Dangerous animals of the seas and oceans. Killer fish

The sea occupies more than 70% of the surface area globe. Scientists estimate that there are more than 12,000 species of animals living in the ocean that are potentially dangerous to humans. More than 50 thousand people every year receive injuries of varying degrees of complexity from contact with dangerous marine life. But this does not mean that you need to stay on the shore and not go into the water. Most creatures themselves never come into contact with humans, so the most important rule safety in the ocean when interacting with the underwater world - don’t touch anything!

These gastropod mollusks are one of the most dangerous creatures in the world. Don't be fooled by their cuteness, these little snails are armed with tiny harpoons formed from modified teeth. Inside the harpoon there is a cavity connected to the poison gland. Having approached a sufficient distance, the snail fires a harpoon and a strong toxin that has a paralytic effect is injected into the victim.

The geographic cone (Conus geographus) is especially dangerous for humans. In the Pacific Ocean, 2-3 people die annually from cone bites. According to statistics, one out of three cases of being pricked by a cone thorn ends in death. Most often, attracted by the beauty of the shell, the person would try to pick it up and force the cone to defend itself.

Stone fish or wartfish is a marine fish of the wart family with poisonous spines on its back, which lives on the bottom near coral reefs and mimics a stone. It is considered the most poisonous fish in the world. These creepy-looking fish lie on the bottom, waiting for some poor soul to step on them. Sometimes they can be found in shallow water right next to the shore.

The venom causes severe pain with possible shock, paralysis and tissue death depending on the depth of penetration. At the slightest irritation, the wart raises the spines of the dorsal fin; sharp and durable, they easily pierce the shoes of a person who accidentally steps on a fish, and penetrate deep into the foot. If the injection penetrates deeply, it can be fatal to a person if he does not receive medical attention within a few hours. If poison gets inside, depending on the depth of penetration, apply a strong tightening bandage or a hemostatic tourniquet, which is placed between the wound and the nearest bend. If the thorn gets into a large blood vessel, death can occur within 2-3 hours. Survivors sometimes remain ill for months.

The venom consists of a mixture of proteins, including hemolytic stonustoxin, neurotoxin and cardioactive cardioleptin. Since the venom is protein based, it can be denatured by applying a very hot compress to the wound site. Some relief may be obtained by treating the wound with a local anesthetic. However, this is only a temporary measure to reduce pain and shock. Medical assistance should be provided as soon as possible.

The lionfish or zebra fish is a fish of the scorpionfish family. He has a very noticeable appearance. Her body, 30-40 centimeters long, is painted with bright stripes. The main decoration of the lionfish is the long ribbons of the dorsal and pectoral fins. They resemble fans made of ostrich feathers or a lion's mane. Hence another name for lionfish - lion fish.

Getting close to this beautiful fish is very dangerous. Reacting to a change in the situation, she turns her dorsal fin towards the troublemaker to inflict a poisonous injection on him, which causes a sensation as if a hot nail had been driven into his hand. Swelling develops at the site of the lesion. The patient's well-being deteriorates sharply within the first 10 to 15 minutes after the injury. The burning pain is accompanied by general symptoms of poisoning: a drop in blood pressure, paralysis of the skeletal and respiratory muscles and, as a consequence, respiratory and cardiovascular failure. Gangrene may develop at the puncture site. There is a possibility of fatalities. In case of recovery, a necrotic focus at the site of inoculation of the poison causes concern for a long time.

Lionfish venom is protein-based, so after the injection it is necessary to take alternately hot and cold baths so that the venom coagulates, as well as take an antihistamine and seek medical help as quickly as possible.

Lionfish are more active at night, so in some places, such as Dahab, where there are quite a lot of them, swimming at night without a flashlight can be dangerous.

4) Sea wasp

Box jellyfish, also known as sea wasp or Chironex fleckeri (lat.) is a species of marine cnidarians from the class of box jellyfish (Cubozoa), common off the coast of northern Australia and Indonesia. Representatives of this species are the largest of the box jellyfish; their dome reaches the size of a basketball. They are pale blue in color and almost transparent. The latter circumstance creates an additional danger for swimmers due to the fact that the jellyfish can be extremely difficult to see.

This jellyfish is famous for its ability to cause burns; The tentacles of the animal are completely covered with stinging cells (nematocytes), which contain very strong poison. The burn causes excruciating pain accompanied by an intense burning sensation; Jellyfish venom has multiple effects, simultaneously affecting nervous system, heart and skin. While a significant amount of venom must be released (released upon contact with approximately 3 meters of tentacles) to have a lethal effect on an adult, the potent neurotoxic venom acts extremely quickly. Fatalities have been reported within just 4 minutes of contact, which is significantly faster than any snake, insect or spider bite; This, not without reason, gave rise to the box jellyfish's notoriety as the deadliest venomous animal in the world. Although an antidote is available, timely treatment of the victim may be difficult or impossible. Swimmers stung by jellyfish often suffer a heart attack and drown before they even reach the shore or boat.

Wetting a burn with vinegar immediately inhibits all unreacted nematocytes, and rubbing the burn site only worsens the problem. It has been shown that it is ineffective to use water, urine or cola to neutralize them, which in fact can only provoke the release of poison. After using vinegar, you may need to restore breathing or perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Tentacles attached to the body should be carefully removed with protected hands or using tweezers.

Removed tentacles remain dangerous until they are destroyed over time, and even when dried they can restore their properties when moistened.

5) Blue-ringed octopus

These small octopuses spend most of their time in cracks and crevices on seabed or camouflage themselves in corals. They can live at a depth of up to 75 meters, but most often directly off the coast, right down to the high tide line. They live on rocks, stones, sandy and muddy bottoms, often in seagrass meadows or ascidian colonies. Shellfish shells can be used as shelter. empty bottles and beer cans.

Despite small size, have a fairly aggressive character and are recognized as one of the most poisonous animals in the world. Blue-ringed octopuses are easily recognized by their characteristic blue and black rings and yellow skin. When the octopus is irritated or frightened, brown areas appear on the skin, and the blue rings become brighter and shimmer. They feed on crabs, hermit crabs and shrimp. When disturbed or in defense, they attack the enemy.

The strength of its poison is enough to kill a person. There is currently no antidote for blue-ringed octopus venom. The poison has a nerve-paralytic effect and is produced by symbiotic bacteria that live in salivary glands oh octopus. The bites are small in size and often painless. Some victims did not know they had been attacked until the first signs of poisoning occurred.

First aid involves applying a pressure bandage to the wound; at the first signs of paralysis, it is also necessary to perform artificial respiration, since the poison paralyzes the respiratory centers of the victim within a few minutes after the bite. Tetrodotoxin causes severe and often complete paralysis of the body. The victim remains conscious but cannot move. This effect, however, is temporary and disappears within a few hours as the tetrodotoxin is neutralized by the body. Thus, it is necessary that artificial ventilation of the lungs is carried out until the arrival of medical personnel.

To provide full assistance, the bite victim needs hospital treatment with mandatory connection to an artificial respiration apparatus until the toxin is removed from the body. Blue-ringed octopus bites are especially dangerous for children due to their small body weight. Because death from venom occurs primarily due to respiratory arrest, bite victims survive if artificial respiration is started and continued before cyanosis and hypotension develop. Victims who survive the first 24 hours most often make a full recovery.

6) Portuguese Man of War

The Portuguese man-of-war or physalia is a colony of polypoid and medusoid individuals, externally similar to a jellyfish, but not a jellyfish. This is a siphonophore - a primitive invertebrate organism. It is a colony of four types of polyps coexisting together. Each of them performs its assigned function. It looks like a large transparent bubble at one end of the colony (pneumatophore) and long tentacles. The size of the bubble reaches 30 cm, is filled with gas and holds the colony on the surface of the water. It is this that gives the Portuguese man-of-war an external resemblance to jellyfish. The hunting tentacles of representatives of this species carry a huge number of stinging cells, the poison of which is dangerous to humans. The length of the tentacles when extended can reach 50 m.

Portuguese man-of-war feed mainly on fish larvae, as well as small fish and small squid.

Upon contact with stinging tentacles, painful swelling forms at the burn site, and muscle cramps may begin. The victim's temperature rises, chills, nausea and vomiting appear.

According to some data, for physalia burns, wetting the affected skin with a 3-5% vinegar solution helps, which prevents the stinging cells remaining in the wound from triggering. Under no circumstances should you try to wash off the poison with fresh water, as this will destroy entire stinging cells containing the poison, and the pain will sharply intensify. If poison gets into your eyes or the pain does not go away within a few minutes, you should see a doctor.

According to another point of view, the use of vinegar on burns received from contact with the Portuguese man-of-war is not recommended. Vinegar is used for burns after contact with jellyfish, but the poison of the Portuguese Man of War is different. The stinging cells are destroyed instantly, making vinegar ineffective. To relieve pain, it is recommended to rinse the affected areas with hot water for a long time. You can then apply ice.

