Fish of the Mediterranean Sea: interesting and dangerous representatives. Dangerous marine life of the turkish mediterranean sea fish of the mediterranean sea that swim backwards

Fortunately, there are not so many dangerous inhabitants of the deep water in the Mediterranean. If we compare their number and degree of danger with tropical seas, then it is ten times safer to rest and swim on the Mediterranean coast. The likelihood of meeting such dangerous predators as shark or moray eel is so small that even experienced scuba divers sometimes cannot find them. Moreover, only a white shark is found in the waters of the Mediterranean, a blue shark has not been seen here for a long time, and cases of shark attacks on humans over the past few decades have been isolated. However, with the smaller inhabitants of the sea, which are found in the Mediterranean Sea and can cause a lot of trouble, the likelihood of meeting is quite high.

One of the basic rules for swimmers and divers is "If you don't know - don't touch"... Often, it not only saves you from unpleasant sensations or memories of an unexpected meeting, but also becomes the key to a relaxing holiday by the sea. It should also be borne in mind that the more dangerous a sea animal is, the calmer it behaves, allowing the curious tourist to get closer as close as possible. After all, the animal thinks that everyone around him knows about her "bad character" and will not bother her.

Wild beaches with occasional vacationers and rocky beaches overgrown with algae require special caution in behavior. In such places, you need to protect yourself with special rubber shoes. It will perfectly protect against hedgehogs, corals, sharp stones and algae. The latter, by the way, on some beaches of Cyprus, especially in Protaras, are able to sting, like nettles, redness can last for several hours, itch and interfere. In case of encounter with such algae, it is necessary to lubricate the burns with an anti-allergy agent as soon as possible.

Below is a list of the most common marine life that can be found in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Perhaps their description and some recommendations of experienced scuba divers will help tourists avoid meeting them or react correctly to the behavior of the animal.

Sea ruffs, electric stingrays and stingrays

Since the meeting with a blue or white shark in the Mediterranean Sea is reduced to almost zero, the top of the rating is occupied by the smaller inhabitants of the sea. Stingray stingray possesses powerful weapon, poisonous spines on the tail. The electric ray defends itself by giving an electric shock to the attacker. In sea ruffs, the whole body is covered with thorns and thorns, at the base of which there is poison, which the ruff injects into the attacker. I also call sea ruffs small scorpions, they are difficult to distinguish among multi-colored stones and algae and can be mistaken for a pebble. When the poison enters the body, inflammation appears at the puncture site, which can develop into an abscess. An antihistamine, drunk on time, contributes to the rapid restoration of the skin. However, it would be more accurate not to touch unfamiliar animals, attractive stones and corals with your hands. In 100% of cases, ruffs and stalkers do not use their poisonous weapons for hunting, solely for protection.

Conger eels and moray eels

Human behavior with these two creatures must be very careful. You do not need to give in to the desire to treat the fish with a delicacy, the consequences of their bite can be serious. Moray eels and eels have a powerful jaw with sharp teeth. At the moment of danger, animals will try to protect themselves and bite the attacker.

Fire worms

Fireworms are quite beautiful due to their bright orange color and white fluffy bristles that cover the entire body of the worm. Often they reach 15-20 cm in length, but there are individuals 35 and more centimeters long.

The worm is perhaps the slowest of the dangerous inhabitants of the sea, he will not pounce on his offender. However, it is next to it, and even more so, you should not touch it with your hands. The poison of the fireworm is in white bristles, which, in case of danger, detach from the body of the animal and sting the novice scuba diver. After meeting with a worm, small burns may remain on the body, similar to stinging nettles.

Most often, fireworms live on the wild beaches of Cyprus. Rubber shoes and common sense will save lovers of secluded shores from worm burns.

Mediterranean jellyfish

Off the coast of the island of Cyprus, jellyfish are rare, but meeting with them is possible. Due to a sharp warming on the planet and an increase in water temperature in the Mediterranean Sea, colonies of dangerous jellyfish in last years become impressive. Most dangerous species considered a glowing purple jellyfish, found mainly off the coast of Italy. However, after a strong storm, these jellyfish can often be seen off the coast of Cyprus. Their long, thin tentacles reach 50 cm, and their round transparent body is about 10 - 15 cm in diameter. The burns of these jellyfish are extensive and painful. The place of the burn should be immediately lubricated with an anti-inflammatory anti-allergenic agent and an antihistamine medicine should be taken. To the great joy of scuba divers, a meeting with such a beautiful and dangerous inhabitant of the sea does not threaten him with troubles, a thermal suit, glasses and gloves reliably protect the body from strong bites.

