According to media reports, sightings of the dangerous poisonous fish are spreading throughout destinations near the Mediterranean Sea and on the Yorkshire and Irish coastlines.
Few holidaymakers are aware of the weever fish. Most will hopefully never see or feel it. The greater weever, otherwise known as a Trachinus Draco, usually buries itself in the sand. By camouflaging itself, bathers often don't see the little fish and step on it unintentionally.
The consequences can be extremely painful, as the weever fish has a poisonous sting that it uses to fight back. So if a person steps on it, they can expect painful swelling. In exceptional cases, this attack can even be fatal for humans, as those who are allergic to the venom could suffer cardiac arrest.
Incidents with weever fish have recently increased at popular holiday resorts, which are frequently visited by European tourists, including those from nearby Germany, Britain and Austria. In seaside resorts on the Adriatic, such as Jesolo in Italy or Šibenik in Croatia, there have been several deadly attacks by the small fish, according to Italian and Austrian media.
There have also been reports from the Yorkshire and Irish coastline agencies reporting growing incidents involving weever fish. The weever fish was spotted in the River Thames in London, UK, some years ago, but not in recent months.
The extent to which climate change and rising sea temperatures contribute to the increase in weever fish sightings has not yet been proven. The fish is one of Europe's most dangerous animals due to its poisonous nature.