7) Sea snake

There are a number of sea snakes found in the tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is believed that the sea snake evolved from a common snake, and many of them, like their land relatives, can be poisonous. At the same time, the venom of the sea snake is much more powerful. This is not surprising, since their daily diet consists of fish that actively move in the water and which must be quickly immobilized. They swallow their prey whole, killing it first with a bite of poisonous teeth. Fish are less sensitive to snake venom than warm-blooded animals, so the venom of sea snakes is very toxic. Its action, like the action of the venom of cobra and other representatives of the slate family, does not cause hemorrhages or tumors, but suppresses the transmission of nerve impulses, which leads to paralysis of the respiratory center and rapid death of the affected animal.

Sea snakes have small mouths and small fangs, however, they can still bite a person if they try hard enough. The good news is they are less aggressive than land snakes. Typically, if a sea snake bites you, it is usually a dry bite, i.e. without poison. If you are lucky enough to get poisonous bite, don't worry, there is an antidote. At the first signs of poisoning, quickly head to the nearest clinic.

Barracudas are large and often encountered by divers marine fish from the order Perciformes, living in all tropical and subtropical seas. Distinctive feature barracuda - a powerful lower jaw protruding beyond the upper. A row of small, sharp teeth dot the outside of the jaw, with a row of larger teeth inside. The maximum recorded size of a barracuda is 205 cm, weight is 50 kg.

Barracudas feed on smaller fish, squid, and large shrimp. Typically, barracudas lie in wait for their prey in ambush - among stones, rocks or in thickets of underwater vegetation. But quite often in small groups they attack schools of small fish. Small barracudas usually live in schools, while large fish live alone. They attack at high speed, snatching pieces of flesh with their powerful jaws as they move.

There are 21 species of barracuda, but the most dangerous due to its size is the large barracuda. Barracuda can be attracted to shiny things that vaguely resemble small fish. Some pieces of equipment, such as watches, knives, whistles, or body jewelry, are shiny. These objects may be mistaken for prey by the barracuda. In addition, attacks on people have occurred in muddy or dark water, where the moving arms or legs of a swimmer were mistaken by the barracuda for swimming fish.

Barracuda have very sharp teeth, so damage from such mistaken attacks on humans can be quite serious and leave deep lacerations, including possible damage to the arteries and veins of the limbs. In this case, the bleeding must be stopped as quickly as possible to avoid serious blood loss.

9) Triggerfish

Another fish commonly encountered by divers is the triggerfish or Triggerfish. Triggerfishes family, belongs to the order Pufferfishes sea ​​fish and has about 40 species. Characteristic hallmark The triggerfish has an unusual dorsal fin. It contains three large spines and when the fish is at rest, it is not visible. In case of danger, the triggerfish raises the largest first spine and blocks it by displacing the second one. This locking mechanism makes it impossible to fold the dorsal fin without damaging it. After scaring away the enemy, the fish folds its fin in the reverse order. The fin with spikes looks like a trigger, hence the English name for the triggerfish - triggerfish.

One of the most major representatives The triggerfish family is the Titan triggerfish or bluefin ballistode. Its length can reach 75cm and weight more than 10kg. It is he who is well known and has a bad reputation among divers, which is completely unfounded. The fish can be extremely aggressive and can seriously injure a person in the water. Fortunately, aggression manifests itself only during the period when the female lays eggs and, together with the male, guards the clutch, which she arranges on the bottom. Until the fry appear, the female remains near the clutch. She mixes the water with her fins, thereby enriching the eggs with oxygen. The protected zone expands from bottom to top in the form of a funnel.

The triggerfish has powerful teeth, designed by nature to break coral and mollusk shells, which easily bite through a wetsuit or fins, so the bites can be very noticeable. Protecting the offspring, the parents fight selflessly until the trespasser is driven out. The main rule for saving from an attacking fish is to move away from the nest in order to leave the area of ​​the dangerous funnel above it. It is more convenient to swim on your back, this way you can constantly control the attacking triggerfish and, if necessary, fight it off with your fins.

I specifically put these guys at the very end of the list, although most people would be happy to put them at the first. They don't need any introduction. Sharks are indeed dangerous marine animals for humans, although their danger is greatly exaggerated. There is a wonderful article by Konstantin Novikov about diving with sharks, it is highly recommended for study. Below I’ll just give a short excerpt from this article about sharks.

Among them there are potentially dangerous ones, such as: great white (Carcharodon carharias), tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier), bull (Carcharhinus leucas), long-winged oceanic (Carcharhinus longimanus), giant hammerfish (Sphyrna mokarran). But you need to understand and know that of all the above, the great white, for example, is on the verge of destruction, and meeting a tiger shark or a giant hammerhead fish is not at all easy and this can not be done everywhere. There is a chance of encountering long-winged oceanic and bull sharks. Places where people can encounter large and dangerous sharks are known: South Africa, Guadeloupe, Hawaii, Australia, Fiji, Cuba, India, California. If you plan to dive or spearfish in these regions, be prepared to encounter some of the world's largest predators. It must be remembered that sharks feed on fish and attack humans extremely rarely. How many shark-related incidents do you think are reported per year? About 120. About 8-10 of them are fatal. There is an international ISAF database that records attacks around the world. Surfers are in first place among victims, followed by swimmers and bathers; divers and spearfishers are also sometimes attacked.

It is clear that sharks most often attack people whose behavior resembles those caught in unnatural environment an animal thrashing and making noise on the surface of the water. Attacks can be provoked or unprovoked. In the first case, a person himself induces an attack, for example, by feeding the fish and then swimming in the same place, or an underwater hunter catches a still struggling fish on a cooch, or a curious diver grabs a shark by the snout with the aim of riding it. Unprovoked attacks most often occur where sharks are hunting fish, turtles or seals. Typically in muddy water. A predator mistakes a person for its usual prey. But I repeat that there are very few potentially dangerous large sharks. They rarely attack. Much less common are dogs or deer. By the way, hippos kill about 3,000 people in Africa every year! Can't be compared to sharks, right? But if you look at the statistics of shark catches by humans, the numbers are terrifying. People kill every year - just think about it - a hundred million sharks!!! It’s time for them to fear us, and not the other way around.

Of course, the choice of these 10 animals is subjective. I relied on their danger and the likelihood of meeting. We see triggerfish almost every day; they are common reef fish and cannot be called very dangerous, but the likelihood of encountering them in some places is high. And meeting a blue-ringed octopus or a hammerhead shark is great luck and the dream of many diver-photographers.

The list can be supplemented and expanded.

Anything to add? Or do you have any experience of contact with any of the creatures described?

Divers should also be prepared to meet the inhabitants of the deep sea, who are not very friendly towards uninvited guests. This has already been discussed in a separate article. Now - TOP-8 dangerous inhabitants of the seas and oceans, collisions with which are best avoided, and as a first aid medical care in cases where an unfavorable collision did occur.

Stingrays

The stingray family belongs to the class of cartilaginous fish. One of these insidious representatives is the stingray. Usually it huddles at the bottom of the sea or ocean, and this can be either shallow water or a decent depth of up to 2-3 km. The stingray can be quite impressive in size – up to 2 m long.

The tail is separated from the body, in contrast to the fins, which form a single whole with its body. The sharp needles, which are located on the upper part of the tail, have a toxic effect when wounded. Inflicting fairly powerful poisonous blows from stingrays is only possible if they feel threatened. They don't attack first.

In order not to turn into trouble, some measures should be observed in their habitats: careful behavior in the water - if you find a stingray at the bottom, you should not tease it; you must wear appropriate shoes for swimming.

If a person has become a victim of this sea creature, it is worth remembering that its bites are toxic and cause painful sensations in the form of spasms. Severe pain in the bite area appears an hour after being struck by the stingray's poisonous needle.

The victim may feel weakness, nausea, chills and decreased blood pressure. The skin turns pale. An increase in temperature is also possible. If the necessary medical care is not provided, a person's scuba diving encounter after an encounter with a stingray can end very sadly. Especially if the wound is in the chest area.

First aid:

1. Remove the toxic substance by sucking, then rinse your mouth with water.
2. Wash the wound sea ​​water.
3. Carefully remove the remains of the thorns.
4. Apply a bandage and immobilize the affected part of the body.

Sea dragons

Sea dragons or sea scorpions, as they are also called, are on a par with the most poisonous sea inhabitants. They can be found in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Seas. The light brown body of the fish, which reaches a length of up to 40 cm, has very poisonous spines. They are located on the dorsal fin and gills. The dragon fish has a fairly aggressive character, so it can attack first and cause a rather painful wound.

