Thought everyone understood that wild animals can be dangerous, but mostly hide or run away.

Only laid eyes on a panther once. It had checked me out ahead of time, utterly ignored me. Only seen one gator that wasn’t hauling ass away from my canoe or kayak. Saw a mama black bear with tiny babies galumphing along behind as she ran off. Went back the next day, couldn’t see her, but I heard the warning! Water moccasins hiss and pitch a fit, run away. You’d have to be deaf and step on one. (I’ve come close!)

Then you got people like my wife. She went to meet me at the trail entrance the other night, saw a small animal cross the path, got spooked and ran back to her car. Daughter and I saw a roll of teenage armadillos, up close! My wife asked if they would attack us.

Wife’s friend came over from England. She was choking down panic and the sun set on our camp in the swamp. I assured her that speaking in a normal tone of voice would scare anything away. Never been in wild woods and never at night!

I’ve had people online act like I’m an idiot for getting into the uncivilized places I often go. Many people here in NW Florida won’t go on the water unless it’s a large body and in a large boat. They think I’m going to get attacked in my kayak.

So, what’s your perception of the animals where you live? Do you think the people in your area feel the same?

  • FistingEnthusiast@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
    51·
    21 hours ago

    I live in Australia

    I find it hilarious how stupid Americans think everything here is trying to kill us constantly

    Most people go their whole life never seeing a snake

    Crocs are only in certain parts of the country, sharks aren’t a problem unless you are really unlucky

    Our spiders are fine

    I live somewhere with wildlife all around me, and it’s fantastic. There were three wallabies doing their thing where I was walking my dog yesterday and they’re lovely

    • ccunning@lemmy.world
      4·
      21 hours ago

      Most people go their whole life never seeing a snake

      That’s crazy to me. Are snakes just incredibly rare in Australia or does everyone just stay inside?

      We have sharks, snakes, alligators, and bears where I live in the U.S. and I’ve seen them all in the wild. Snakes by far being the most common I’ve encountered.

      • null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        2·
        20 hours ago

        Everyone just stays inside pretty much. As in… 99% of the population lives in a city and there just aren’t any snakes.

        There’s a bunch of other reasons too though. Snakes are reclusive by nature. They’re well camouflaged and easily hide themselves among leaves and bushes and plants on the ground. They actively avoid being seen by humans, they do not want an interaction with a human because it will always be a negative outcome, in that they can’t eat a human.

        You could walk 10km through the bush, be reasonably observant, walk within 2m of a dozen snakes, but not see a single one.

        OTOH there’s mountainbike trails where you’ll encounter several in a day. You’re moving quicker, and they can’t feel your footfalls so don’t have time to hide.

        The thing is… 99% of the snakes I’ve encountered are deadly venomous. We have pythons but I never seem to see them. Here it’s always Tiger snakes or Dugites which are both “stop moving and call an ambulance” type emergencies if you get bit.

        • Vanth@reddthat.comEnglish
          1·
          17 hours ago

          Cam confirm. I (American) lived in NSW for a while and was way more outdoorsy than anyone I met there. I wasn’t expecting everyone to be Steve Irwin or Paul Logan, but c’mon. To the point that when there were snakes in the back yard or spiders in the kitchen, I took care of them.