I know many overseas sitters are wary of coming Down Under because of the range of dangerous creatures we have.
I know Drop Bears have been mentioned in other threads re Australia. I was thankful to see this warning sign this morning when out walking Grover. Never mind the snakes 
.
I’m going to Australia in November so I’ll be on the lookout for these drop bears. 
I’m glad I’ve warned you @avidtraveler
Not a warning sign but today I had a little baby water dragon on my back porch so I put him over onto the grass to “protect it". One minute later a Magpie swooped down and ate it. Nature and animal survival can be cruel sometimes and how bad did I feel 
Oh, poor little water dragon 
@temba, while Western Canada lacks drop bears then we have plenty other predators. Signs like those below are common on hiking trails or sometimes urban areas. We’ve completed several out-of-town housesits where Welcome Guides expressly refer to protocols related to local wildlife (e.g. dog walks, cat outdoors, …) to protect pets from being eaten 
. And yes, we’ve seen our fair share of black bears, coyotes and less common cougar.
Perhaps Welcome Guides in some countries should include sections for predators
Gotta love Albertan humour .. ‘cougar snack’ indeed 
@GotYourBack Whilst your predators are actually real, our drop bears are a myth targeting tourists, especially when in our bush!
@temba, ha!
When we revisit bonnie scotland, we’re always glad to scratch the chin of Nessie -the delightful, but sometimes elusive, resident of Loch Ness …
@GotYourBack Yes, I’ve tried to befriend Nessie too
Small screen + late night + flare on photo = “otters cussing”??? What are they saying???
…oh wait
Wildlife warning signs are a bit alarming for solo travellers… I remember being somewhat uneasy on a trail in BC after passing a cougar awareness sign… and more recently on PEI, one about coyotes that said you should carry a big stick and hike with friends. Well great, I had neither. 
@co_ri_na fabulous photo 
- can only but imagine that you used a high-end camera for such a picture. You even managed to capture all three legs of this famous beast 
. For those unfamiliar, it is said that the haggis beast is often found near hilltops as its (alas) three legs cause it to walk around in circles 
I did a sit in Seattle where I would check the backyard for raccoons every time before I let the dog out. He’d apparently surprised a nest of them previously and ended up in a bloody encounter.
In my neighborhood at home, we often have coyotes running around. We carry a heavy, baton-like flashlight to scare them off and as defense for our dog and us, if needed.
We haven’t had an attack yet. They grow bolder with human exposure and are attracted to small pets and young children, especially left unattended. On the Nextdoor app, I saw video of one chasing a toddler in a backyard, with a warning to not leave young kids untended. Coyotes can scale fences up to 6 to 8 feet.
Beware of Seagulls if you do a sit in Brighton Sussex England. Bring an umbrella with you
Was waiting for this one to appear 
🏴
@temba don’t spoil our fun
@BonnyinBrighton your seagulls are so much larger than our Aussie ones, they look like giants! Our gulls however are just as ferocious for hot chips!
I went on an expedition cruise in October last year in northern Australia. We were on a remote beach in Arnhem Land, near the signs below, waiting for the ship’s tender. The tide had gone way out and we had to wade through water to the zodiac to take us to the tender and then the ship. The guide gave us strict instructions “only step where I step in the water” as we had to be aware of stingrays buried in the shallow water. Apparently the crocs and box jelly fish were the least of our worries!