When going to fish, you should be extremely careful, since this marine inhabitant buries itself almost completely at the bottom, thereby provoking an unpleasant surprise. At dusk sea ​​Dragon The chick comes to life and shows special activity.

So during an evening walk in shallow water you should be especially careful. If you spot a predatory fish, you should never grab it without special gloves. The same applies to a dead dragon, since for some time after its death the thorns are quite toxic.

The bite of a sea dragon causes severe pain and is accompanied by fever. Swelling occurs at the site of the bite, and in rare cases, paralysis of the limb may occur. Cramps and nausea are also possible, which may worsen over several hours.

First aid:

1. Apply a tourniquet slightly above the wound and remove parts of the needles with a napkin.
2. Rinse the damaged area.
3. Reduce pain by treating the wound with novocaine.
4. Seek qualified medical help immediately.

Scorpena

The incredibly spectacular and, nevertheless, quite dangerous sea predator scorpionfish lives in the Black Sea and Azov waters. Sometimes its presence can be detected at the bottom. Thanks to its unusual coloring from dark brown to pink shades, the representative of the scorpionfish family will have no difficulty blending in with multi-colored coral or underwater rocks.

The scorpionfish, or sea ruffe as it is also called, reaches up to 15-20 cm in length, and is characterized by a large (compared to the body) head. The fins, which are located on the back and sides, are distinguished by poisonous spines. Main feature predator is its ability to shed its skin, completely.

To avoid an underwater collision with a scorpionfish, divers should very carefully observe everything that is happening around them, because the predator tends to adapt to the area where it is located.

Poisonous scorpionfish injections are especially toxic in the spring. Depending on the amount of poison that has entered the blood, a reaction of varying degrees may be observed - from redness of the bite site to swelling. If you seek medical help in a timely manner, your health will improve within a few days.

First aid:

1. After removing the poisonous thorns, rinse the wound with sea water.
2. Treat with an antiseptic.
3. Apply a tight tourniquet slightly above the bite.

Wart

The wart poses a particular threat to vacationers on the coasts of the Pacific and Indian oceans. It can also be found in the waters of the islands and Hurghada. This marine resident has an unusual shape and color, which changes depending on the situation.

This may be why its second name is stone fish, as it skillfully blends in with rocks and colorful reefs. The wart moves along the bottom using its pectoral fins. Poisonous spines are located on the back. The average size of representatives of these poisonous fish is 30-40 cm.

Fans should remember that the wart awaits its prey by burying itself in the sand. She is very hard to notice.

But, nevertheless, excessive caution and attentiveness can save the lives of scuba diving enthusiasts. The venom of the stonefish is so toxic that if deeply wounded it can be fatal within a few hours. Painful sensations can lead to shock and even loss of consciousness.

First aid:

1. After removing parts of the thorns, the wound should be washed.
2. Since wart venom contains a protein that is destroyed by high temperature, it is necessary to apply a hot compress and treat with an antiseptic.
3. Apply a tight bandage.

Hairy cyanea jellyfish

Cyanea gianta has quite an impressive size and is the largest jellyfish among its relatives. Its habitat is northern waters Atlantic and Pacific. Usually it rarely swims to the shore. A comfortable depth for representatives of this type of jellyfish is about 20 m. Its volume can reach up to 2 m. The body, in the shape of a cap, has unusually long tentacles that can reach up to 20 m. Cyanea has a brown-crimson color - the younger the jellyfish, the it's brighter.

Upon contact with humans, it causes varying degrees of burns, depending on the duration of contact with the poisonous tentacles. Jellyfish venom is not fatal to humans, but if you encounter a marine creature, you cannot do without medical attention.

To avoid falling into the arms of the hairy cyanea, you should avoid contact with it. She does not attack first, so in a calm state she is not so dangerous.

First aid:

1. Immediately get out of the water and wash the burn with soda solution or sea water.
2. Remove the remaining tentacles using a napkin.
3. Make a compress from ammonia.
4. Treat the wound with an anti-inflammatory agent.
5. Enable the victim to drink plenty of fluids.

Lionfish

An incredibly beautiful and quite dangerous inhabitant of the underwater kingdom is the striped lionfish. The deceptive appearance conceals a sufficient number of poisonous needles, which the predator uses in case of defense. The zebra fish lives in Pacific and Indian waters, as well as in the Caribbean Sea.

The body of the lionfish, measuring up to 30 cm, has striped colors bright colors. The graceful fins of the fish resemble wings, hence the name of this rather dangerous predator. The lionfish's 18 spines contain strong poison. When it enters the human body, it causes severe disorders - from tissue necrosis to heart failure.

First aid:

1. Provide the victim with a state of rest.
2. Rinse with sea water.
3. Treat the wound with an antiseptic.
4. Soak the damaged area in hot water and apply a tight bandage.

Box jellyfish

Box jellyfish pose an extreme threat to diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Today they are recognized as the most dangerous among all jellyfish that live in the World Ocean. The largest concentration of sea wasps, as they are also called, is located off the coast. They are also found in tropical and subtropical waters. Thanks to the rectangular shape of the body and the presence of muscles, the jellyfish can move quite quickly.

Its two-meter tentacles contain a toxic substance that can fatally wound. The jellyfish is especially active at night. Fans of evening swimming and night diving should take this fact into account. When meeting a sea dweller, you should not touch her or lead her off the intended course. This will prevent unpleasant consequences from meeting this resident of the sea kingdom.

To avoid falling into the tentacles of a sea wasp, you should carefully examine the beach where you will be relaxing. It is also worth looking around while swimming or diving. Advice to divers: having a special suit and shoes, as well as increased attentiveness, can save lives when attacked by this dangerous creature.

When meeting a jellyfish underwater the best option- swim away from her. Depending on the amount of poison that enters the human body, death can occur within a few minutes.

First aid:

1. Call for medical help immediately.
2. Pull the victim ashore and ensure he remains motionless.
3. If you lose consciousness, perform indirect cardiac massage and artificial respiration.
4. Rinse the bite site with sea water and apply a cold compress or ice.

Sea snakes

Among the many marine organisms in the waters of the planet, sea snakes are particularly cunning. There are about 65 species of them. These are permanent inhabitants of the Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as the coastal waters of Africa and Australia. Their length can reach up to 3 meters, and their bright color seems to warn of the expected danger.

The venom of sea snakes is several times more powerful than that of their relatives on land. But snakes attack only in case of protection. So, care and caution when swimming are more likely to prevent an unpleasant encounter with a dangerous sea creature.

First aid:

1. Fix and immobilize the affected part of the body.
2. Apply a tight bandage.
3. Urgently seek help from medical personnel.

Original taken from billfish561 in Beautiful, but dangerous inhabitants of the seas and oceans.

There are quite a lot of creatures living in sea and ocean waters, an encounter with which can cause a person trouble in the form of injury or even lead to disability or death.

Here I have tried to describe the most common sea inhabitants that you should be wary of when you encounter them in the water, while relaxing and swimming on the beach of a resort or while diving.
If you ask any person "...Which inhabitant of the seas and oceans is the most dangerous?", then we will almost always hear the answer “... shark..." But is this so? Who is more dangerous, a shark or an outwardly completely harmless shell?

Moray eels

It reaches a length of 3 m and a weight of up to 10 kg, but as a rule, individuals are found about a meter long. The fish has bare skin, without scales. They are found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and are widespread in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Moray eels live in the bottom layer of water, one might say at the bottom. During the day, moray eels sit in crevices of rocks or corals, sticking their heads out and usually moving them from side to side, looking for passing prey; at night they get out of their shelters to hunt. Moray eels usually feed on fish, but they also attack crustaceans and octopuses, which are caught from ambush.

After processing, moray eel meat can be eaten. It was especially valued by the ancient Romans.

Moray eel is potentially dangerous to humans. A diver who has become a victim of a moray eel attack always somehow provokes this attack - he sticks his hand or foot into the crevice where the moray eel is hiding, or chases it. A moray eel, when attacking a person, inflicts a wound that is similar to the bite mark of a barracuda, but unlike a barracuda, the moray eel does not immediately swim away, but hangs on its victim like a bulldog. She can grab the arm with a bulldog death grip, from which the diver cannot free himself, and then he can die.

It is not poisonous, but since moray eels do not disdain carrion, the wounds are very painful, do not heal for a long time and often become inflamed. Hides among underwater rocks and coral reefs in crevices and caves.

When moray eels begin to feel hungry, they jump out of their shelters like an arrow and grab a victim swimming by. Very gluttonous. Very strong jaws and sharp teeth.

Moray eels are not very attractive in appearance. But they do not attack scuba divers, as some believe; they are not aggressive. Isolated cases occur only when moray eels mating season. If a moray eel mistakes a person for a source of food or he invades its territory, then it may still attack.

