post my little brothers middle name within ten minutes of me posting this? Ok before I start I need you to confirm 2 nabberu street ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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