Sea urchins

Vacationers in Cyprus are most often found with sea urchins. The rocky bottom of the warm sea is a paradise for this animal. Often, hedgehogs live in colonies on the rocky slopes of wild beaches. Fortunately for the careless bathers, poisonous sea urchins are not found in Cyprus. The only trouble when meeting a hedgehog is the hedgehog's needles stuck in the skin, which can cause inflammation and suppuration.

It will be useful for a beginner tourist to know that sea urchins are not found on sandy or pebble beaches. There are no stones or breakwaters necessary for them. But on wild beaches, on which there are whole boulders, hedgehogs have plenty of space.

If you still could not avoid "acquaintance" with the hedgehog and the needles firmly crawled into the arm or leg, you need to do the following:

After the needle has entered the body, you must try not to break it off, and the needles of hedgehogs are very fragile;

Before pulling out the needle, hold your leg or arm in very hot water;

Periodically treat the wound with an antiseptic.

Sea dragon

The sea dragon is the only dangerous fish in the Mediterranean that can attack a person first, even if it is not touched. The dragon has poisonous thorns, which contain a strong toxin that can cause long-term painful sensations.

Seeing this fish at the bottom is not easy. She often buries herself in the sand and suddenly jumps out of it onto her victim. In any case, when bitten by this fish, you need to be calm, do not panic, take an antihistamine and, if necessary, consult a doctor.

Anemones or sea anemones

On a rocky bottom in the shallow waters off the coast of Cyprus, anemones are found, resembling algae in appearance, only more fleshy and large. Most of them live in one place and cannot move. When in contact with them, a person may feel a slight burning sensation, which quickly passes.

The greatest danger is the anemone - a sorceress. This species is able to move. The tentacles of this sea anemone are long and venomous. For a person, a meeting with such anemones will bring a tangible burn, and for most marine plankton and small inhabitants, its poison is fatal.

The inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea, with a sufficiently high diversity of species, are inferior in quantitative terms to many other seas and parts of the oceans. In many ways, this is a consequence poor development the first link in the food chain is plankton (phyto- and zooplankton). Its amount in the upper layers of the sea is only 8-10 mg / m3, at a depth of 1000-2000 meters it is 10-20 times less.An important factor shaping the underwater world of the sea is also the Gibraltar Range, which prevents the cool, oxygen-rich waters of the Atlantic Ocean and its deep-sea inhabitants from entering the Mediterranean Sea.

As we have already noted, the inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea, with a sufficiently high diversity of species, are inferior to many parts of the oceans in their quantitative terms. Algae, among which peridineas and diatoms predominate, can perhaps argue with this statement.

Animal world deep sea

Dolphins are the brightest and most famous representative of the animal world of the Mediterranean Sea.

This is the common dolphin, or the common dolphin and bottlenose dolphin, which we often see, in the role of an honorary escort of ships and yachts plying the waves of the sea.

The animal world of the CM is also represented by:

• white-bellied seal;
• sea ​​turtles.

Fishes of the mediterranean sea

Fish are represented among the inhabitants of the sea depths by 550 species: sharks, mackerel, herring, anchovy, mullet, coryphans, tuna, bonito, horse mackerel ...

Of these, 70 species are endemic, that is, they are not found anywhere else - stingrays, anchovy species, gobies, bleach, wrasse and needlefish ... The most impressive are probably sharks and bluefin tuna. The weight of tuna, for example, ranges from 200 to 1000 kilograms, which is impressive. Tuna fish cross the Strait of Gibraltar twice a year there and back, during spawning in May and August.

Cephalopods and others

Among the inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea, an important place is occupied by vertebrates, which are represented by octopuses, squids, sepia, crabs, lobsters; many types of jellyfish, siphonophores, salps, pyros. In some regions, primarily in the Aegean Sea, sponges and red coral are found.

Dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean - predators of the depths

• Sharks - do not require any special introduction (we talked in more detail about sharks in the Mediterranean in our article);
• Fireworms are bright, picturesque worms of the polychaete class, they are dangerous with their bristles, which dig into the skin and can leave a severe burn, according to experienced divers, in places where these worms accumulate, the bristles easily spread through the water under the influence of the slightest movement of the fins;
• Jellyfish - well-known inhabitants of the sea, can leave severe burns;
• Sea urchins are dangerous with their needles and thorns and not necessarily poisonous; a fragment of a thorn remaining in the body can cause severe inflammation;
• Moray eels are fish of the eel-like order, very similar to snakes, its bite can be fatal for humans;
• Anemones - an animal that is better known to the general public as anemones, outwardly resembles a harmless plant, paralyzes its victims with poison, it is not recommended to step on;
• Fish-rabbit - it is Chimera, it is Fugu, or rather a variety of fugu, the fish has a dorsal spine at the base, which contains a poisonous gland, is dangerous for lovers of seafood;
• Cones are mollusks that hunt their victims with the help of a paralyzing poison, the poison in some representatives of the Cones is extremely dangerous for humans.