Barracudas

All barracudas live in tropical and subtropical waters of the World Ocean near the surface. There are 8 species in the Red Sea, including the large barracuda. There are not many species in the Mediterranean Sea - only 4, of which 2 moved there from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. The so-called “malita”, which has settled in the Mediterranean Sea, provides the bulk of the entire Israeli catch of barracudas. The most ominous feature of barracudas is the powerful lower jaw, which protrudes far beyond the upper jaw. The jaws are equipped with fearsome teeth: a row of small, razor-sharp teeth dot the outside of the jaw, and a row of large, dagger-like teeth inside.

The maximum recorded size of a barracuda is 200 cm, weight is 50 kg, but usually the length of a barracuda does not exceed 1-2 m.

She is aggressive and fast. Barracudas are also called “living torpedoes” because they attack their prey with great speed.

Despite such a formidable name and ferocious appearance, these predators are practically harmless to humans. It should be remembered that all attacks on people occurred in muddy or dark water, where the moving arms or legs of a swimmer were mistaken by the barracuda for swimming fish (This is exactly the situation the author of the blog found himself in in February 2014, when he was on vacation in Egypt, Oriental Bay Resort Marsa Alam 4+* (now called Aurora Oriental Bay Marsa Alam Resort 5*) Marsa Gabel el Rosas Bay . A medium-sized barracuda, 60-70cm, almost bit off the first f alang of the index finger on the right hand. A piece of a finger was hanging on a 5mm piece of skin (dive gloves saved me from complete amputation). At the Marsa Alam clinic, the surgeon put 4 stitches and saved the finger, but the rest was completely ruined ). In Cuba, the reason for attacking a person was shiny objects such as watches, jewelry, knives. It will not be superfluous if the shiny parts of the equipment are painted dark.

The barracuda's sharp teeth can damage the arteries and veins of the limbs; in this case, the bleeding must be stopped immediately, since blood loss can be significant. In the Antilles, barracudas are more feared than sharks.

Jellyfish

Every year, millions of people suffer from “burns” from contact with jellyfish while swimming.

There are no particularly dangerous jellyfish in the waters of the seas washing the Russian shores; the main thing is to prevent these jellyfish from coming into contact with mucous membranes. In the Black Sea, the easiest jellyfish to encounter are Aurelia and Cornerot. They are not very dangerous, and their “burns” are not very strong.

Aurelia "butterflies" (Aurelia aurita)

Cornermouth jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo)

Only in the Far Eastern seas does it live enough cross jellyfish, dangerous to humans, the poison of which can even lead to the death of a person. This small jellyfish with a cross pattern on its umbrella causes severe burns at the point of contact with it, and after a while causes other disorders in the human body - difficulty breathing, numbness of the limbs.

Cross Medusa (Gonionemus vertens)

consequences of a cross jellyfish burn

The further south you go, the more dangerous the jellyfish are. In the coastal waters of the Canary Islands, a pirate awaits unwary swimmers - the “Portuguese man-of-war” - a very beautiful jellyfish with a red crest and a multi-colored bubble-sail.

Portuguese man of war (Physalia physalis)

The "Little Man of Portugal" looks so harmless and beautiful at sea...

And this is what the leg looks like after contact with the "Portuguese man-of-war"....

Many jellyfish live in the coastal waters of Thailand.

But the real scourge for swimmers is the Australian “sea wasp”. She kills with a light touch of multi-meter tentacles, which, by the way, can wander on their own without losing their murderous qualities. You can pay for getting acquainted with the “sea wasp” with severe “burns” and lacerations at best, and with life at worst. Sea wasp jellyfish have killed more people than sharks. This jellyfish lives in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans, and is especially numerous off the coast of Northern Australia. The diameter of its umbrella is only 20-25 mm, but the tentacles reach a length of 7-8 m and they contain venom similar in composition to cobra venom, but much stronger. A person who is touched by a “sea wasp” with its tentacles usually dies within 5 minutes.

Australian box jellyfish or "sea wasp" (Chironex fleckeri)

burn from jellyfish "sea wasp"

Aggressive jellyfish also live in the Mediterranean and other Atlantic waters - the “burns” caused by them are stronger than the “burns” of the Black Sea jellyfish, and allergic reactions they call more often. These include cyanea ("hairy jellyfish"), pelagia ("little lilac sting"), chrysaora ("sea nettle") and some others.

Atlantic cyanide jellyfish (Cyanea capillata)

Pelagia (Noctiluca), known in Europe as "purple sting"

Pacific sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens)

Jellyfish "Compass" (Coronatae)
Compass jellyfish chose the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea and one of the oceans - the Atlantic - as their place of residence. They live off the coast of Turkey and the United Kingdom. These are quite large jellyfish, their diameter reaches thirty centimeters. They have twenty-four tentacles, which are arranged in groups of three each. The body color is yellowish-white with a brown tint, and its shape resembles a saucer-bell, which has thirty-two lobes, which are colored brown at the edges.
The upper surface of the bell has sixteen brown V-shaped rays. The lower part of the bell is the location of the mouth opening, surrounded by four tentacles. These jellyfish are poisonous. Their venom is potent and often leads to the formation of wounds that are very painful and take a long time to heal..
Yet the most dangerous jellyfish live in Australia and its adjacent waters. Burns from box jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war are very serious and often fatal.

Stingrays

Stingrays of the stingray family and electric rays can cause trouble. It should be noted that the stingrays themselves do not attack a person; injury can be caused if you step on him when this fish is hiding at the bottom.

Stingray stingray (Dasyatidae)

Electric Stingray (Torpediniformes)

Stingrays live in almost all seas and oceans. In our (Russian) waters you can find a stingray, or otherwise called a sea cat. It is found both in the Black Sea and in the seas of the Pacific coast. If you step on a stingray buried in the sand or resting at the bottom, it can cause a serious wound to the offender, and, among other things, inject poison into it. He has a thorn on his tail, or rather real sword- up to 20 centimeters in length. Its edges are very sharp, and also jagged, along the blade, on the lower side there is a groove in which dark poison from the poisonous gland on the tail is visible. If you touch a stingray lying at the bottom, it will strike with its tail like a whip; at the same time, it sticks out its spine and can cause a deep chopped wound. A wound from a stingray blow is treated like any other.

The Black Sea is also home to the sea fox stingray Raja clavata - large, up to one and a half meters from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, it is harmless to humans - unless, of course, you try to grab it by the tail, covered with long sharp spines. Electric stingrays are not found in the waters of Russian seas.

Sea anemones (anemones)

Sea anemones inhabit almost all the seas of the globe, but, like other coral polyps, they are especially numerous and diverse in warm waters. Most species live in shallow coastal waters, but they are often found at the maximum depths of the World Ocean. Sea anemones Usually hungry sea anemones sit completely calm, with tentacles widely spaced. At the slightest changes occurring in the water, the tentacles begin to oscillate, not only they stretch out towards the prey, but often the entire body of the sea anemone bends. Having grabbed the victim, the tentacles contract and bend towards the mouth.

Sea anemones are well armed. Stinging cells are especially numerous in predatory species. A volley of fired stinging cells kills small organisms and often causes severe burns in larger animals, even humans. They can cause burns, just like some types of jellyfish.

Octopuses

Octopuses (Octopoda) are the most famous representatives of cephalopods. “Typical” octopuses are representatives of the suborder Incirrina, bottom-dwelling animals. But some representatives of this suborder and all species of the second suborder, Cirrina, are pelagic animals that live in the water column, and many of them are found only at great depths.

They live in all tropical and subtropical seas and oceans, from shallow waters to depths of 100-150 m. They prefer rocky coastal zones, looking for caves and crevices in the rocks for habitat. In the waters of the Russian seas they live only in the Pacific region.

The common octopus has the ability to change color to adapt to environment. This is explained by the presence in his skin of cells with various pigments that, under the influence of impulses from the central nervous system, can stretch or contract depending on the perception of the senses. The usual color is brown. If the octopus is scared, it turns white; if it is angry, it turns red.

When enemies approach (including divers or scuba divers), they flee, hiding in rock crevices and under stones.

The real danger is an octopus bite if handled carelessly. The secretion of the poisonous salivary glands can be injected into the wound. In this case, acute pain and itching is felt in the bite area.
When a common octopus bites, a local inflammatory reaction occurs. Heavy bleeding indicates a slowdown in the blood clotting process. Usually, recovery occurs within two to three days. However, there are cases of severe poisoning in which symptoms of damage to the central nervous system occur. Wounds caused by octopuses are treated in the same way as injections from poisonous fish.

Blue-ringed octopus (Blue-ringed Octopus)

One of the contenders for the title of the most dangerous sea animal for humans is octopus Octopus maculosus, which is found along the coast of the Australian province of Queensland and near Sydney, is found in the Indian Ocean and occasionally in the Far East. Although the size of this octopus rarely exceeds 10 cm, it contains enough poison to kill ten people.

