Papua New Guinea is one of the most diverse countries in the world, offering not only a variety of cultures but also languages and traditions. It is estimated that there are 852 languages in the country but that’s not all, the country is also home to one of the most amazing and least explored rain forests known as the Papua New Guinea Jungle. Since a vast majority of the area remains undocumented and unexplored, it is speculated by scientists that a lot of species of flora and fauna still remain undiscovered even to this day.

Despite all of this, however, the Papua New Guinea Jungle is still not the most amazing place in the world to be. Why is that you ask? Well, because it is home to some of the most venomous species of snakes and all sorts of other creatures that are not only dangerous to humans but downright terrifying. Then there is also the fact a lot of things remain unknown in this region so you won’t know if you’ve come across something dangerous until it’s too late. Still, we decided to do some research and put together this list of 15 dangerous reasons why you should stay away from the Papua New Guinea Jungle.

15. Cassowary

Don’t let the appearance of this bird fool you. Certainly, a lot of you might be thinking how a bird can be of danger to a human but that questions certainly doesn’t hold much value especially when the bird we’re talking about here is the size of a man.

A Cassowary is second in size only to the ostrich but that’s not all, it has a dagger-like middle toe that is 5-inches in length, perfect to pierce through the human skin with much effort at all. These flightless birds are found all over the rainforests of New Guinea and according to the accounts provided by locals, one of these birds was responsible for the death of a boy after he was kicked in the jugular by the bird when he fell.

14. Venomous Taipan

A list with some of the most dangerous animals without any mention of snakes is simply impossible. After all, they are some of the most feared creatures around the world despite the fact that some people like to keep them as pets, something that we’ve never been able to fully understand.

The venomous taipan is an extremely venomous species of snake that is found around Australia and along the southern coast of the Papua New Guinea Jungle. They are the third most venomous type of land snakes and their venom can do all sorts of nasty stuff like causing paralysis and blood clots, causing death if an antivenom is not administered on time.

13. Death Adder

With such a badass name, the common death adder is another highly venomous snake which can be encountered in the jungles of Papua New Guinea since this species is native to the area. To make matters worse, these snakes have the longest fangs among all the different types of Australian snakes.

While their normal diet consists of small mammals like birds and mice, hunting them requires a technique where the death adder can camouflage itself perfectly with leaves. Unfortunately, this can also cause humans to step on the snake, making it bite as a result. The neurotoxin delivered in the bite can easily cause paralysis and even death if not treated within six hours. That might not seem that bad but it actually is since those six hours are excruciatingly painful.

12. Saltwater Crocodile

Saltwater crocodiles are some of the most aggressive predators found in nature, making them claim their place at the top of the food chain in their habitat. They can easily grow up to be 7 meters in length and weigh more than 1200 kg.

Because of their aggressive nature, they can be a huge threat to humans especially since saltwater crocodiles are used to catching prey that is the size of humans. They can then simply thrash it around violently until smaller chunks of meat break off that are easier for the crocodile to consume. They can be found in areas around Australia and Papua New Guinea and prefer not to spend a lot of time on land.

11. Giant Tarantulas

These creatures are a bit no-no especially if you are even remotely afraid of arachnids. So far, more than 900 different species of tarantulas have been discovered across the world and while people like to keep them as exotic pets, they’re some of the scariest looking creatures you can stumble upon in the Papua New Guinea jungle.

First off, tarantulas are some of the biggest spiders on the planet with some growing up to be almost 12 inches in length. If that wasn’t bad enough, their fangs can reach a whopping 1.5 inches, perfectly capable of puncturing the human skin and delivering a painful bite. The good news here, however, is that their bites are not dangerous to humans and only cause minor irritation and swelling.

10. Monster Cockroaches

What is worse than a giant spider? Well, a giant cockroach would certainly fit the bill. The giant burrowing cockroach which is also known as the litter bug is the biggest species of cockroach that are found in, well you guessed it, Australia and areas of the Papua New Guinea Jungle.

The good news for people who absolutely hate insects is that these critters lack wings meaning that they cannot land on your after taking off into the air while you run around for your life. Still, there is nothing stopping it from simply climbing onto you. Also, keeping with the theme of the toughest creatures in nature, the lifespan of these cockroaches is somewhere around 10 years so good luck getting rid of these.

9. Banded Sea Krait

If you thought that you’d be safe swimming in the water then, unfortunately, you’d be sorely mistaken. It seems as if snakes aren’t even willing to let you swim with complete peace of mind. One of these is the banded sea krait which is a highly venomous snake that can be found in the waters of Papua New Guinea.

