Tourists ...!

[Fuscus]

... just one brightly coloured leather jacket had it in for me.

Proberly Titan Triggerfish, Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) - Australian Museum protecting a nest! When I used to dive that area I learnt to ID trigger nests from a distance and keep that distance, they have formidable weaponry and will use it. Imagine a meter long rat with blood lust.

Bwahahahahaha. If I had a dollar for every person who called a GTP poisonous. I have absolutely no idea why I just always see people looking at GTP's and saying "Oooooooh they look venomous" XD

My wife thinks the same, proberly because Boomslang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monarch Butterfly - deadly poisonous

Viceroy Butterfly - Non Poisonous..

Its Batesian mimicry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Its very common throughout the animal kingdom. Trouble is that the mimic cannot get too common compared to the mimicked otherwise the balance is lost.

And my stupid tourist story - An English person rang 000 because they saw a snake in the Noosa National Park:shock:

 

[lizardman59]

in america there were some asians and they were calling the grizzly bears brown pandas it was funny and the red panda people were calling it a massive squirrel

 

[slim6y]

Proberly Titan Triggerfish, Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) - Australian Museum protecting a nest! When I used to dive that area I learnt to ID trigger nests from a distance and keep that distance, they have formidable weaponry and will use it. Imagine a meter long rat with blood lust.

This was the fish (you're right about trigger fish - I had forgotten that's what they're called - they look similar to leather jackets)

Look harmless enough... But obviously I'm wrong... I figured it was protecting a nest, that much I had gathered - which is why I tried to run away... Oh well... I survived to tell the tale!

As for batesian mimicry - thanks for that - I was aware of the mimicry and the 'balance' - however it was just a point that we can't always be too smart and think every bright coloured animal presents danger. But genetics have an unusual way of keeping that balance.... I always loved monarchs - I was never aware they were poisonous until the 90s... But they're only poisonous when they eat the host plant - the swan plant... Otherwise they're as good as the viceroy

 

[FusionMorelia]

this is true and i am not pulling your leg i once heard an english woman tell her hubby she isnt going to ares rock if we have tigers at the Bengal tiger enclosure at taronga in sydney and in the same day i listened laughing my *** off as an asian guy ask a keeper if the koalas were drugged lol, if only people knew how dangerous they can be lol

p.s

This one should be easy - but can you remember the poem on how to tell?

red to yellow kills a fellow

 

[Niall]

This was the fish (you're right about trigger fish - I had forgotten that's what they're called - they look similar to leather jackets)

Look harmless enough... But obviously I'm wrong... I figured it was protecting a nest, that much I had gathered - which is why I tried to run away... Oh well... I survived to tell the tale!

)

I have to agree with you about that fish!!
I was snorkelling at Ningaloo Reef here in WA and I have never seen one before so wanted to get close to it to get a good photo, ended up learning to keep well away from them! Made the snorkelling more enjoyable Hahaha

 

[snakeluvver]

in america there were some asians and they were calling the grizzly bears brown pandas it was funny and the red panda people were calling it a massive squirrel

Hahahaha. And when they hear its called a Red Panda they think its a bear.

 

[snakeluvver]

and my stupid tourist story - an english person rang 000 because they saw a snake in the noosa national park:shock:

hahaha

 

[ozziepythons]

"Don't echidnas shoot their quills at people?" (American tourist). Worse was an Aussie lady looking at a bearded dragon I was holding and remarked "oh look its an iguana from South America".

 

[snakeluvver]

"Don't echidnas shoot their quills at people?" (American tourist). Worse was an Aussie lady looking at a bearded dragon I was holding and remarked "oh look its an iguana from South America".

Ok americans I understand but an AUSSIE? She's pretty stupid

 

[Kristy_07]

This was the fish (you're right about trigger fish - I had forgotten that's what they're called - they look similar to leather jackets)

Look harmless enough... But obviously I'm wrong... I figured it was protecting a nest, that much I had gathered - which is why I tried to run away... Oh well... I survived to tell the tale!