Invertebrates of the Mediterranean Sea

Edible shellfish are very popular in Mediterranean cuisine, the most popular of which are oysters, Mediterranean-Black Sea mussels, sea dates.

In particular, in Turkey there are:

a) near the coast:
1) sea urchins (usually near underwater rocks)

2) small stingrays (mainly sea cat
,

sea ​​fox)
3) poisonous scorpion fish

4) moderately poisonous polychaete ("centipede")
- usually on the slopes of underwater rocks
5) sea dragon

- a very dangerous poisonous fish, lies in sandy shallow water, sometimes buries itself in the sand. It is often confused with the harmless lizardhead. .
6) jellyfish (the most dangerous are quite common " sea ​​nettle"
and rare portuguese boats

- I have met only 1 time in 8 years).
7) triggerfish - Turkish
are generally not aggressive.
8) Mediterranean moray eels
... As a rule, they are found near rocks and heaps of underwater boulders. In length, local individuals are usually no more than a meter.
9) slightly toxic anemones (anemones)
... They are very small (usually no more than 10-15 cm), located among underwater boulders and large pebbles.

b) far away (in open water)
1) single and schooling barracudas
(usually small and not aggressive)
2) very rare guests - pelagic sharks
... Divers - and they see them a maximum of 1-2 times during the whole summer.
But at first glance, a harmless mollusk Cone (conical snail) - they got their name for their almost regular conical shape. These poisonous fish-eating molluscs are really capable of killing humans.
Cones are very active when touched in their habitat. Their toxic apparatus consists of a poisonous gland connected by a duct to a hard proboscis by a radula-grater located at the narrow end of the shell, with sharp spines that replace the teeth of the mollusk. If you take the shell in your hands, the mollusk instantly pushes the radula and plunges thorns into the body. The injection is accompanied by the sharpest, leading to loss of consciousness pain, numbness of the lesion and other parts of the body, then paralysis of the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system may occur. According to statistics, one out of three, or even out of two cases of a spike in a cone ends in death. True, all these cases occurred through the fault of man: attracted by the beauty of the shell, he tried to take it in his hands and forced the cone to defend itself.
There is nothing to be afraid of, but you need to be careful and careful.
In Turkey, it is far more likely to step on a broken bottle, kindly thrown into the water by some idiot, than on any of the dangerous inhabitants of the sea.
Blowfish fish, according to fishermen from Bodrum, it is increasingly found in the coastal waters of Turkey. It turns out that this fish contains poisonous substances, which, when ingested in the human body, are almost always fatal.

Until recently, the habitat of the blowfish did not extend beyond the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, but a year ago, fishermen caught dangerous fish in the Mediterranean off the coast of Greece, and this year there were several cases of the appearance of this individual in the coastal waters of Turkey near Bodrum.

Such migration processes of these fish can be explained by the consequences of global warming. However, adequate assessments of what is happening in the coastal waters of Turkey have not yet been reported. Fears were expressed only by local fishermen who caught poisonous fish. According to them, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish it from other edible individuals, which is dangerous for both local residents and tourists who want to fish in these places.
Safety regulations:

1. The warmer the sea, the more poisonous, deadly animals live there.
2. Do not touch anything during snokling or diving.
3. Travel agencies, of course, are obliged to warn about the potential dangers of the visited country, incl. and about dangerous animals, but not the fact that you will receive such warnings. More accurate information can be obtained from guides and locals. It is important that in dangerous places you were accompanied by local guides.
4. During breeding periods, even the calmest poisonous animals can show aggression towards humans.
5. Sometimes a meeting with a poisonous creature in water is not so dangerous as there is a danger of drowning from the shock caused by the acute pain of a bite, injection, poison, etc. The timely removal of an injured person from the water is a direct way to salvation.
6. Man himself poses a great threat to the underwater world. Be careful, neat and polite with the underwater inhabitants, and then this part of the rest will be as pleasant as possible.

