Canberrans have become ill, even died after eating death cap mushrooms. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Canberrans are being reminded it is “never safe” to pick or eat any wild mushrooms.
The National Arboretum recently called on visitors to supervise children and pets to ensure they didn’t eat a potentially toxic variety.
“With the recent rainfall, there is an increased likelihood of mushrooms appearing around the arboretum, [so] please be careful when visiting,” a spokesperson said on social media.
“Do not touch, pick or eat any wild mushrooms.
“It’s very hard to tell a death cap mushroom apart from other types of mushrooms. They can be easily mistaken for edible mushrooms, even by experienced foragers.”
The death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) is potentially deadly. Eating any part of the mushroom is dangerous (even when cooked).
The ACT Government has previously warned Canberrans about confirmed sightings of the death cap, one of the various mushroom species that grows across the Territory.
A government spokesperson told Region there had been four known fatalities from death cap mushrooms in the ACT since 2002.
“ACT Health is also aware of a number of presentations to ACT emergency departments in recent years after potential ingestion of wild mushrooms,” the spokesperson said.
“It is important to be aware it is never safe to pick and eat wild mushrooms in the ACT.”
Those who throw out wild mushrooms with their household waste are advised to wash their hands and any tools or utensils touched.
City Services within the ACT Government regularly removes death cap mushrooms from urban open space areas.
All parts of a death cap mushroom are poisonous – even when cooked. Photo: National Arboretum Canberra/Facebook.
ACT Health urges anyone who may have eaten a death cap mushroom to immediately go to a hospital emergency department.
Information is also available by calling the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 (open 24/7).
Symptoms including abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea tend to occur 6-24 hours after ingestion.
“Symptoms may improve or go away for one to two days giving a false impression of recovery,” according to ACT Health’s website.
“However, by this stage the toxin will have already caused serious liver damage. Liver failure and death may occur.”
Those who eat the mushrooms are advised to take any remains of the fungus in a labelled container to the hospital.
If you’ve spotted a death cap mushroom in a public area, report it to Access Canberra by calling 13 22 81 or using the Fix My Street tool.
