Lionfish - Dangerous to Touch
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Lionfish boast an array of colorful, featherlike quills. Their color and patterns help lionfish to camouflage with the reef, and they may be difficult to spot. Most lionfish injuries in the Indo-Pacific are caused by inadvertent contact with a well-camouflaged fish. In the Atlantic, increasing numbers of divers attempt to remove invasive lionfish from the reef because they are disrupting the food chain. A lionfish hunter may accidentally come into contact with the painful sting of the lionfish as he tries to remove it.
As with many other spiny fish species, lionfish spines release a powerful neurotoxin when touched. The sting of a lionfish is excruciatingly painful and may lead to severe allergic reactions. Avoid contact with lionfish, and all other aquatic life. Train to hunt lionfish with an experienced lionfish hunter in order to learn safe hunting and removal techniques.
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Humans - Dangerous
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The most hazardous creatures to divers are probably the divers themselves. A diver is exponentially more likely to injure him or herself through neglect of proper diving protocols, inadequate dive skills, or human error than being attacked or injured by marine life. In fact, most aquatic life injuries are caused by the action of the diver.
Divers may purposefully or accidentally touch a dangerous creature or provoke an attack by making an animal feel threatened. Unprovoked marine life attacks on scuba divers are exceptionally rare. As a general rule of thumb, give animals space and observe them respectfully and calmly from a distance. Never chase, touch, or corner a marine species. Don't harass the animals and they will not harass you.