Cape Tribulation: This Australian dream beach is deadly!

Appearances are deceptive: This is not holiday heaven
The 'Cape of Suffering'
Warning signs
Box jellyfish
Deadly poison
Very painful, if you survive
Saltwater crocodiles
Up to six meters long
An attack can be fatal
Cassowaries
Dagger-like claws
You can't outrun them
Death adder
50 percent fatal
Dead within 6 hours
Be careful!
Appearances are deceptive: This is not holiday heaven

Blue water, a fine sandy beach, and green palm trees... It looks like the ultimate holiday dream, but it is not! Find out here why a visit to this beach in Australia could cost you your life.

The 'Cape of Suffering'

The name already gives us a clue: Cape Tribulation translates roughly to 'Cape of Suffering'. It's hard to believe when you see this picturesque beach, isn't it?

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Warning signs

But where does the suffering come from? Warning signs are scattered around the beach pointing out the main threats. Be careful!

Box jellyfish

During the summer months, box jellyfish live in the waters of the bay at Cape Tribulation. These jellyfish are ranked number 1 among the most dangerous animals in the world, according to the ProSieben website.

 

Deadly poison

The box jellyfish's tentacles have a poison that can kill people in just a few minutes. As National Geographic notes, "It is so overpoweringly painful, human victims have been known to go into shock and drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore."

Very painful, if you survive

The venom of a box jellyfish contains toxins that "attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells," National Geographic states. Even if you survive a sting, you can "experience considerable pain for weeks and often have significant scarring where the tentacles made contact."

Saltwater crocodiles

In addition, saltwater crocodiles live at Cape Tribulation - around seventy of them!

Up to six meters long

With a length of up to six meters, this is the largest crocodile species in the world. An adult male can weigh up to 1,100 pounds. Not something you want to run into on your holiday, is it?

An attack can be fatal

According to data collected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, saltwater crocodiles attacked people 30 times in Australia and Malaysia between 2000 and 2007. "In Australia a quarter of those attacks were fatal," Brittannica notes on the basis of these numbers; "in Malaysia half of the attacks resulted in the victim's death."

Cassowaries

In the vicinity of the Cape Tribulation beach, you may see the rare Cassowary bird. What at first glance just looks like a large bird with pretty feathers is actually the most dangerous bird in the world!

Dagger-like claws

The cassowaries, which weigh up to 80 kg (176lb), have dagger-like claws with which they can inflict life-threatening injuries on humans.

You can't outrun them

Especially the nail of their middle toe is very sharp, like a dagger. You don't want a cassowary coming after you, as they run up to 50km/h (31 miles/h) fast!

Death adder

Death adders, burying themselves in the sand or hiding under stones during the day and growing up to 80 cm long, are extremely venomous.

 

50 percent fatal

Their venom is so powerful that, without treatment, 50 percent of all bites are fatal.

Dead within 6 hours

As Australia Wide First Aid notes on its website, a bite of a death adder can kill humans within 6 hours and smaller animals, like dogs, within 20 minutes. The symptoms of a bite include muscle paralysis, abdominal pain, drowsiness, enlargement of regional lymph notes, and headache.

Image: CSIRO / Wikimedia

Be careful!

So think carefully about whether you want to vacation at Cape Tribulation. The idyllic appearance is very deceptive...

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