The lionfish, which originally comes from the Indian Ocean, has been popular in the Mediterranean for years. And due to the gradual warming of the seas, it can now also be found in other regions. In 1992 it was seen for the first time in front of Israel, and in 2019 it was seen for the first time in the Adriatic Sea, according to what was reported by “Bild”.
More recently, it has been seen frequently in the Adriatic Sea off Croatia. The problem: Lionfish have no natural predators in the Mediterranean, and they hunt crustaceans and small fish. In addition, fish destroy the ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea.
According to the World Environment Organization WWF, the stomach of a lionfish can expand up to 30 times its original size. The WWF warns that “experiences from other parts of the world show how much damage it can cause: in the Bahamas, a 40 percent increase in lionfish numbers between 2004 and 2010 was associated with a 65 percent decrease in their prey species.”
Even for people it is not without. Its spiny dorsal fin contains venom. This leads to severe pain and vomiting – and can even stop breathing.
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