FIRST AID AFTER POISONOUS FISH BITS AND MEDUSA BURNS
Coral scratches should be lubricated with a mild antiseptic.
When pricked with thorns sea ​​fish or shellfish, therapeutic measures are carried out in three directions: neutralizing and removing poison, relieving pain and combating shock, preventing secondary infection. It is necessary, without wasting time, to immediately suck off the poison. To relieve pain, the affected limb should be placed in a hot water bath for 30-60 minutes. To combat pain shock, cardiac drugs, respiratory analeptics, copious hot drinks and small doses of alcohol are recommended.

At the first signs of poisoning: nausea, dizziness, itching around the lips - it is necessary to immediately cleanse the stomach with copious drinking of salt water, followed by vomiting. Then give hot tea or coffee.
When stinging jellyfish, wipe the affected area with a towel or any other cloth to remove the remnants of the tentacles, stinging cells. To remove the latter, it is advisable to carry it over the affected area (PU) with a chip or wipe it with sand. Moisten PU as soon as possible with ammonia, soda or alcohol solution. I will note that it is unlikely that tourists will take a white powder called soda across the border, why look for trouble, but our tourists almost always have alcohol. As a last resort, you can use a solution of sugar or vegetable oil. You can ask local residents what they use in such cases. In Tunisia, it is recommended to take a tomato with you to the beach. Water cannot be used for these purposes! The poison dissolves easily in water and can be transferred to healthy areas of the skin. Those heavily injured should: 1. Reduce pain. 2. Weaken the effect of the poison. 3. Prevent primary shock, loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest.

Having stepped on a sea urchin, you should, having got out to the shore, You can sit on a hedgehog, step on. Sharp short needles sea ​​urchins able to pierce even boots. The sea urchin responds quickly to a change in state environment, and its needles are immediately directed towards the stimulus, which can be an unexpected, caused by something strong movement of water or a shadow of a person accidentally falling on an animal.
The injection sites, where the ends of the poisonous needles fell, begin to itch, burn strongly, blush, and swell. Loss of sensitivity may occur, up to muscle paralysis. Toxins from the glands of sea urchins have a targeted effect on nervous system... In the most severe cases, the person dies. In less severe cases, the pain decreases after about 15-20 minutes, and after 3-4 days, other symptoms of poisoning also disappear.
In case of poisoning of sea urchins, measures must be taken to reduce the absorption of the poison. It is necessary to sharply limit the victim's mobility, quickly remove fragments of needles from the wounds, lubricate the wound with alcohol and, if possible, make a hot bath. and deliver to the hospital.
Cone Bite - Immediately after the bite, see your doctor, he will prescribe pain relievers and give the necessary vaccinations. Before transportation, the affected part of the body must be immobilized and a pressure bandage applied. You may need additional supervision and, in severe cases, specialist intervention to maintain normal breathing. Although there is information that the pot-bellied Cones (poisonous) who came from the Red Sea did not stay in the Mediterranean - but, as they say: God protects the saved!

Foreword

While conceiving this site, I intended to confine myself to only circular panoramas, the photos were added by themselves, then the eerie and terrible inhabitants of the Mediterranean emerged from the depths of the sea.

On closer inspection, the monsters turned out to be some kind of third-rate, fit only to frighten small children with them. In a word, our sea clearly does not reach the Maldives with their abundance of all sorts of poisonous tropical reptiles. Nevertheless, I read what I had written and was horrified. It turns out that the gentle and warm Mediterranean Sea is simply teeming with all sorts of creatures ready to cling to the tender, defenseless body of a swimmer, pull a piece of meat out of it, poison it, or, at worst, it just hurts to sting.

However, over 15 years of adventure and snorkeling, the biggest trouble that happened to us was hopelessly spoiled swimming trunks, on which a frightened octopus, pulled out of the water, "spat" ink with ink.

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 deliver to the bather, the more careless it behaves and lets 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 it would be good to add to the main principle "do not touch anything" special slippers, then no sea urchin is scary.

The rest kit will be incomplete if you forget at home sunglasses and sun cream... Glasses should not only block the visible spectrum of solar radiation, but most importantly - block ultraviolet radiation in order to avoid corneal burns. Sunglasses in Cyprus will not be superfluous even in winter. You can save a cream with a protective factor SPF 5, 10, 15 for central Russia, the rainy Baltic 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 can be a source of discomfort. As a lover of snorkeling and fins in the crystal-clear water of Protaras, climbing a steep rocky shore a couple of times, I sat down on soft algae growing in the surf to remove the fins. The aftermath made me remember the old advice: "For a bust to be magnificent, put it in a hive." A beehive, not a beehive, but there was a very persistent feeling that I was sitting in the nettle bushes. The stung place then itched terribly, which added to the piquancy of the situation. Probably, in such cases, you can recommend the use of fenistil-gel, or any other cream for allergies.

