Link

BRISBANE, Australia — A 60-year-old woman is in serious condition after being bitten by a shark off northeastern Australia and losing several pints (liters) of blood.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Community Services says the woman has severe lacerations to her buttocks from the Saturday afternoon attack.

She was being transported by dive boat from Dent Island in the Whitsunday Islands of Queensland state to the Australia mainland where she will be airlifted to a hospital, the spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to talk to the media.

No other information was immediately available.

It is the second shark attack in Australia this week. On Thursday, a man was bitten in the leg at a Sydney beach and was treated for minor injuries.

Link

Authorities are investigating a surfer’s claim that he was attacked by a shark on Sydney’s Northern Beaches this morning.

Paul Welsh, 46, told a newspaper he had to cling to a rock to fight off a shark that he said had latched itself onto his leg.

Mr Welsh allegedly emerged from the water with a gash to his left leg around 8:00am (AEDT) at the Mona Vale Basin.

A New South Wales Health spokesman says the man had already sold his story to Channel Nine News by the time his wife had driven him to hospital.

He says doctors at Mona Vale Hospital found a fragment of tooth in Mr Welsh’s leg and released him around midday.

An expert from the Primary Industries Department is due to examine the fragment this afternoon.

The beach remains closed and a helicopter was sent to the area to look for the alleged shark, but there was no sign of it.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan says efforts are being made to confirm the surfer’s story.

“We do need to confirm and see what type of shark it was or confirm that a shark was actually involved in the attack and if so, what type of shark it was,” he said.

“And that gives us a better opportunity to identify what might be around.”

The Manly Daily newspaper reported that it spoke to Mr Welsh minutes after the incident.

“I was pushing my son onto waves and it just belted me from behind,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.

“I grabbed on to the pinnacle of a rock and held on as it tried to drag me out… and I won.”

Mr Welsh is now refusing to speak to any media except Channel Nine.

Police are helping the Primary Industries Department with its investigation. They initially told the media the man had been attacked by a four-foot shark.

Shark spotter Michael Brown earlier told the ABC he was in the water with his 13-year-old son when he saw “a whole lot of thrashing”.

“It’s launched straight up into him, knocked him out of the water and then latched onto his leg, and luckily, he had a chance to grab onto a rock and the shark’s actually thrashing, trying to drag him back into the water,” he said.

“He’s managed to release himself from the shark and crawl up onto the rocks and just had a big bite mark in his leg and blood just streaming out of it.”

Mr Brown said he believed the animal was a two-metre-long great white shark.

As the director of SurfWatch Australia, an organisation that patrols for sharks and charges people for helicopter joyrides, Mr Brown has been agitating against the State Government for greater protections against sharks.

After three attacks in Sydney last year, he accused the Government of ignoring an email that had warned of a sharp increase in shark numbers.

Link

10 Most Poisonous Animals in the World info and 10 Most Poisonous Animals Photo Gallery Pics

It is really hard to tell which animal is the most poisonous in the world. The one that has the most toxic chemicals? The one that kills the biggest amount of people a year? Or maybe the one with the biggest amount of poison?

First of all, I have to admit that the title is a bit incorrect, because there is a difference between poisonous and venomous animals. A poisonous animal carries harmful chemicals called toxins primarily used for self defense. Therefore venomous animals deliver their toxins by stinging, stabbing, or biting. So poisonous animals are passive killers, while venomous animals are active killers.

Nevertheless, theory aside, they are all really dangerous. So look really closely at each photo, cause next time you meet them can be the last thing you ever see.

1. Box Jellyfish : If the yardstick for measuring the deadliest of the worlds mot poisonous creatures is assumed to be the number of deaths that have been caused by them, then the Box Jellyfish definitely tops our list of worlds most poisonous creatures. This creature, which is just about the size of a palm, has reportedly caused deaths to almost 6000 people till date. This number is the highest recorded number in the world. This blue colored jellyfish has one of the most powerful, tantalizing and venomous stings in the world and it is found around the coastlines of South East Asia and Australia.

Box Jellyfish Pictures and Photos

2. King Cobra :

King Cobra

The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world’s longest venomous snake – growing up to 5.6 m (18.5 ft) in length. Ophiophagus, literally means “snake-eater” as it eats other snakes. One single bite of this deadly snake can easily kill a human. This snake is even capable of killing a full-grown Asian Elephant within 3 hours if the larger animal is bitten in a vulnerable area such as the trunk.

It’s venom is not as toxic as other venomous snakes, but King Cobra is capable of injecting 5 times more venom than black mamba and can result in mortality up to 5 times faster than that of the black mamba. It is quite widespread, ranging across South and South-east Asia, living in dense highland forests.

