Of the many weird and dangerous creatures of the sea, there’s one that’s particularly dangerous. Residing off the Mediterranean coast of Israel, the otherwise inoffensive fish is an ocean-going vacuum. Not only does it eat everything it can fit in its mouth, it’s also poisonous enough to paralyze or even kill a man. It’s called the Nasrallah fish, named for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The fish arrived via the Suez Canal from the Red Sea about 8 or 9 years ago, and has since expanded to a population in the thousands, damaging both native species and risking the lives of otherwise innocent swimmers. Who would have thought there was something that looked like a catfish, but has the poison of a brown widow spider?
Still, if the problem is that fish, we know the solution. If overfishing can kill off tasty fish, it can certainly kill off dangerous fish. Gentlemen, get your nets!
Tags: Nasrallah fish, fish named after Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, invasive species, dangerous fish, unusual fish, Israel