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

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

Unfortunately or fortunately, the state of affairs at the moment is such that one should not worry about meeting a dangerous predator, but about the fact that sharks living in the Mediterranean are in danger of 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 solid size of 30-40 cm.

Jellyfish off the coast of Cyprus are quite rare, unlike the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Malta, Israel, which is teeming with jellyfish. But this does not mean that contact with jellyfish is completely excluded. Warming climate in general and sea water in particular is contributing to an increase in the number of these dangerous marine life in the Mediterranean. 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 all other dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, encounters with sea urchins with unpleasant consequences for both sides are not uncommon. The Mediterranean Sea with salty and warm water is a paradise for hedgehogs. They often form large clusters on inclined stone surfaces, starting from the shallowest water near the coast. A careless bather, crawling ashore or wandering over rocks along the water's edge, risks stepping on, or even grabbing onto a sea urchin with his hand. But there are no poisonous sea urchins in Cyprus.

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

Moray eels and their closest relatives, eels, have a long, snakelike body. Here they can be really dangerous if you try to catch or feed them. Moray eels do not attack first, but when disturbed they can become very aggressive. The mouth, equipped with large, sharp, curved teeth, raises no 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 their summer holidays, I will say right away: the rabbit fish poses no danger. It does not burrow into the sand, like a scorpion fish. It does not attack a person, so it is with him in different weight categories, and it is found quite far from the coast. This story is mostly for those who are going to sea fishing.

Danger - Sun:

The main source of danger in the Greek seas is…. the sun. Don't laugh, hundreds of times more people get sick from sunstroke and overheating than from any other "natural hazard." The Greek thermonuclear sun, especially for those unaccustomed to it in the north, can cause a lot of problems. What to do and how to behave in the heat, and what food to eat you can read. And in addition to this material, I will note a few basic rules:

1. Try not to go out in the sun at noon or 3-4 hours after it.
2. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
3. In addition to sunscreen, don't forget about the panama hat, T-shirt, and sunglasses. For the latter, try to use high quality glasses with 100% UV protection. By the way, any Greek optician store, you can check for free whether your glasses really protect, as it was written on the label, or if you come across a fake.
4. Keep children out of direct sunlight. Exposing a child to the sun without protection can lead to serious illnesses in the future. Under the age of 3, exposure to the sun is not recommended.
5. Drink plenty of water. The minimum required to maintain a normal water balance in the body is 1.9 liters of water per day at average temperature air 26 degrees, 3 liters - at 32 degrees to 4 liters at 35(and this is not uncommon in Greece). I also recommend reading what to drink and what not to drink.

Danger - marine fauna

“The most important principle of behavior with unknown representatives of the flora, fauna and underwater world is not to disturb. They have their own life, in which they may well stand up for themselves in response to any action that is regarded as a threat. Better to enjoy your vacation in an idyll with nature! "

There are only a few dangerous inhabitants in the Mediterranean that can harm humans, in any case, much less than in tropical seas. The threat to meet a shark is so rare that for many years no one of the Mediterranean Sea areas, even in the most secluded corners of it, saw a single one (except from the mouths of fishermen and "yellow press" reporters). However, sometimes even completely harmless-looking animals can pose a danger to humans.
We will not exaggerate this danger, but nevertheless we will try to acquaint you with the problems that may arise if you are in too close contact with marine life.
Marine life is of considerable interest to vacationers. It is always very funny to watch them, but do not forget that some underwater inhabitants can cause us very significant harm: injure, bite or inject poison.
Whether you will face this scourge during your vacation or not is unknown. In any case, you need to know the enemy by sight.

Danger - Sea urchins:

The second place of honor on the Greek beaches is occupied by sea ​​urchins. Here they are called - akhina (αχινού). On the "cultural" beaches, these "hedgehogs" are quite difficult to meet, but it is worth moving outside the "cultivated" zone and they are right there. Meetings with sea ​​urchins with unpleasant consequences for both sides, unfortunately, not uncommon. The salty and warm Mediterranean Sea is a paradise for hedgehogs... They often form large clusters on inclined rock surfaces, starting at the shallowest coastal waters. A careless bather, crawling ashore or wandering over rocks along the water's edge, risks stepping on, or even grabbing onto a sea urchin with his hand. The author of this material has repeatedly dealt with these creatures and even stepped on them several times. The "pleasure" of this was something else….