3. Marbled Cone Snail

Marbled Cone Snail

This little beautiful looking Marbled Cone snail can be as deadly as any other animal on this list. One drop of its venom is so powerful that it can kill more than 20 humans. If you ever happen to be in warm salt water environment (where these snails are often found) and see it, dont even think of picking it up. Of course, the true purpose of its venom is to catch its prey.

Symptoms of a cone snail sting can start immediately or can be delayed in onset for days. It results in intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, vision changes and breathing failure. There is no antivenom. However, only about 30 human deaths have been recorded from cone snail envenomation.

4. Blue-Ringed Octopus : The blue ringed Octopus was considered one of the worlds most poisonous sea creatures till some time back, until the Box Jellyfish took over. Nevertheless, this creature is till capable of killing up to 25 humans in one bite. Found in the Pacific pools from Japan to Australia, this creature’s bite is impalpable in most cases, but the venom starts working immediately on the muscles and heart- causing weakness, seizure and death within minutes.

Blue-Ringed Octopus

5. Death Stalker Scorpion :

Death Stalker Scorpion

Contrarily to the popular belief most of the scorpions are relatively harmless to humans as stings produce only local effects (pain, numbness or swelling). However, the Death Starker Scorpion is highly dangerous species because its venom is a powerful cocktail of neurotoxins which causes an intense and unbearable pain, then fever, followed by coma, convulsions, paralysis and death. Fortunately, while a sting from this scorpion is extremely painful, it would be unlikely to kill a healthy, adult human. Young children, the old, or infirm (with a heart condition) are at the biggest risk.

Death stalker scorpions are spread in North Africa and Middle East.
6. Stonefish : The stonefish is the worlds most poisonous fish, and probably the ugliest also. It is often remarked that when a stone fish attack a human being, the pain is so severe that the person wants to amputate the area affected. Its bit may not be lethal and can be treated within hours, but if left untreated for more than 2-3 hours, a bit from the stone fish can result into death for the human beings.

StoneFish

7. The Brazilian wandering spider :
The Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria) or banana spider appears in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 for the most venomous spider and is the spider responsible for most human deaths.

This spider is believed to have the most potent neurotoxic venom of any living spider. Only 0.006mg (0.00000021oz) is sufficient to kill a mouse. They are also so dangerous because of their wandering nature. They often hide during daytime in highly populated areas inside houses, clothes, boots, and cars.

Its venomous bite causes not only intense pain, the venom of the spider can also cause priapism – uncomfortable erections lasting for many hours that lead to impotence.
The Brazilian wandering spider

8. Inland Taipan :

Inland Taipan

The inland Taipan is recognized as being the worlds most poisonous snake, having the capability to kill over a hundred human beings within 45 seconds from a single bite. Found in Australia, the Inland Taipan is definitely the one to beware of.

9. Poison Dart Frog :

Poison Dart Frog

Poison Dart Frog
The poison dart frog is another creature you might find cute if you found it in the wild but just touching this little guy can put you in harms way. Native to South and Central America, the frog got its name because indigenous tribes used to use the poison as an addition to their blow darts.

10. Puffer Fish : The puffer fish is a delicacy in many part of Japan and China, but some organs of the fish are deadly to the human beings- making it one of the worlds most poisonous and lethal animals. The poison of the fish is devastating for the one who consumes it and results in deadening of the muscles, increasing of the heart rate, dizziness, vomiting and permanent seizure within minutes of consuming the deadly poison.

The Puffer Fish

Link

VETERAN surfer Russell Specht has survived a terrifying face-to-face encounter with a monster great white shark stalking North Stradbroke Island.

The 52-year-old surfer, local lifesavers and island boardriders fear the huge man-eater was responsible for the horrifying shark-on-shark attack off the island, east of Brisbane, which The Sunday Mail featured in graphic photographs in late October.

The smaller 3m white pointer, snared on a baited drumline set off North Stradbroke’s busy Cylinder Beach, was almost bitten in half by the bigger shark.

Mr Specht, who has surfed for more than four decades on the island, said he and fellow surfers who were used to swimming with sharks had switched to predator alert.

“It was frightening. It was like a submarine heading towards me. I didn’t expect to live,” Mr Specht said.

He and several mates were surfing more than 100m off Main Beach when a younger boardrider shouted to them about the approaching monster.

“This thing came at me from behind. The other four guys with me, they took off to the beach and left me,” Mr Specht said.

“My first instinct was to paddle out to sea. Then I thought that this is not right, this is exactly what he wants me to do.”

Mr Specht bravely chose to sit quietly on his board and “eyeball” the shark – at least 4m long – as it came close enough to touch.

