‘Deadlier than cyanide’: Australia’s most venomous animals revealed

It’s no secret that Australia has a reputation for being home to many of the world’s most dangerous animals, but do you know just how deadly some of those critters are?

American publication Business Insider sat down with Steve Trim from Venomtech to rank some of the most life-threatening venoms in the world, with an animal you might not expect coming out on top as the creature with the ability to end your life in the shortest time.

If you’re unlucky enough to be stung by a Box Jellyfish, or sea wasp, then your chances of survival could look pretty bleak as their venom is the fastest acting in the world and could end your life in just 15 minutes, thanks to the tiny, venom-loaded darts, called nematocysts, which coat their bodies.

And while that sounds terrifying, you’re not safe on land either as Australia is home to 20 of the 25 deadliest snakes in the world, Business Insider reports. The most harmful of which is the Eastern brown snake, which is responsible for the most snakebite deaths in the country.

According to the report, its venom is 8,000 times stronger than cyanide and can kill a human within an hour, as it attacks the central nervous system and causes the blood in your arteries and and veins to clot.

It’s not the only venomous snake we should be worried about – last month a new dangerous venomous snake species was discovered in Australia.

Read more: Dangerous new venomous snake species discovered in Australia

Spiders also ranked pretty high on the list, as there are a total of 40,000 venomous species. However Trim confirmed that only a handful pose a fatal threat to humans.

One such spider is the male Sydney funnel-web spider which, according the report, possesses venom that is 60 times as deadly at cyanide and can kill a human in one to two hours. Its venom attacks the nervous system, kicking it into overdrive until it shuts down.

And if you think Box Jellyfish are the only poisonous animals you need to watch out for the next time you take a dip in the ocean, think again. With venom an astonishing 1,000 times stronger than cyanide, the deadly blue-ringed octopus can wipe out a human in as little as 20 to 40 minutes.

According the report, bacteria in its saliva make an extremely strong neurotoxin which paralyses your muscles. “And once that paralysis hits your diaphragm and rib muscles, you only have a few minutes before you suffocate to death,” the report said.

Read more: Horrified Coles shopper finds deadly redback spider on broccoli

Living in Australia, people are bound to encounter one or more of these dangerous creatures at some point, often in unexpected places.

In April, a Brisbane man was left horrified after he claimed he found a deadly Redback spider crawling around on a piece of broccoli he purchased from Coles. The Redback is a highly venomous spider found throughout Australia. Only female Redbacks are dangerous and their bite can cause serious illness, and even death in extreme cases.

Have you spotted a venomous animal before? Have you, or anyone you know, been bitten or stung?