Prevention: In the habitat of hedgehogs, it is best to enter the water in rubber slippers. The approximate cost of bathing shoes is 5-15 € per pair, while the author recommends choosing products with a sole thickness of at least 1 centimeter. If you think that wearing fins on your feet will allow you to safely step on these "cute animals", I will disappoint you. I checked it personally - the needles of the sea urchin calmly pierce even the plastic soles of the fins. And it's not worth talking about rubber. So, it's better to go around or swim past. By the way, swimming in shallow water, you can catch the "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, since the water is clear, the black dots of the hedgehogs are clearly visible.

If contact with a hedgehog could not be avoided, most likely you will 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 thorns are very sharp and at the same time fragile. They easily pierce the body and then break off just as easily. It is quite difficult to pull out the debris, and since there is no need to 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 (and maybe remain in the body forever) after a few years.

• soak your leg in very hot water (but don't overdo it, not until it burns!), and then try to pull out the needle.
• Regularly treat the wound with antiseptics and carefully monitor so that suppuration does not start.

The local recipe is to grease the damaged area with olive oil (read cream or petroleum jelly) and gradually squeeze out the thorns. I checked it on myself - it WORKS !!!

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

Danger -Jellyfish:

In third place in terms of the frequency of created "natural problems" in the Greek seas are jellyfish.
In the Greek seas almost never come across poisonous jellyfish(except that it will accidentally sail from the Atlantic or the Red Sea), most of those who can get you sting are not stronger than nettles and the mucus they release is harmful only if it gets into the eyes. An especially unpleasant meeting with a purple jellyfish - the thunderstorm of the Adriatic is named Pelagije nocticulice. Seeing the purple back, better go around the jellyfish.
Touching the tentacles of the jellyfish causes a burn that will go away in a few days or weeks.

Prevention: It is almost impossible to avoid drifting wire cutters. But it is known for sure that they are washed ashore after a storm. A special Israeli anti-jelly lotion SafeSea, acting as a mosquito repellent or its analogue Bites Reliever, will help to avoid accidental contact.

How to be: Touching the tentacles of a jellyfish causes a stinging nettle-like burn.

First, you need to remove the remnants of the tentacles from the skin; do not rinse the damaged area with water - neither salt nor fresh. Sea water will revive withered stinging cells, and upon contact with them fresh water they will burst, exuding poison abundantly. The affected area can be smeared with edible vinegar, alcohol or Bites Reliever, a specially goodbye ammonium pencil. In the future, lubricate the affected area with a special ointment Fusidin (antibiotic). In severe cases, an injection of a pain reliever may be needed.

Danger - Octopuses:

It is only in the movies that huge octopuses attack people and sink ships. In fact, specimens more than 3 meters long and weighing more than 30 kg are never found in the Mediterranean Sea. The real cephalopods, which you can come across are undergrowths up to 30 cm long and weighing up to 2 kilograms. However, they never do not attack people and generally carefully hide from them. In case of an accidental meeting, such a "giant" (if he could not escape) would only release an ink cloud and threateningly wave its tentacles - beware, they say!

What is the danger of an octopus for humans?

The worst 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 stones. True, cases of an octopus attacking a person are extremely rare. This can happen to a diver while inspecting the hold or cabin of a sunken ship where a cephalopod is hiding. He has nowhere to go and he, defending himself, involuntarily attacks a person. Therefore, inexperienced divers in areas where octopuses are found should avoid grottoes and underwater caves, which usually serve as shelter for animals. There is a danger, albeit a small one, that, having penetrated into such a cave, the diver will be caught by an octopus if its tentacles can hold onto the smooth surface of the diving suit. Once in a similar situation, the scuba diver should not panic - he has a knife, and this is a fairly reliable weapon in case of an octopus attack. One should not start the fight by cutting off the tentacles. For the fastest release from the "embrace" of the octopus, diving experts recommend striking its brain, located between the eyes. Until the nerve center is 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 mollusk bites its prey, holding it with suckers. At the same time, the poison salivary glands from the throat and mouth into the wound. The bite of the beak leaves little damage, but because 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 extend to the entire limb. The tissue around the wound is swollen. When the poison is sucked into the blood, breathing becomes difficult, the voice weakens, and the body temperature rises. As a rule, recovery occurs in 3-4 weeks.

How to be: If you are bitten, call a doctor, and before he arrives, try simply urinating on the site of the bite. Don't laugh - the remedy proven for centuries turns out to be very effective, well, at least, it will help you avoid more serious consequences.