Lionfish

Lionfish (Pterois) of the family Scorpaenidae pose a great danger to humans. They are easy to recognize by their rich and bright colors, which warns of effective means protection in these fish. Even marine predators prefer to leave this fish alone. The fins of this fish look like brightly decorated feathers. Physical contact with such fish can be fatal.

Lionfish (Pterois)

Despite its name, it cannot fly. The fish got this nickname because of its large pectoral fins, which look a little like wings. Other names for lionfish are zebra fish or lion fish. She got the first due to the wide gray, brown and red stripes located throughout her body, and the second due to her long fins, which make her look like a predatory lion.

The lionfish belongs to the scorpionfish family. The body length reaches 30 cm, and the weight is 1 kg. The coloring is bright, which makes the lionfish noticeable even at great depths. The main decoration of the lionfish is the long ribbons of the dorsal and pectoral fins, which are what resemble a lion's mane. These luxurious fins conceal sharp, poisonous needles, which make the lionfish one of the most dangerous inhabitants of the seas.

The lionfish is widespread in the tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific oceans off the coasts of China, Japan and Australia. It lives mainly among coral reefs. lionfish Since it lives in surface waters reef, therefore it poses a great danger to swimmers, who can step on it and get injured by the sharp poisonous needles. The excruciating pain that occurs is accompanied by the formation of a tumor, breathing becomes difficult, and in some cases the injury leads to death.

The fish itself is very voracious and eats all kinds of crustaceans and small fish during the night hunt. The most dangerous include puffer fish, boxfish, sea dragon, urchin fish, ball fish, etc. You only need to remember one rule: the more colorful the fish and the more unusual its shape, the more poisonous it is.

Star pufferfish (Tetraodontidae)

Cube body or box fish (Ostraction cubicus)

hedgehog fish (Diodontidae)

fish ball (Diodontidae)

In the Black Sea there are relatives of the lionfish - the noticeable scorpionfish (Scorpaena notata), it is no more than 15 centimeters in length, and the Black Sea scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus) - up to half a meter - but such large ones are found deeper, further from the coast. The main difference between the Black Sea scorpionfish is its long, rag-like flaps, supraorbital tentacles. In the noticeable scorpion fish these outgrowths are short.

conspicuous scorpionfish (Scorpaena notata)

black sea scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus)

The body of these fish is covered with spines and growths, the spines are covered with poisonous mucus. And although the scorpionfish’s venom is not as dangerous as that of the lionfish, it is better not to disturb it.

Among the dangerous Black Sea fish, the sea dragon (Trachinus draco) should be noted. An elongated, snake-like, bottom-dwelling fish with an angular large head. Like other bottom-dwelling predators, the dragon has bulging eyes on the top of its head and a huge, greedy mouth.

sea ​​dragon (Trachinus draco)

The consequences of a poisonous injection from a dragon are much more serious than in the case of scorpionfish, but not fatal.

Wounds from scorpionfish or dragon thorns cause burning pain, the area around the injections turns red and swells, then general malaise, fever, and your rest is interrupted for a day or two. If you have suffered from ruff thorns, consult a doctor. Wounds should be treated like regular scratches.

The “stone fish” or wart (Synanceia verrucosa) also belongs to the order of scorpion fish - no less, and in some cases more dangerous than lionfish.

"stone fish" or wart (Synanceia verrucosa)

Sea urchins

Often in shallow waters there is a risk of stepping on a sea urchin.

Sea urchins are one of the most common and very dangerous inhabitants of coral reefs. The hedgehog's body, the size of an apple, is studded with 30-centimeter needles sticking out in all directions, similar to knitting needles. They are very mobile, sensitive and react instantly to irritation.

If a shadow suddenly falls on a hedgehog, it immediately points its needles towards danger and puts them together, several at a time, into a sharp, hard peak. Even gloves and wetsuits do not guarantee complete protection from the formidable peaks of the sea urchin. The needles are so sharp and fragile that, having penetrated deep into the skin, they immediately break off and it is extremely difficult to remove them from the wound. In addition to spines, hedgehogs are armed with small grasping organs - pedicillariae, scattered at the base of the spines.

I sea ​​urchins not dangerous, but causes burning pain at the injection site, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and passing paralysis. And soon redness and swelling appear, sometimes there is loss of sensitivity and secondary infection. The wound must be cleaned of needles, disinfected, and to neutralize the poison, hold the damaged part of the body in very hot water for 30-90 minutes or apply a pressure bandage.

After meeting a black “long-spined” sea urchin, black dots may remain on the skin - this is a trace of pigment, it is harmless, but it can make it difficult to find the needles stuck in you. After first aid, consult a doctor.

Shells (molluscs)

Often on the reef among the corals there are wavy valves of bright blue color.

tridacna clam (Tridacna gigas)

According to some reports, divers sometimes get caught between its doors, as if in a trap, which leads to their death. The danger of tridacna, however, is greatly exaggerated. These clams live in shallow reef areas in clear tropical waters, so they are easy to spot due to their large size, brightly colored mantle, and ability to spray water at low tide. A diver caught in a shell can easily free himself by inserting a knife between the valves and cutting the two muscles that compress the valves.

Poisonous Clam Cone (Conidae)
Do not touch beautiful shells (especially large ones). Here it is worth remembering one rule: all mollusks that have a long, thin and pointed ovipositor are poisonous. These are representatives of the conus genus of the gastropod class, having a brightly colored conical shell. Its length in most species does not exceed 15-20 cm. The cone injects with a needle-sharp spike that protrudes from the narrow end of the shell. Inside the thorn there is a duct of the poisonous gland, through which very strong poison is injected into the wound.

Various species of the genus cone are common on coastal shallows and coral reefs of warm seas.

At the moment of the injection, a sharp pain is felt. At the site where the spike was inserted, a reddish dot is visible against the background of pale skin.

The local inflammatory reaction is insignificant. A feeling of acute pain or burning appears, and numbness of the affected limb may occur. In severe cases, there is difficulty speaking, flaccid paralysis quickly develops, and knee reflexes disappear. Death may occur within a few hours.

In case of mild poisoning, all symptoms disappear within 24 hours.

First aid consists of removing thorn fragments from the skin. The affected area is wiped with alcohol. The affected limb is immobilized. The patient is taken to the medical center in a supine position.

Corals

Coral, both living and dead, can cause painful cuts (be careful when walking on coral islands). And the so-called “fire” corals are armed with poisonous needles that dig into human body when physical contact with them.

The basis of the coral is made up of polyps - marine invertebrate animals measuring 1-1.5 millimeters or slightly larger (depending on the species).

As soon as it is born, the baby polyp begins to build a cell house in which it spends its entire life. Micro-houses of polyps are grouped into colonies from which a coral reef ultimately appears.

When hungry, the polyp sticks out tentacles with many stinging cells from its “house”. The smallest animals that make up the plankton encounter the tentacles of the polyp, which paralyzes the victim and sends it into the mouth. Despite their microscopic size, the stinging cells of polyps have a very complex structure. Inside the cell there is a capsule filled with poison. The outer end of the capsule is concave and looks like a thin spirally twisted tube called a stinging filament. This tube, covered with tiny spines directed backwards, resembles a miniature harpoon. When touched, the stinging thread straightens, the “harpoon” pierces the victim’s body, and the poison passing through it paralyzes the prey.

Poisoned coral harpoons can also injure humans. Dangerous ones include, for example, fire coral. Its colonies in the form of “trees” made of thin plates have chosen the shallow waters of tropical seas.

The most dangerous stinging corals from the genus Millepora are so beautiful that scuba divers cannot resist the temptation to break off a piece as a souvenir. This can be done without “burns” and cuts only with canvas or leather gloves.

Fire coral (Millepora dichotoma)

When talking about such passive animals as coral polyps, it is worth mentioning another interesting type of marine animal - sponges. Typically, sponges are not classified as dangerous marine inhabitants, however, in the waters of the Caribbean there are some species that can cause severe skin irritation to a swimmer upon contact with them. It is believed that the pain can be relieved with a weak solution of vinegar, but the unpleasant consequences from contact with the sponge can last several days. These primitive animals belong to the genus Fibula and are often called touch-me-not sponges.

Sea snakes (Hydrophidae)

Little is known about sea snakes. This is strange, since they live in all the seas of the Pacific and Indian oceans and are not among the rare inhabitants of the deep sea. Maybe it's because people just don't want to deal with them.

And there are serious reasons for this. After all, sea snakes are dangerous and unpredictable.

