Watch the video: Weever – poisonous fish particularly dangerous for mudflat walkers or swimmers in shallow water.
Not only in the southern regions, but also on the Baltic Sea or North Sea, bathing holidaymakers should be particularly careful again this year. Again and again there are unpleasant encounters with one of the most poisonous animals in Europe, the weever. The 15 to 50 cm long fish with venomous spines burrows into the seabed in spring and summer to spawn in shallow water. It is then virtually invisible to the human eye. It can be particularly dangerous for mudflat hikers or swimmers who are out and about in shallow water and step on the hidden weevers. The weever sting is painful but not fatal. Swelling and severe joint pain can be the result and sometimes last for weeks and months. Treatment by a doctor is necessary. According to the DRK water rescue service, 30-40 bites are common on the German coasts per year. It is easy to protect yourself: If you wear water shoes when bathing, you are safe from the poison of the weever.