“He veered off, then he did a U-turn 10m away from me.

“I’m on a six foot three inch board. I’m thinking if he’s going to have a go at me he will eat me. But I thought you’re going to have to eat this board first,” Mr Specht said.

The champion surfer and Point Lookout Boardriders Club life member sat motionless on the board as the shark went directly under him, just 1m below, on its second pass.

Fellow surfers believe the same shark was hooked on a drum line off the beach later that day. The drumline “exploded” as the great white managed to free itself.

After spotting between 10 and 15 sharks off Main Beach in the past week, Mr Specht said he and other surfers were taking extra precautions and not surfing alone.

He said it was important to report his encounter just three weeks ago to warn holidaymakers that a dangerous great white shark was in local waters.

Surf Life Saving Queensland Gold Coast services co-ordinator Stuart Hogben, who has been on recent flights by the Westpac helicopter to North Stradbroke Island, supports Mr Specht’s suspicions about the great white being responsible for the attack on the other shark.

Mr Hogben saw several 2-3m sharks about 200-300m offshore along the island’s surf side during a flight last weekend. Other sightings were made off the Gold Coast.

Link

A MAN on the boat alleged to have left a shark attack victim without assistance said they did everything they could to help the 19-year-old.

In a statement made to the Gladstone water police, the man said “they were sick to the stomachs with concern for the young man’s safety” and “believe they had done everything they could possibly do under the circumstances”.

He told police that one of the family members aboard the 30ft vessel caught sight of the smaller fishing vessel whose occupants were frantically screaming that there had been a shark attack.

The trio of spearfishers asked the skipper on the boat for help, which the man said was immediately provided.

The skipper asked if they had radioed for help and was told that the small fishing vessel’s radio was not in working order.

The spearfishers yelled at the skipper to take the shark attack victim aboard but under the circumstances the skipper thought that it would not be in John Pengelly’s best interests to transfer the heavily bleeding man from one vessel to another as it would cause him unnecessary trauma and potentially make his injuries worse.

The skipper notified the authorities and advised the men to head to Heron Island.

The skipper immediately radioed VMR Gladstone advising them that there had been a shark attack and an emergency helicopter and paramedics were needed on Heron Island.

The man said the skipper remained in contact with authorities until the shark attack victim reached Heron Island and word was received that a helicopter had arrived.

The man said his family, who were on the boat, were distraught to hear that Mr Pengelly had implied they did nothing to help.

He said they were “under a lot of stress and had replayed the situation over and over in their heads and still believe…they did everything they humanly could for a small family on a family fishing outfit”.

“I’m just absolutely distraught,” he told The Observer.

“My dad is a skipper and he is absolutely gut-wrenched that this could happen after everything we did to help.”

Link

A central Queensland shark attack victim says a nearby charter boat refused to take him for help.

John Pengelly, 18, was spearfishing off the coast east of Rockhampton yesterday morning when a bull shark bit his arm.

He was taken by dingy to Heron Island, then to the Rockhampton Hospital before being flown to Brisbane for specialist treatment.

Mr Pengelly says he could have bled to death.

“After I got hit there was a much bigger and stable boat there that could’ve got me there a lot quicker – unfortunately they refused to help,” he said.

“They did manage to radio into Heron Island, which … did definitely help but we were a bit disappointed they couldn’t get me in quicker.”

Mr Pengelly is now in Brisbane’s Royal Brisbane Hospital and says he harbours no ill feeling toward the shark.

“We’re divers in their waters – if he wanted to eat me he would’ve,” he said.

“It was just an enquiry bite.

“Whether he was confused by the fish’s vibes that were given off or he’d been feeding on scraps getting thrown over the side by fishermen earlier, he was not there to eat me.”

Link

A spear fisherman says he has no hard feelings towards a bull shark that attacked him as he fished off Queensland’s coast at the weekend.

John Pengelly, 18, from Gladstone, was bitten on his forearm by a three-metre shark after he caught a fish with two friends on Lamont Reef, off Heron Island, on Sunday.

Mr Pengelly said he only caught a glimpse as the shark struck before his friends moved into action to stem the bleeding from the 20cm wound.

He was taken to Heron Island by friends before being flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for surgery and a blood transfusion.

But despite his injuries, the competitive free diver said he couldn’t wait to get back into the ocean.

‘We’re divers in their waters (and) if he wanted to eat me he would have,’ he told reporters at hospital on Monday.

‘It was just an inquiry bite … I’d be out today if I could.’

He said he would be more cautious in the future.

‘But I’ve swam with up to 10 at a time in previous weekends and they’ve never seemed to bother me,’ he said.

His parents said they were still behind their son’s sport despite the attack.