As for batesian mimicry - thanks for that - I was aware of the mimicry and the 'balance' - however it was just a point that we can't always be too smart and think every bright coloured animal presents danger. But genetics have an unusual way of keeping that balance.... I always loved monarchs - I was never aware they were poisonous until the 90s... But they're only poisonous when they eat the host plant - the swan plant... Otherwise they're as good as the viceroy

Slim, I knew a guy who didn't see the trigger or nest until he was too close, and he also got "attacked". The trigger got him in the neck, nicked the major artery, and he had to get airlifted to hospital for stitches and surgery :shock: That was in Hoi An, Vietnam. I saw the scar. Awesome! :lol:

 

[slim6y]

Slim, I knew a guy who didn't see the trigger or nest until he was too close, and he also got "attacked". The trigger got him in the neck, nicked the major artery, and he had to get airlifted to hospital for stitches and surgery :shock: That was in Hoi An, Vietnam. I saw the scar. Awesome! :lol:

So I was lucky - it only went at me twice - and twice on the hand...

 

[REPTILIAN-KMAN]

you have to remember in the animal world bright and pretty colours normally means toxic

i agree bright means attractive and that means trouble !

 

[Kristy_07]

i agree bright means attractive and that means trouble !

This goes for women, also..... BAZINGA!

 

[Fuscus]

That trigger ( Triggerfish and leatherjackets are in the same genus ) in the piccy is Rhinecanthus aculeatus and rarely reaches 30 cm in length. It is (was?) common around Green Island. There are 3 or four similar species. The Titan Trigger is a much more formidable opponent. When I used to see them the nest would be surrounded by wrasse trying to get a free feed. A attack would be quick and direct as they couldn't leave the nest unguarded for more than a few seconds.
This "attack" seems calm compared to what I remember.
[video=youtube;5GSyt-iTPFM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GSyt-iTPFM&feature=related[/video]
Also I've been bitten by a clown trigger fish, a memberable but not recommended experience. The way we used to catch them for aquariums was to chase them into a crevice where they would wedge themselves in. I would reach in and feel for the fish then move my hand down to the tail. With the tail grabbed I would use the other hand to depress the trigger and then remove the fish. Once when searching for the tail I moved in the wrong direction and found the mouth. I never knew I could bleed so much. Still caught the fish though.

 

[angieb]

i used to work at rocky zoo. we would always have overseas tourist jumping the fence to get photo with cassowarry, concidering they could slice u in half.... and all the signs and barb wire.... weren't enough.... pretty stupid..

 

[slim6y]

That trigger fish that defended its nest was about 18 - 25cm, very brightly coloured (as pictured) and it 'hung' around me before attacking me - at first I thought it was being friendly - but it wouldn't leave me alone - I believe I may have snorkled the words "You're freakin me out man...." then it attacked me....

I was the 'typical' snorkelling tourist in Green Island (incidentally there were 100s of these fish here - big and small) but yet I appear to be the only one who complained of being attacked.

But I believe I did the right thing by removing myself from its territory - that video appears they're harassing the fish. This is exactly what I would hope people avoid doing - especially with the danger involved - this thing was fearless - even underwater I still outsize this fish by 100s of times in mass and volume!

 

[chickensnake]

I had someone come over and they wanted to look at my pythons, i got the bhp out and they said. "that ones venomous why do you have it?". When i got my male spotted python, my grandad was up on h'days, it bit be(i cracked up laughing) he thought i was crying as i was "going to die from the venom" as he put it whilst half carrying me towards the front door saying keep calm its ok i have you. I looked at him and said , its a python. Python+bite =non-venomous no matter wh tyou say im not going to the hospital lol(he was hell bent on taking me to the hospital)

 

[thecat]

Over heard a young guy at nowra wild life park looking at the emus
"Holy $%^&, KFC should really be farming these things...."

 

[chickensnake]

lol

 

[snakeluvver]

I had someone come over and they wanted to look at my pythons, i got the bhp out and they said. "that ones venomous why do you have it?". When i got my male spotted python, my grandad was up on h'days, it bit be(i cracked up laughing) he thought i was crying as i was "going to die from the venom" as he put it whilst half carrying me towards the front door saying keep calm its ok i have you. I looked at him and said , its a python. Python+bite =non-venomous no matter wh tyou say im not going to the hospital lol(he was hell bent on taking me to the hospital)

Bwahahahahahahaha