Staying safe around wildlife

Queensland has an impressive list of potentially dangerous wildlife. On land there are venomous snakes and spiders. In the water, more venomous animals can be found, ranging from thumbnail-sized Irukandji jellyfish to two metre wide stingrays. And there are also the large predators: the estuarine crocodile and several species of shark.

While some of these animals have the venom or size and power to cause serious injury or even death to humans, the likelihood of this happening is extremely small. Australia-wide, snakes and sharks are each responsible for the deaths of just less than three people per year, (making them just slightly more dangerous than bees and wasps). To put this in perspective, over 1300 people were killed in road accidents in Australia in 2025.

How dangerous are estuarine crocodiles?

There have been over 50 crocodile attacks on humans since 1985, with about a third of these resulting in a fatality. Unfortunately, for many of these attacks, victims were carrying out high-risk behaviours such as wading in the water while fishing, or swimming at night in known crocodile habitat.

Crocodiles are clearly large and dangerous predators, but only attack people if given the opportunity. For the best advice on how to stay safe in ‘Croc country' you should learn how to Be Crocwise!

Bee afraid!

We should be more afraid of bees than crocodiles or other dangerous native animals because they are responsible for more deaths and cause severe and potentially fatal allergic reactions in a large number of people. Bees are around us all the time and while many people get stung, these same people go through their entire lives never seeing a crocodile in the wild.

Humans have evolved as both a predator and as prey. For millions of years our ancestors have had to live knowing that somewhere out there, there were animals that, if given the opportunity, could cause them serious injury, kill them, or even eat them. And there was always a risk that, someday, they would cross paths with one of these animals. Perhaps this has resulted in humans having a natural fear of these animals, much like a weak instinct that is still reinforced today by cultural and even religious beliefs. In some people this shows itself as an irrational fear of snakes or spiders accompanied by an urge to attack these animals on sight (and this is often how people get themselves bitten!).

Fortunately, the era of killing large animals out of fear and ignorance is now largely over and our perception of these animals is becoming balanced with a better understanding that they aren't 'man-eating monsters' but instead have a right to exist and an ecological role to play as top predators. Managing large predators then becomes a matter of educating people to avoid those places where these animals occur and, in turn, keeping the animals out of populated areas.

Flooding and potentially dangerous wildlife

Flooding of waterways and low-lying areas can temporarily increase the mobility and distribution of potentially dangerous wildlife – particularly snakes and crocodiles – and this may result in these animals turning up in in areas they do not usually inhabit.

All crocodile sightings in Queensland should be reported – report a crocodile sighting as soon as possible after the sighting occurs. All sighting reports received are investigated and appropriate action taken, based on the potential safety risk posed by the animal.

Always remember that no natural waterway in areas of crocodile habitat is ever 100% risk free, and the public should be 'crocwise' at all times around the water.

Snakes found on premises can be removed and relocated by private snake catchers authorised under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Contact details of local snake catchers can be obtained through the Yellow Pages or via the internet.

For information on wildlife that can be potentially dangerous, and how to be safe around them visit the following links:

Last updated:
20 July 2026
Last reviewed:
1 July 2025