There are about 48 species of sea snakes. This family once left land and completely switched to an aquatic lifestyle. Because of this, sea snakes have acquired some features in the structure of the body, and in appearance they are somewhat different from their terrestrial counterparts. The body is flattened laterally, the tail is in the form of a flat ribbon (in flat-tailed representatives) or slightly elongated (in swallowtails). The nostrils are located not on the sides, but on the top, so it is more convenient for them to breathe, sticking the tip of the muzzle out of the water. The lung stretches throughout the body, but these snakes absorb up to a third of all oxygen from the water with the help of the skin, which is densely permeated with blood capillaries. A sea snake can stay underwater for more than an hour.

The venom of the sea snake is dangerous to humans. Their venom is dominated by an enzyme that paralyzes the nervous system. When attacking, the snake quickly strikes with two short teeth, slightly bent back. The bite is practically painless, there is no swelling or hemorrhage.

But after some time, weakness appears, coordination is impaired, and convulsions begin. Death occurs from paralysis of the lungs within a few hours.

The great toxicity of the venom of these snakes is a direct result of their aquatic habitat: to prevent the prey from escaping, it must be immediately paralyzed. True, the venom of sea snakes is not as dangerous as the venom of snakes that live with us on land. When a flattail bites, 1 mg of poison is released, and when a swallowtail bites, 16 mg is released. So, a person has a chance to survive. Out of 10 people bitten by sea snakes, 7 people remain alive, of course, if they receive medical assistance in time.

True, there is no guarantee that you will be among the last.

Among other dangerous aquatic animals, especially dangerous freshwater inhabitants should be mentioned - crocodiles that live in the tropics and subtropics, piranha fish that live in the Amazon River basin, freshwater electric stingrays, as well as fish whose meat or some organs are poisonous and can cause acute poisoning.

If you are interested in more detailed information about dangerous species jellyfish and corals, you can find it at http://medusy.ru/

Preface

When conceiving this site, I intended to limit myself to only circular panoramas, photographs were added by themselves, then eerie and terrible inhabitants of the Mediterranean surfaced from the depths of the sea.

Upon closer inspection, the monsters turned out to be some kind of third-rate monsters, suitable only for scaring small children with them. In a word, our sea clearly does not reach the Maldives with their abundance of all kinds of poisonous tropical reptiles. However, I read what was written and was horrified. It turns out that the gentle and warm Mediterranean Sea is simply teeming with all sorts of creatures, ready to grab onto the tender, defenseless body of a swimmer, tear out a piece of meat from it, poison it, or, at worst, just sting painfully.

However, over 15 years of searching for adventure and snorkeling, the biggest trouble that happened to us was hopelessly ruined swimming trunks, on which a frightened octopus “spit” ink when it was pulled out of the water.

The main principle for anyone who wants to dive into the depths of the sea is simple and unpretentious, like a rake: "If you don't know, don't touch". The more dangerous the living creature and the more trouble it can cause to the bather, the more careless it behaves and allows it closer to itself, naively believing that everyone around is well acquainted with its bad temper and will not touch it.

If you're going to swim in the wild stone beaches, then to the main principle “don’t touch anything” it would be nice to add special slippers, then no sea urchin is scary.

The holiday kit will not be complete if you forget it at home sunglasses And sun cream. Glasses must block not only the visible spectrum of solar radiation, but most importantly, block ultraviolet radiation to avoid burns to the cornea. Sunglasses in Cyprus, even in winter they will not be superfluous. You can save cream with protective factor SPF 5, 10, 15 for central Russia, the rainy Baltic states or Foggy Albion. The Cyprus thermonuclear sun requires reliable protection. If you have not forgotten any of the above, then you will be happy in the form have a nice rest and pleasant memories.

Seaweed may be a source of discomfort. Being a fan of swimming with a mask and fins in the crystal clear water of Protaras, a couple of times I climbed out onto the steep stone shore and sat down on the soft algae growing in the surf to take off my fins. The consequences made me remember the old advice: “to get a full bust, stick it in a beehive.” A beehive, not a beehive, but there was a very strong feeling that I had sat in the nettle bushes. The stung area then itched terribly, which added piquancy to the situation. Probably, in such cases, the use of fenistil gel or any other allergy cream can be recommended.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a camera for filming underwater, so I had to be content with pictures found on the Internet. All photos indicate which site I stole them from.

Let's start with the thunder of the seas - sharks, rightfully considered the most terrible inhabitant of the Mediterranean Sea.

Unfortunately or fortunately, the state of affairs at the moment is such that we need to worry not about meeting with dangerous predator, but that sharks living in the Mediterranean Sea are facing imminent and complete extinction. But still, what is the likelihood of meeting a shark on the beaches of Cyprus?

Fireworms look very picturesque: their body consists of many segments of a bright orange-red color. Each segment contains a bunch of beautiful and fluffy-looking white bristles. Many worms reach a respectable size of 30-40 cm.

Jellyfish off the coast of Cyprus are quite rare, in contrast to the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Malta and Israel, which is teeming with jellyfish. But this does not mean that contact with jellyfish is completely excluded. Warming of the climate in general and sea water in particular contributes to an increase in the number of these dangerous sea ​​creatures in the Mediterranean Sea. The jellyfish on the left was photographed off the coast of Spain.

Sea urchins cause problems for vacationers on the beaches of Cyprus, perhaps more often than any other dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea. Encounters with sea urchins with unpleasant consequences for both parties are, unfortunately, not uncommon. The Mediterranean Sea with salty and warm water is simply a paradise for hedgehogs. They often form large clusters on inclined rock surfaces, starting from the shallowest water near the shore. A careless swimmer crawling ashore or wandering along the rocks along the water's edge risks stepping on, or even grabbing, a sea urchin. But there are no poisonous sea urchins in Cyprus.

Anemones belong to the order of marine cnidarians. Sea anemones are quite widespread along the entire coast, growing either singly or in colonies. Most of all, they look like harmless grass, only meatier. Often, entire colonies of anemones settle in the surf, withstanding both the pressure of waves during high tides and low tides.

Moray eels and their close relatives, eels, have long, snake-like bodies. They can be truly dangerous if you try to catch or feed them. Moray eels are not the first to attack, but when disturbed they can become very aggressive. The mouth, equipped with large, sharp teeth curved inward, does not raise any doubt about the danger of such a weapon. Despite the absence of poison, their bites are very painful and do not heal for a long time: there are more than enough infections on the teeth of this cute fish.

For those who choose the beaches of Cyprus for a summer holiday, I will say right away: the rabbit fish does not pose any danger. It does not burrow into sand like scorpionfish. It does not attack humans, it is in different weight categories with them, and it is found quite far from the shore. This story is mainly for those who are going sea fishing.

"Most main principle behavior with unknown representatives of the plant, animal and underwater world - do not disturb. They have their own lives, in which they are quite capable of standing up for themselves in response to any action regarded as a threat. It’s better to enjoy your holiday in an idyll with nature!”

There are very few dangerous inhabitants in the Mediterranean Sea that can harm humans, at least much less than in tropical seas. The threat of encountering a shark is so rare that for many years in none of the zones of the Mediterranean Sea, even in its most secluded corners, has anyone who went under the water seen one (except from the mouths of fishermen and “yellow press” reporters). However, sometimes even seemingly harmless animals can pose a danger to humans.
We will not exaggerate this danger, but we will still try to acquaint you with the problems that may arise from too close contact with marine life.
Marine inhabitants are of considerable interest to vacationers. It is always very funny to watch them, but we should not forget that some underwater inhabitants can cause us very significant harm: injure, bite or inject poison.
Whether you will encounter this misfortune during your vacation or not is unknown. In any case, you need to know the enemy by sight.

Danger - Sea urchins:

Among the inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea, most often problems can arise precisely with sea ​​urchins. Here they are called ahinu (αχινού). On “cultural” beaches, these “hedgehogs” are quite difficult to meet, but once you step outside the “cultured” zone, they are right there. Meetings with sea ​​urchins with unpleasant consequences for both sides, unfortunately, is not uncommon. The Mediterranean Sea with salty and warm water is simply a paradise for hedgehogs. They often form large concentrations on sloping rock surfaces, starting from the shallowest waters near the shore. A careless swimmer crawling ashore or wandering along the rocks along the water's edge risks stepping on, or even grabbing, a sea urchin. The author of this material has repeatedly had the opportunity to deal with these creatures and even step on them several times. There was also “pleasure” from this...

Prevention: In hedgehog habitats, it is best to go into the water in rubber slippers. The approximate cost of swimming shoes is 5-15 € per pair, and the author recommends choosing products with a sole thickness of at least 1 centimeter. If you think that wearing flippers on your feet will allow you to safely step on these “cute little animals,” I will disappoint you. I checked it personally - sea urchin needles easily pierce even the plastic soles of flippers. And let’s not even talk about rubber ones. So, it’s better to go around or swim past. By the way, when swimming in shallow water, you can catch “hedgehogs” not only with your foot, but also with other parts of the body.