Video Russian tourists talking with octopuses:

Dangers: Fish:

Girls, that is, fish, are different - yellow, white, red. Of the fish in the seas surrounding Greece, only the stingray stingray (sea cat) is often found, which, although not particularly poisonous, is always ready to hit with a spiked tail - a lacerated wound with stuck needles and easy poisoning are guaranteed. The difficulty is that the stingray often buries itself in the sand and it is easy to mistake it for an ordinary pebble. Well, Scorpena, or sea ruff, is not at all pleasant, meeting with which can put you in a hospital bed for several days .. But the following fish, although they are much less common, can bring much bigger problems.

Sea Dragons (Trachinus)

- bottom 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 coves with an even sandy or muddy bottom and usually burrow into soft ground so that only the upper part of the head, mouth, eyes and dorsal fin spines are visible. Their lower jaw is longer than the upper one; the mouth with small conical teeth is directed obliquely upwards. The eyes are on the top of the head. These fish have two dorsal fins: the first is short, of 5-7 spines, the second dorsal and anal are long, each with 21-24 rays. When the 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 are spread apart, the fin rises and unfolds, which serves as a warning to the predator. The 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 operculums and the first dorsal fin are covered with skin, only their tips protrude. The thorns have deep grooves. In these furrows and at the base of the thorns are poisonous glands. There is no duct for the poison. Probably, when pricked with a thorn, the glandular cells rupture, the poison is released and along the grooves is introduced into the wound like a syringe needle. Whelp venom is very powerful. Like the venom of some snakes, it acts as a neurotoxin and a hemotoxin. When a poisonous thorn is injected, excruciating, sharp, burning or stabbing pain occurs, which, without treatment, continues for several hours or even a whole day. The affected limb becomes inflamed and severely swollen. Other symptoms included loss of consciousness, palpitations, slow heart rate, fever, headaches, delirium, severe vomiting, convulsions, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, death can occur. Morphine usually does not provide relief.
Due to the hidden lifestyle, aggressiveness and highly developed poisonous apparatus, dragons are very dangerous for everyone who swims near the coast, dives or wanders barefoot in shallow water, for fishermen and amateur fishermen.
Never, under any circumstances, pick up a live dragon. Even a dead dragon must be handled very carefully so as not to be pricked by its thorn, which can inflict dangerous wounds.

By the way, according to local residents, the dragon may find itself in the sand far from the coast. They get there in this way: seagulls, catch them out of the water, eat tasty and safe parts, throw the remains wherever they have to. Even a dead fish, as mentioned above, remains poisonous for several days.

How to be: If you receive a poisonous injection, you should immediately seek professional medical attention. It is recommended to inject a few drops of 5% potassium permanganate solution with a syringe into the wound 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 to heal completely. The damaged part of the body must be immersed in a very hot water, which only you can endure, and dissolve some oxidizing substance in water, for example, potassium permanganate, which neutralizes the poison. In addition, cardiac analeptics and adrenaline with cortisone are prescribed to the victim.

Danger - contamination of the environment:

And finally, environmental pollution. Although Greek beaches are considered to be some of the cleanest in the world, this is not the case for all beaches. Many beaches - especially within the Athens metropolis, as well as near cities and towns, can be dangerous due to the presence of garbage in the sand, broken glass and all kinds of sharp and cutting objects. If you or your loved ones are "unlucky" to cut your leg or other body part on the beach with glass, First, make sure that there is no glass or other foreign object in the wound.
If not, then the wound needs to be treated: rinse with water, hydrogen peroxide (alcohol or alcohol-containing liquid), lubricate with iodine (in Greece it is called "Betadine") and bandage.
If you are worried about it, go to the hospital. Maybe doctors decide what suture is required.

Danger - Snakes:

On land, the dangers are much less. There is only one in the country venomous species snakes (viper, "fedi" in Greek), bites of which are easily parried with anti-venin. Local scorpions ("scorpions") are nocturnal inhabitants and rarely catch the eye of a tourist, but they like to sit on dry stone walls of houses and rocks, where the daytime heat remains for a long time. When walking on rough terrain with an abundance of bushes, you should wear boots with socks and long trousers and in no case stick your hands in crevices and holes.

Danger -Insects:

In some mountain-forest areas there are a lot of ticks, so here protection measures against them, however - as well as against any other blood-sucking insects, will not be superfluous. Recently, there is evidence that local ticks are infected with Lyme disease, but due to the small number of tourists in the interior regions of the country, reliable statistics are still lacking.