Mostly the venom is used by the snake to kill prey but if you’re one of the unfortunate people to receive a bite as well, then things won’t be very good for you. The venom which can severely disrupt synapses causes lethargy and other symptoms before fatal hypertension. These snakes aren’t very aggressive by nature though and will only attack when threatened.

8. Box Jellyfish

Perhaps the most venomous creature on this planet is the infamous box jellyfish. They are also known as sea wasps and are capable of producing a venom so potent that it can cause death in mere minutes.

Their habitat is found in waters around Australia and the waters near the Papua New Guinea jungle during the summer months which is why it is important to be cautious when jumping into water that you’re not familiar with. The tentacles of the box jellyfish is laced with stingers that quickly deliver venom upon coming into contact with the skin, leading to breathing problems and then eventually death.

7. Monitor Lizard

While species of monitor lizards are found all over the world, some of them are also native to the Papua New Guinea jungle. They are carnivorous, with the biggest lizards even capable of making deer a part of their diet.

Unlike popular belief, monitor lizards do indeed carry venom glands that are normally used to kill small prey but it can also be dangerous for humans. Not only this, the mouth of a monitor lizard can contain more than 50 different types of dangerous bacteria that can infect a wound after being bitten. If you do end up coming across one due to some unfortunate turn of events, the best thing to simply do is keep a distance and not provoke the animal.

6. Poisonous Birds

You read that correct, the Papua New Guinea jungle is home to not one but three different species of birds that are toxic and poisonous. These birds are brightly colored, which is quite a common sight when it comes to birds so it can be difficult to tell these apart from birds that are not toxic.

It was discovered back in 1990 that these birds contained batrachotoxin, the same substance which makes the infamous poison arrow frog so dangerous. The source of the toxicity of these birds, however, was discovered to be the Melyrid beetles which contain this particular toxin in large amounts. These insects are consumed by the birds which in turn also makes them toxic.

5. Giant Centipede

Perhaps no other creature on this list is capable of instilling more fear than the giant centipede. These creatures are the ultimate douchebags in nature and can grow over to be 7 inches in length.

Combine that with their alien like appearance and giant claws capable of delivering a venom that is specifically toxic to mammals and you have a recipe for the nightmares. The venom of the giant centipede has been known to be fatal to humans in one case where a little girl was bitten who unfortunately died a short while after. Even when not fatal, a centipede bite is extremely painful and the pain can last for several days on end.

4. Lionfish

Lionfish are known for their vibrant color and appearance; however, you shouldn’t let this fool you because these can be quite venomous. Most of the times they like to swim around rocks and coral and can be found in the waters between New Guinea and Australia.

If you’re unfortunate enough to be stung by one of these, you’ll get to experience a whole number of crazy and painful symptoms that can last for a few days. These can include chest paint, difficulty breathing, severe vomiting and in rare cases even death. This is why it is important to be aware of their habitat when out swimming or fishing on your next trip to Papua New Guinea.

3. Dingoes

For those who are unaware, a dingo is a type of a wild dog which can be found in Australia while some species are also known to exist in the Papua New Guinea jungle. They are known to play a very important role in their natural habitat as an apex predator but this also means that it poses a significant threat to livestock and in some cases humans as well.

One of the most infamous incidents involving dingoes happened when an infant was dragged and killed by one of these animals and this case had remained a mystery for a long time. A lot of the other attacks happen because people try to feed them, a practice that is strongly discouraged by wild life organizations throughout the area.

2. The Great Flying Fox

The great flying fox, which is also known as the Bismarck fox is one of the largest species of bats in the world. So big, in fact, that you’d be left wondering as to what kind of dark magic helped in their creation.

They can grow up to have a wing span of more than five feet and weigh as much as 1.45 kg. That is probably why they’re known as the flying fox since they’re almost the size of a small fox. The real danger from these animals comes in the form of diseases like rabies. Not only this, a host of other highly fatal diseases have also been attributed to bats all of which come from their saliva.

1. Papuan Blacksnake

As the name suggests, the Papuan Blacksnake is a snake species that is native to Papua New Guinea and also the reason why it’s on the list because these creatures are quite venomous. They can grow up to be 2 meters in length and their population is distributed all around Papua New Guinea.

If you are unfortunate enough to be bitten by one of these, the effects will start out with muscle weakness which will gradually progress to paralysis within a time span of 2 to 21 hours. It can quickly become life-threatening if an antivenom is not provided to the victim and is equally as dangerous as the more notorious taipan species of snake.