What to do: The best cure for hedgehogs is vigilance! Before entering the sea in an unfamiliar place, take a closer look; fortunately, the water is clear and the black dots of urchins are clearly visible.

If contact with the hedgehog cannot be avoided, you will most likely have to consult a doctor. Fortunately, first aid in public hospitals is free.

If for some reason you cannot get to the hospital, then remember - the hedgehog’s spines are very sharp and at the same time fragile. They easily penetrate the body and then break off just as easily. It is quite difficult to pull out the fragments, and since there is no talk about the sterility of hedgehog thorns, the affected area can fester. Sometimes the wound heals, and the broken thorn remains in the body, from where it can come out (or maybe remain in the body forever) several years later.

• soak your foot in very hot water (but don’t overdo it, you won’t get burned!), and then try to pull the needle out.
• Regularly treat the wound with antiseptics and carefully monitor so that suppuration does not begin.

A local recipe is to lubricate the damaged area with olive oil (read cream or Vaseline) and gradually squeeze out the thorns. I tested it on myself - it WORKS!!!

Local pharmacies also sell special tweezers for pulling out sea urchin needles, as well as a special ointment. By the way, I recommend using it for any contact with biting or prickly sea inhabitants, and it also helps against mosquito and mosquito bites.

Danger -Jellyfish:

In third place in terms of the frequency of “natural problems” created in the Greek seas are jellyfish.
There are practically no poisonous jellyfish in the Greek seas (unless they accidentally swim from the Atlantic or the Red Sea), most of those that you might come across sting no worse than nettles, and the mucus they secrete is harmful only if it gets into your eyes. An encounter with a purple jellyfish is especially unpleasant - the thunderstorm of the Adriatic is called Pelagije nocticulice. When you see the purple back, it is better to go around the jellyfish.
Touching the jellyfish's tentacles causes a burn that will go away in a few days or weeks.

Prevention: Avoiding drifting nippers is almost impossible. But it is known for sure that they wash ashore after a storm. The special anti-jellyfish Israeli lotion SafeSea, which acts as a mosquito repellent or its analogue Bites Reliever, will help to avoid accidental contact.

What to do: Touching the tentacles of a jellyfish causes a burn, appearance similar to nettle.

First, you need to remove the remnants of the tentacles from the skin; do not rinse the damaged area with water - neither salty nor fresh. Sea water will revive dried stinging cells, and if it gets on them fresh water they will burst, releasing poison abundantly. The affected area can be lubricated with vinegar, lemon, alcohol or a specially sold “pencil” with ammonium Bites Reliever. Subsequently, lubricate the affected area with a special Fusidin ointment (antibiotic). In particularly severe cases, an injection of anesthetic may be required. It is important not to rinse the damaged area with either sea or fresh water, as this will only worsen the burn.

Danger - Octopuses:

It’s only in the movies that huge octopuses attack people and sink ships. In fact, specimens larger than 3 meters long and weighing more than 30 kg are never found in the Mediterranean Sea. The real cephalopods that you may come across are small animals up to 30 cm long and weighing up to 2 kilograms. At the same time they never They do not attack people and generally carefully hide from them. In case of an unexpected meeting, such a “giant” (if he could not escape) will only release an ink cloud and wave his tentacles threateningly - beware, they say!

How dangerous is an octopus for humans?

The scariest thing about a cephalopod is its appearance. By nature, he is very timid and when a diver or scuba diver approaches, he usually hides under rocks. True, cases of an octopus attacking a person are extremely rare. This can happen to a diver when inspecting the hold or cabin of a sunken ship where he is hiding cephalopod. He has nowhere to go and, in defense, involuntarily attacks the person. Therefore, inexperienced divers in places where octopuses are found should avoid grottoes and underwater caves, which usually serve as shelter for animals. There is a danger, although small, that, having entered such a cave, the diver will be caught by an octopus if its tentacles can stay on the smooth surface of the diving suit. Finding himself in such a situation, a scuba diver should not panic - he has a knife, and this is a fairly reliable weapon in case of an octopus attack. You should not start the fight by cutting off the tentacles. To quickly free yourself from the “embrace” of an octopus, scuba diving experts recommend striking its brain, located between the eyes. As long as the nerve center is not destroyed, the suckers and tentacles of the octopus will act, no matter what wounds are inflicted on it.

A more real danger is octopus venom. The octopus's mouth is equipped with two powerful chitinous jaws, shaped like a parrot's beak. With them, the cephalopod bites its prey, holding it with its suction cups. In this case, the poison of the salivary glands from the throat and mouth enters the wound. The beak bite leaves little damage, but since saliva prevents blood from clotting, bleeding can be quite prolonged. The severity of the lesion depends on the type of octopus and, apparently, on its size. The first signs of poisoning: stabbing pain and burning at the site of the bite. Subsequently, these sensations spread to the entire limb. The tissue around the wound swells. When the poison is absorbed into the blood, breathing becomes difficult, the voice weakens, and the body temperature rises. As a rule, recovery occurs within 3-4 weeks.

What to do: If you are bitten, call a doctor, and before he arrives, try simply urinating on the bite site. Don’t laugh - this time-tested remedy turns out to be very effective, well, at least it will help you avoid more serious consequences.
Video of Russian tourists communicating with octopuses:

Dangers: Fish:

Girls, that is, fish, come in different colors - yellow, white, red. Of the fish in the seas surrounding Greece, the most common is the stingray (sea cat), which, although not particularly poisonous, is always ready to strike with its spiked tail - a laceration with stuck needles and mild poisoning are guaranteed. The difficulty is that the stingray often buries itself in the sand and is easily mistaken for an ordinary pebble. Well, the scorpion fish, or the sea ruffe, is not at all pleasant, meeting with which can put you in a hospital bed for several days. But the following fish, although much less common, can bring much bigger problems.

Sea dragons (Trachinus)

Bottom-dwelling fish with an elongated body, no more than 45 cm long. They belong to the Trachinidae family and are one of the most poisonous fish in the temperate zone. They live mainly in bays and bays with a flat sandy or muddy bottom and usually burrow into soft soil so that only the top of the head, mouth, eyes and dorsal fin spines are visible. Lower jaw they have a longer upper mouth, with small conical teeth directed obliquely upward. Eyes on the top side of the head. These fish have two dorsal fins: the first is short, with 5-7 spines, the second dorsal and anal are long, with 21-24 rays each. When the baby dragon lies half-buried in the ground, this black fin is clearly visible at a considerable distance. If the fish is irritated, the gill covers spread out, the fin rises and unfolds, which serves as a warning to the predator. The baby dragon can instantly jump out of its hiding place and, with unerring accuracy, plunge the poisoned spine of the gill cover into the intended object.
The long sharp spines of the gill covers and the first dorsal fin are covered with skin, only their tips protrude. The spines have deep grooves. Venom glands are located in these grooves and at the base of the spines. There is no channel for poison. Probably, when pricked by a thorn, the glandular cells are torn, the poison is released and introduced into the wound along the grooves, like a syringe needle. The venom of dragons is very strong. Like the venom of some snakes, it acts as a neurotoxin and hemotoxin. When pricked by a poisonous thorn, an excruciating, sharp, burning or stabbing pain occurs, which, without treatment, lasts for several hours or even the whole day. The affected limb becomes inflamed and very swollen. Other symptoms included loss of consciousness, palpitations, slow heart rate, fever, headaches, delirium, severe vomiting, convulsions, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, death may occur. Morphine usually does not provide relief.
Due to their hidden lifestyle, aggressiveness and highly developed venomous apparatus, dragonets are very dangerous for anyone who swims near the shore, dives or wanders barefoot in shallow water, for fishermen and amateur fishermen.
Never, under any circumstances, handle a live dragon. Even a dead dragon must be handled very carefully so as not to be pricked by its thorn, which can cause dangerous wounds.

Important: do not even touch dead fish; the poison can remain effective for several more days.

By the way, according to local residents, the dragon may end up in the sand far from the shore. They get there in this way: seagulls catch them from the water, eat the tasty and safe parts, and throw the rest wherever necessary. Even dead fish, as mentioned above, remain poisonous for several more days.

What to do: If you receive a poisonous injection, you should immediately seek professional medical help. It is recommended to inject a few drops of a 5% solution of potassium permanganate into the wound with a syringe to destroy the poison. This provides immediate pain relief and prevents inflammation. If this was not done immediately and inflammation began, cooling lotions or hot poultices should be used. It may take several months for complete healing. The damaged part of the body must be immersed in very hot water as much as you can tolerate, and dissolve some oxidizing substance in water, for example, potassium permanganate, which neutralizes the poison. In addition, the victim is prescribed cardiac analeptics and adrenaline with cortisone.