Local mosquitoes ("kunupia", "kunupya") are not carriers of malaria, and traditional repellents are enough to protect against them - in most cases, screens on the windows are not even required. However, when traveling in Aetolia, Acarnania, Thesprotia, the western regions of Elis and Attica, you should choose accommodation with screens on windows and even doors. The more dangerous Asian mosquito (Aedes albopictus), which spreads several viruses at once, lives in some mountainous areas in the north and west of the country. Therefore, here, in addition to denser clothes and nets on the windows, it is necessary to provide for the presence of repellents. Sand fleas active at night on many beaches can also spread leishmaniasis and others dangerous infections, but due to the small number of sandy beaches themselves, this danger is not very relevant (however, repellents are quite effective against them as well).

Bees and especially wasps, which are quite active from August to October, usually cause much more trouble. They curl around tables and glasses of liquid, get into the eyes, clog under helmets, and are generally very annoying. There are no universally recognized remedies for these insects, but the Greeks themselves use the smoke of burning coffee beans or simply dried coffee grounds quite effectively. For pain relief from bites, it is best to use aspivenin available from any local pharmacy.

Danger - Flora:

There are practically no poisonous plants on the territory of the country, except for wild figs, the "milk" of which can cause moderate skin damage (parried with lemon juice, followed by rubbing olive oil). But there are quite a few sources of allergens, starting with mountain pine (April-May) and ending with numerous cereals (from April to June). There is a wide variety of antihistamines available at local pharmacies, but it is best to have some stock with you (especially if you don’t know the local drug names).

My leg cramped Pinch an arm or leg as hard as you can, and press very hard and hard with your thumb. Try to straighten your cramped leg with your hands. Inhale deeply and exhale several times to improve blood flow.

How to avoid. Don't swim long in cold water... Having heated up in the sun, do not dive into the water immediately: the sharp temperature drop provokes convulsions.

Choked Most often, children involuntarily swallow water. Bend the baby over your knee so that the head is below the buttocks, tap on the back so that he clears his throat. If the child has lost a lot of strength, lay him on his side.

How to avoid. Make sure that the child stays on the surface of the water.

Sunstroke If a person suddenly felt unwell, there was a headache, lethargy, it became difficult to breathe - he overheated in the sun. The victim must be taken to the shade, covered with a wet towel or put on a cool compress on his head, create a stream of air (fan with a hat or newspaper). Then call an ambulance.

How to avoid. Relax in the shade of a tree or a beach umbrella, wear a hat, drink still water. Most often, sunstroke affects babies under one year old, people with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, hypertensive and overweight people.

Poisoning The first signs are weakness and nausea, headache, diarrhea. It is necessary to flush the stomach by drinking immediately in quick sips 2-3 liters boiled water... Then you need to induce vomiting. And so three or four times. If possible, consult a doctor. Calcium gluconate will strengthen the stomach lining and reduce allergic reactions (usually the drug is taken 3 times a day).

How to avoid. Pay attention to the shelf life of the product and the appearance of the place where you buy food.

Cut by the glass This is the most common injury among lovers of sea recreation. Rinse the cut with clean water, if you have vodka, cologne on hand, you can treat the wound with them. Then apply a clean bandage. To do this, it is better to have a bandage or at least a clean handkerchief with you.

How to avoid. Choose the “right” beach. If there is garbage and broken bottles on the shore, then the water will be the same. In unsafe places, do not go barefoot and swim in special rubber slippers.

Banana ride This marine entertainment is often a source of injury. Sometimes "bananas" turn over, some "drivers" do it on purpose - without warning. On the beach, as a rule, they ride on catamarans, jet skis, boats, etc. at the same time - collisions occur. Victims of water sports with fractures and wounds are often brought to spa hospitals.

How to avoid. Do not neglect the lifejacket, fasten it carefully. If you are afraid of depth, then this entertainment is not for you.

Children's safety rules
1. Never leave your child alone in water.

2. Locate the seating area in the shade.

3. Buy your baby bright clothes, a panama hat. In case of danger, you will quickly find your child.

4. Do not leave your child in a wet bathing suit, so as not to catch a cold.

5. It is better to have inflatable rings with different inflatable sections - if one deflates, the others will keep the child afloat.

A little about medical assistance and rescue services in Greece.

The emergency phone number is 112 or 199.
Remember, in Greece there is no special rescue service, its functions are performed by local firefighters. Often they do not know or do not know how to provide first aid, since in recent years almost everyone has been recruited into this service. In any case, call 199 (112) and try to report (in English or Greek) that something has happened to you. If anything, they will call an ambulance on their own.

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

The topic "At the doctor's"
Στο γιατρό

• Telephones: first aid, emergency services, road assistance
• Embassies and consulates of countries the former USSR in Greece