‘He knows the risks,’ his father, Graham Pengelly, said.

‘… This one was a kamikaze (shark) that came out of nowhere and they didn’t even see it coming.

‘It’s always the one that you don’t see that gets you.’

Link

GOLD Coast surfer Nigel Hughes escaped from a shark attack in known Great White territory near Evans Head with nothing but an injured big toe.

Mr Hughes was bitten by the shark while surfing at Coffee Rock, north of Evans Head, at 7am on Sunday.

The 39-year-old deputy principal of Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School was holidaying in Evans Head with friends and decided to head out with them for an early morning surf.

Just as he was pushing himself up to stand on his board he felt the shark strike.

“I looked back to see if my foot was there,” said Mr Hughes, speaking from the Lismore Base Hospital where he was waiting last night to have surgery on his foot.

The shark sliced through Mr Hughes’ big toe which was left partly hanging from his foot.

After the attack he was able to catch a wave in to the beach.

His friends then helped him walk 200m to a car.

Mr Hughes said he could not tell exactly how much blood he was losing because his friends tightly wrapped his foot in a towel before taking him to hospital.

As he waited for surgery last night he remained remarkably calm for someone who had just been bitten by a shark.

He even said the attack would make the holiday ‘memorable’, and that he would not hesitate to hit the waves again in the future.

“I’ll definitely be getting back in the water,” he said.

Mr Hughes said he did not see the shark so he was not willing to speculate about what type it might have been.

Evans Head man Mick McGilvray said the shark was most likely a bronze whaler or a bull shark.

Both are known man-eaters, but Mr McGilvray said the shark that bit Mr Hughes would have been no bigger than two metres.

Mr McGilvray said the spot where Mr Hughes was surfing had murky water which sharks loved.

“It’s definitely a sharky area,” he said.

Mr McGilvray, who operates a chartered fishing boat, said between five and 10 sharks were caught on that stretch of beach between Evans Head and Broadwater each year.

He said he caught two Great White sharks nearby three years ago.

Another tourist lost his leg to a shark bite while swimming at Evans Head in the late 1980s.

“Mr Hughes was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Mr McGilvray said.

Link

IT might be tempting to jump in that canal or river to cool off in the summer heat – but do not do so if you are averse to sharks.

Not even ocean nets will save you, with potentially dangerous bull sharks already living on the shore side of them.

That is the advice from Surf Life Saving Queensland Sunshine Coast spokesman Byron Mills, who said bull sharks live in shallower water.

Mr Mills said from now until February the sharks move to rivers and canals to breed.

“They have been seen as far up Maroochy River as Bli Bli,” Mr Mills said.

But before you get your old Jaws tapes out, he said his words were a general warning, not a cause for panic.

“They are found in all rivers and canals which have ocean and fresh water, with open-water access,” he said.

“Bull sharks can adapt to both waters.”

Because the breeding season had started, it was timely to remind residents of the dangers of swimming or throwing a ball into the canal for their dog to chase, Mr Mills said.

“They (bull sharks) can go right up canals and rivers to breed,” he said.

“They move mostly at full moon or high tides, or when it has recently rained, as they prefer murky water.”

Dawn and dusk are also likely times for bull shark activity.

The Coast has not had a fatal shark attack for 50 years, and bull sharks did not have the power in their jaws to remove a human limb, Mr Mills said.

“But they are renowned for multiple biting. They are not very smart and if they bump into something they will bite it to see if it’s food, more than once.”

Therefore, blood loss is more likely than loss of limb.

“If they hit an artery, that’s a problem,” Mr Mills said.

Hammerhead sharks also feature in Coast rivers, especially Noosa River and canals, and were also dangerous, Mr Mills said.

It is thought there is one tiger shark in each five kilometres of water, he added.

His warning came as the state government released figures showing 57 sharks were caught in Sunshine Coast nets in the past year.

Council coastal and canal engineer Denis Shaw said while he had not seen sharks in canals in this time, it was not to say they were not there.

“I handle approvals for pontoons on canals and have been asked about installing fun-slides, but I would not recommend them,” he said.

Link

Sea rescue patrols are warning boats off the southern tip of South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula after a man was bitten by a shark this morning.

Witnesses say the 24-year-old man was part of a group spearfishing at Second Valley, south of Adelaide.

He sustained bites to his hand and ankle, but is conscious and talking to paramedics.

He was treated at the scene before being taken to a local medical centre at Yankalilla.

SA Ambulance says he is now being transferred to the Flinders Medical Centre.

Witnesses report there have been a number of shark sightings in the area during the past three weeks, including one estimated to have measured nearly six metres.

The shark, which attacked today, is thought to have only been about two metres long.