The most dangerous creatures in UK waters

When it comes to dangerous creatures, the UK isn’t anywhere close to being near the top of the list and is one of the safest countries in the world when it comes to natural threats. The location of the country makes it not too hot and not too cold, meaning it avoids all the poisonous tropical and hot weather creatures, so it should be pretty safe right? Well the short answer is yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s without things that can cause you harm. Here are the most dangerous creatures in UK waters you could run into around the coastline.

Weaver fish

This fish comes in two varieties, the greater and lesser weaver fish. The greater version inhabits deeper waters and is rarely encountered anywhere near the coast, but the lesser weaver comes right up to the shore during the warmer months and likes to hide in the rocks near the beach. On its back are a series of spines that contain venom, and since this fish likes to swim close to the sand it makes it easy to step on. The venom will shoot up through the spines when it makes contact with something and pump right into your skin. The venom isn’t very strong and only the elderly or anyone very small would be at risk, but it can cause a sting similar to the feeling of a bee sting, just with much more swelling.

Conger eel

These huge fish can grow up to 100 kg in weight and have a maximum length of 3 meters, though the average fully grown size is 1.5 to 2 meters. They aren’t aggressive by nature and will rarely attack someone, but if they do their weight and jaw strength could cause a very serious wound indeed. They only seem to ever attack as a last resort which often includes biting people after they have been caught fishing.

Crabs

Most crabs around UK shores are very small and can only give you a slight nip, but sometimes the larger ones come close to the beach during the warmer months and can cause a very serious condition called “ouchy toe”. You would have to be very unlucky to be killed by a crab and as far as I have been able to find out, it’s never happened before, but this doesn’t remove the fact that that bigger ones have the strength to break a finger or toe.

Blue Shark

Blue sharks are very small in comparison to the sharks around the rest of the world, and we don’t have to worry about species like the great white, but ultimately we still have some that can be dangerous. Sharks rarely attack people and when they do it usually doesn’t result in a fatality, but they can still be very dangerous, especially when one has been hauled onto a boat and is in defense mode. The only time blue sharks around the UK seem to pose a threat is when they are being handled by fishermen onboard a boat instead of being close to them in the water.

Mauve stinger Jelly fish

All jellyfish contain some kind of venom in varying strengths, but the thing that determines their danger seems to rely more on their delivery system. Small jellyfish have such tiny bards that they have difficulty piercing the skin, but the larger ones are more than capable of delivering their venom. Fortunately, the UK doesn’t have any type of jellyfish with strong enough venom that they are considered life-threatening, but sometimes other species like the Portuguese man-of-war have been known to float up to the southern coast of England in very hot summers. The most common species to be washed ashore seems to be the Mauve which is most often seen laying dead on the beach, but their barbs can still deliver a sting for a while after they’ve died.

Razor clams

An unlikely creature to be considered dangerous is the razor clam, named for its old cut-throat style razor-like appearance. They can only be found at very low tide but have sharp shells and can easily cut someone’s foot open. Normally they only cause small wounds, but can be dangerous if present in large amounts. The last major razor clam incident happened in Devon in 1998 when several hundred people received wounds from swimming in very low summer tides, and over 30 had to be taken to hospital for treatment for their cuts.

Short fin Mako shark

This is considered the most dangerous shark that can naturally be found in British waters, but that doesn’t actually make them dangerous. When people report having trouble with them it usually involves having their boat nudged or their bait stolen, with attacks being almost non-existent. The UK Shark Trust claims there have only been two unprovoked shark attacks in British waters since 1847, and both occasions were not fatal.

Lions mane jellyfish

This huge species of jellyfish lives far from the beaches and prefers much deeper water, but it can occasionally lose its way and come very close to land. The biggest danger they pose is when they get washed onto the beach after dying because their venom is not only very powerful but their bards are capable of delivering a sting for up to several days after the creature has died.