Dangers: Stingray (sea cat)

Small stingrays(mostly sea cat, sea fox) although they do not pose a particular danger, they can still cause you trouble with their spines.

Stingrays are relatives of sharks; they are also cartilaginous fish: the spine, ribs, and skull are made of cartilage. The stingray has no sides - only the back and belly, top and bottom.

In the Mediterranean Sea live the sea fox ray Raja clavata - large, up to one and a half meters from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, it is harmless to humans - unless, of course, you try to grab it by the tail, covered with long sharp spines; and the stingray, also known as the sea cat, up to 70 cm in length. They live on the bottom, and at the bottom they also find food - shellfish, crabs; therefore, their mouth is shifted under their flat head, and their eyes and squirts - gill slits - are located on top. Stingrays swim, waving the wide planes of their body like wings, and their caudal fin disappears, leaving only its stem - the tail itself. The danger of this stingray lies precisely in his tail with a dagger-shaped spike, but it is not even the thorn itself that is dangerous, but the poison that is produced by the glands and enters human tissue when struck by the tail. If you are planning to engage in combat with a stingray, keep in mind that he masters his rapier spike perfectly, and can bend it in any direction and instantly strike. A thick neoprene suit cuts easily! Signs of poisoning include a slow heart rate, increased breathing, heart failure, a drop in blood pressure, and redness and swelling at the site of the injury, accompanied by acute pain. First aid - wash the wound ammonia and consult a doctor immediately.

Fortunately, sea cats are shy, afraid of noise, try to swim away from swimmers, and they are not found where children swim. And in the spring, in sandy shallow water, you can often find stingrays gliding over the flat bottom, smoothly flapping their wings. Having circled, the stingray slides to the bottom and, raising a cloud of sand with a flapping of its wings, sprinkles it on itself, becoming completely invisible.

Dangers: Fireworms

Fireworms look very picturesque: their body consists of many segments of a bright orange-red color. Each segment contains a bunch of beautiful and fluffy-looking white bristles. Many worms reach a respectable size of 30-40 cm. I remember when I saw the fluffy worm for the first time, I barely resisted the temptation to pick up the handsome one. Fortunately, I still realized in time that it was better to stay away from the fire worm. It is enough to simply move your flippers in the place where the worms accumulate, so that you can scratch for a while, as if you were stung by nettles. The worm instantly parts with its bristles, which scatter in the water, causing some discomfort to the diver.

Of all the dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea, worms are the slowest and are unlikely to attack you; in addition, they are clearly visible on the seabed if you swim in a mask or special glasses. This handsome guy is found in Crete, Cyprus, and is found in Rhodes.

Dangers: Rabbitfish

For those who choose the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea for a summer holiday, I will say right away: the rabbit fish does not pose any danger. It does not burrow into sand like scorpionfish. It does not attack humans, it is in different weight categories with them, and it is found quite far from the shore.

Some deep-sea species of chimaera (rabbit fish) have a poisonous gland at the base of the dorsal spine; fortunately, this fish is usually found at great depths and can only fall into your hands by accident.

Dark Sigan

Dark Sigan(lat. Siganus luridus) belongs to the genus Siganus of the monotypic family Siganidae. A variety of rabbit fish. It is found in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to the Persian Gulf at depths from 1 to 20 meters. Lives in large schools in shallow water above sand and algae. Maximum length– 30 cm, but most often fish reach a length of no more than 20 cm. Last years swims in and to the Mediterranean Sea. In particular, in September 2017 from fish suffered 2 bathers on the island of Crete.

The body of the fish is oval and elongated. There are 13-14 spiny and 10 soft rays, in the anal – 7 spines and 9 soft rays. In front of the dorsal fin there is a small spine pointing forward. All spines and spines on the dorsal and anal fins and They have deep grooves in which glands that secrete poison are located.

The injections of these fish are extremely painful. Pain and numbness in the extremities last from several hours to several days. Sensitive people may experience swelling, nausea, vomiting, and rapid heartbeat. No deaths have been recorded in the scientific literature. When pricked by a thorn, you must immerse your hand in hot water, as the poison quickly decomposes at high temperatures.

Dangers: Poisonous shellfish

The only one supposedly poisonous inhabitant among the shells and snails of the Mediterranean - cone - snail, is not actually poisonous. Its brothers are poisonous - and there are only 500 species of them, which not found in the Mediterranean Sea.

A little about medical care and rescue services in Greece.

Emergency phone number 112 or 199.
Remember, not available in Greece special service rescue, its functions are performed by local firefighters. Most of them know how to provide first aid, but don't count on it too much. In any case, call 199 (112) and try to report (in English or Greek) that trouble has happened to you. If something happens, they will call an ambulance themselves.

Just in case, keep a small first aid kit with you in case of injuries, burns, etc. It is better to bring it back whole and unopened than in case of emergency
to be powerless in the face of an unexpected problem.

Police	100
Ambulance EKAB (ΕΚΑΒ)	166
Fire department service-service salvation	199
Coast security	108
Road assistance	10400
Reference	11888
Air Police	210 9642000
Police - information	1033
Drug Abuse Service	109
Forest guard	191
Lifeline (type of helpline) - SOS	175
Information about hospitals, clinics, doctors, and pharmacies	1434
Tourist police	171
SOS Doctors (Athens)	1016
Road assistance
Road assistance ΕΛΠΑ	10400
Road assistance Εxpress Service	1507
Interamerican Road Assistance	1168

Perhaps this phrasebook will help you find a common language with your doctor:

Theme "At the doctor's"
Στο γιατρό

I'm not feeling well	estAnume Ashima	Αισθάνομαι άσχημα
I'm sick	Ime Arostos(Arosta)	Είμαι άρρωστος (άρρωστη)
I need to go to the doctor	prEPi on pAO stoytO	Πρέπει να πάω στο γιατρό
Please give me the doctor's phone number or address	ParakalO, d'Oste mu totylEfono I yidEftynsi tu yatra	Παρακαλώ, δώστε μου το τηλέφωνο ή τη διεύθυνση του γιατρού
Please call a doctor (ambulance)	fonAkste, parakalO, tonyatrO (toastEnoforo)	Φωνάξτε, παρακαλώ, τον γιατρό (το ασθενοφόρο)
Invite a doctor home	zitYste naErty oyatrOs one hundred sleeps	Ζητήστε να έρθει ο γιατρός
Where can I find a doctor who speaks Ukrainian (Russian)?	pu na vro toyatro pu milai ukranika (rosika)	Πού να βρω το γιατρό που μιλάει ουκρανικά (ρωσικά);
Which doctor should I see?	Se pyo yatrO prEPi na pAO	Σε πιο γιατρό πρέπει να πάω;
Can I go to the doctor?	Boron on Bo standO	Μπορώ να μπω στο γιατρό;
Please wait a little	perimEnete ligAki, paracalO	Περιμένετε λιγάκι,παρακαλώ
Go to the office	perAste mEsa	Περάστε μέσα
What are you complaining about?	apo you ipoferete	Από τι υποφέρετε;
Tell me exactly where your pain is concentrated?	you sas poAi	Τι σας πονάει;
I don't feel well, I'm freezing	estAnome Ashima, estAnome rIgos	Αισθάνομαι άσχημα, αισθάνομαι ρίγος
What is your temperature?	you are a pirate O Ekhete	Τι πυρετό έχετε;
I have heat	Echo PirateO	Έχω πυρετό
I feel dizzy	HallIzome	Ζαλίζομαι
My ____ hurts...	me ponAi...	Με πονάει .
head throat heart stomach	t okefali mu olemOs ikardya toastAkhi	το κεφάλι μου ο λαιμός η καρδιά το στομάχι
I have a (severe) cough	Echo (dynato) in Ikha	"Έχω (δυνατό) βήχα
I got food poisoning	Epata dyilityrIasi	Έπαθα δηλητηρίαση
I'm sick	mu Erhete emetOs	Μου έρχεται εμετός
Have you been sick for a long time?	apo kero iste arostos	Από καιρό είστε άρρωστος;
When did you feel unwell?	pote estantiykate Ashima	Πότε αισθανθήκατε άσχημα;
This night, Last night a week ago	sImera tynIkhta htES tovrAdy prin myavd'omAd'a	Σήμερα Τη νύχτα Χτες το βράδυ Πριν μια βδομάδα
Have you been sick with anything recently?	prosfata Ikhate kapya arostya	Πρόσφατα είχατε κάποια αρρώστια;

I also recommend looking at other publications in the section “What to watch out for in Greece”. If you are planning to travel around Greece, through its forests and mountains, we recommend reading about the dangers that may await you here. It’s not for nothing that the ancient Romans said - “forewarned is forearmed” (Praemonitus, praemunitus, lat).

Greece: Danger - marine fauna