OT: Australia, safest continent on the planet

[Targan]

Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic

There's anecdotal claims of Wedgies attacking helicopters that strayed too close to nests during the breeding season.

I once did a driving run taking a truck-trailer rig from Perth to Brisbane, a load of caravans on the way there and a load of boat hulls on the way back (about 8700km round trip as the crow flies, add a couple of thousand kilometers for my trip). I saw many wedgies during the trip, and many times I saw them standing over some piece of roadkill. They would see me from many kilometers away and they wouldn't budge. They'd actually stare down the truck, like they were daring me to try and take their meal. They are seriously bold, proud birds.

The Australian Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment's mascot is a wedge tailed eagle named Courage. The mascots gain NCO ranks with their years of service. Courage is a Warrant Officer.

Courage the eagle posted to Townsville after 22 years in Darwin

[Legbreaker]

Attachment 3650

[RN7]

So Legreaker how big is the Yowie? Surely its not bigger than Bigfoot!

[Legbreaker]

At least that big, but depends on the species.

[CDAT]

Originally Posted by Targan

I once did a driving run taking a truck-trailer rig from Perth to Brisbane, a load of caravans on the way there and a load of boat hulls on the way back (about 8700km round trip as the crow flies, add a couple of thousand kilometers for my trip). I saw many wedgies during the trip, and many times I saw them standing over some piece of roadkill. They would see me from many kilometers away and they wouldn't budge. They'd actually stare down the truck, like they were daring me to try and take their meal. They are seriously bold, proud birds.

The Australian Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment's mascot is a wedge tailed eagle named Courage. The mascots gain NCO ranks with their years of service. Courage is a Warrant Officer.

Courage the eagle posted to Townsville after 22 years in Darwin

So side question, is a warrant officer an NCO? It is one of those ranks that lots of groups use in different ways. Here in the US, it is basically a technical officer.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by CDAT

So side question, is a warrant officer an NCO? It is one of those ranks that lots of groups use in different ways. Here in the US, it is basically a technical officer.

Sergeant Major. Here's how it works in the Australian Army:

Australian Army Other Ranks

[StainlessSteelCynic]

In regard to Yowies, there's been two sizes typically claimed with a third size less often reported.
That is: -
1. smaller than a human adult but larger than a human child.
2. same size as a human adult and
3. larger than a human adult

Generally the sizes reported are 1 and 2 with number 3 being less common but some reports have claimed the tallest Yowies as in the 2 metre range.
It really comes down to what part of the country you're in as the local Aboriginal myths seem to play some part in what size creature people "see".

Of more interest to me is the difference in alleged behaviour, some reports have the Yowie as shy and easily frightened off while the human sized versions are often reported as projecting a malevolent presence and appear to have been spying on or otherwise checking out the humans who (claim to) have seen them.

What I find particularly interesting is that some Aboriginal groups have legends of fighting against tribes of "hairy men" when the Aboriginal peoples initially settled in Australia. The legends sound a little like an early human ancestor or perhaps proto-human and apparently the Aboriginals fought them to extinction so as to claim the land for themselves. I'm inclined to think that if these legends are correct then the Yowie is probably some sort of cultural memory of these earlier peoples.

[Legbreaker]

Attachment 3654

[CDAT]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Attachment 3654

I do not care if that is a super small snake or not, but there is something very wrong with this (if I was a betting man that would not be my bet).

[Legbreaker]

It's the real thing.
http://www.livescience.com/53701-sna...der-photo.html
Even video of it.
http://www.livescience.com/53700-sna...s96qn1IC_cSI0Q