While you are swimming peacefully and with pleasure at the beautiful Meridian Beach in Haifa, know that not far from you, the sea cats - as they are called in the popular language, and in the professional language - trigons or betas, are swimming with no less pleasure and without disturbing them (and that's a good thing). These fish are cartilaginous fish, similar to sharks.
Cartilaginous fish are fish that have a skeleton that is not bony but made of cartilage, which gives them extra flexibility, just like sharks, of their kind.
Permanent resident of Meridian Beach
Meridian Beach has not been featured in our articles lately, this is because as a professional, I have a great interest in the place, due to the topographical structure of the beach and the seabed, and the sandy substrate. The sandy sediment at Meridian Beach is abundant with countless molluscs and crustaceans that make up a significant part of the betta's diet.
Several injuries on the beaches of Haifa
Two years ago, two women were injured on the beaches of Haifa, at a distance of more than two kilometers from each other. One was at Meridian Beach, while the other was hit about two and a half kilometers north of Meridian, in the area of Tel Shekmona. From their descriptions and according to photos, it is evident that both were injured by trigon fish. It is very important to note that the women were injured when they were in unregulated beach areas, outside the permitted bathing area. The trigons do not tend to seek the proximity of humans, unlike in the Seychelles or the Bahamas, where they have been used for years to be fed by humans (although it is not accepted anywhere in the world to feed wild animals).
A threatening sudden movement of a diver, a shadow created by a diver who has come too close, can easily cause unwanted accidents, to say the least. This happened, for example, to the late Steve Irwin, the Australian naturalist who died from a trigon bite. No one knows exactly what happened there, but the hypothesis is that it approached the trigon and created a shadow over it, which apparently startled the fish and caused it to attack. I would like to emphasize that this is an extremely unusual case, in which a direct injury to the heart occurred, which did not leave Irwin any chance.
So much for the scary story of Steve Irwin, but there is no chance of such a thing happening here, as long as you keep your distance from the trigons and do not approach them.
On our beaches in Haifa, the spotted trigon roams, which, according to the markings I use to identify territorial animals, usually moves between the two pools - the southern pool and the northern pool, this is what it does on a regular basis, depending on the sea conditions.
The trigon - ground fish
We should not be afraid of it, this fish is a ground fish, which does not rise up, injury from it may only occur in the event that you swim right "on top of it", even then it will attack as a defensive act only. For that matter, most animals warn their potential predators that they recognize as a threat, before they attack. They will express the warning through their body language which is expressed by raising their nose, folding their fins and waving their tail. Of course you need to know how to recognize these signs.
signals a threat
Threat movements similar to these also exist in "normal" sharks, they also arch their backs, lower their pectoral fins, just like cats arching their backs to threaten their enemies, or dogs baring their teeth as an expression of threat and deterrence.
Apparently, the lovable trigon swimming below us, is a permanent resident of the area. According to photos I took in previous years, it is evident that it has grown impressively, thanks to the abundance of food found on the beaches of Haifa, not only in Meridian. Even behind the breakwater, outside the reach of man, where the water is about 3 meters deep, and along every reserve that is located, including Bat Galim, sea cats of different species and sizes are infesting.
Since the condition of the sea here is very good compared to its condition in the past, these fish have plenty of food in the area.
Let's remember that all sharks are a protected species, at least in Israel, for better or for worse. And we will explain: Over-conservation of a certain species usually results in the strengthening of one species at the expense of another species, therefore, as much as it seems that nature reserves are always and overwhelmingly for the benefit of nature, this opinion is not unequivocal. For example, if we close a certain area, for example in front of a castle Carmel, it will serve as a refuge for many migrants to the Sepsis (coming from the Suez Canal), something that will protect them more than the local species and will cause ecological instability.
The photos in front of you were taken by me recently, in front of Meridian Beach, when fish are about 4 meters below groups of swimmers (those who swim a long way from the shore). Having said that, the fish do not usually go up, so there is no chance that they will reach them, but which of the swimmers will put their head in ( with my swimming goggles) into the water, he might be able to see him. This is the same species of Trigon that has been roaming these areas for two or three years.
Tail whip bite
The bite of the trigon is carried out while whipping the tail, similar to the self-defense movement of lizards, such as iguanas, the Nile power lizard, the Komodo power lizard, etc. The trigon's spine is unidirectional, like a kind of saw and is covered in skin cells, which contain the venom.
Even though the chance of damage from trigon on our beaches is almost zero, I'm just saying that if it does occur, you should immediately seek medical help, preferably at Rambam, where the National Poisoning Institute is located.
For general information, from the south of the student beach to Atlit, there are several spots where you can meet large trigons, which can reach up to two and a half meters in size, including the tail.
For obvious reasons, these points are not for publication, this is so as not to disturb the peace of the fish and not to disturb them. Have a pleasant and calm Shabbat to all of you.
Hello Rafi.
Excessive protection of a certain species harms other species. Irrational takeover of territories in the name of ... protecting nature is harmful.
An excess of betas, due to excessive preservation, will harm the amount of crabs and molluscs they feed on.
In conclusion.. let nature restore itself and do not interfere with nature.
Thanks Rafi.
Interesting and beautiful article, we learned about the trigons. An important thing that appears in the article: marine reserves without fishing may not necessarily be beneficial but may even harm the local marine life. While the world examines the declaration and management of marine reserves on the basis of research and ecological considerations, in the State of Israel, where things are managed by nature brokers posing as conservationists - RTG (The Nature and Parks Authority) and HLAAT (the Nature Conservation Society) - under ecological considerations, the considerations are Considerations of enrichment and empowerment, instead of studies there are populist spins...
Note: An interesting question is whether the excessive protection of the trigons and sharks may cause an ecological imbalance - which will eventually harm them as well.
Good morning resident of the area.
Many thanks for the report, what you saw is true, the fact that you informed the authority is a good deed.
The fact that they don't know anything, but think they do is well known. So report to me and I'll even take you to the concentrations.
If it blocks them, don't tell them anything. There are thousands of trigons. Don't worry. Retags like to take over everything.
Wonderful week
About four years ago I dived in front of Bat Galim with friends for a sportive dive and I encountered a trigon and when I reported this to the authority they mocked me and claimed that I must have been confused because in any case I continued diving and encountered several trigons and it was an experience because humans have not yet taken the area for them and I hope this is written You won't make too many people look for them and disturb their lives
hello my father
You are right. They do not attack, nor is it known to attack. Their action is purely defensive, and their bite is from fear or some kind of threat.
Many times you can look at them closely, and they will even swim next to you.
Thanks .
Thank you, dear Motty Mendelsohn, for the fascinating article and the rare photographs of the trigons; Definitely an interesting animal.
And your writing is incredibly impressive!!!
Let them multiply on the separate shores
Interesting and fascinating article, thank you
Hello Siegal
As I mentioned, the trigons do not attack and their action is purely defensive, not offensive.
What happened with the late Steve is that he shadowed the fish quite closely, almost touching. And the fish that felt threatened defended itself, unfortunately it was directly in the heart.
Every cut may become infected. And it is known according to injury monitoring about infections that develop from an injury to the trigon spines also because of the nature of the injury, which is not smooth. Yes, it is an amazing and beautiful animal.
The trigons do not attack. The treatment in the case of a bite, as with any cut, wash with warm water and apply polydine.
None of them have died statistically in the last twenty years with the exception of Steve who was provoked and got a straight thorn to the heart just as much as a needle to the same location would have caused the same result. In the Amazon, the natives eat them as survivors and they are injured or die due to the contamination from their poor hygiene conditions.
Every cut is a source of contamination.
Because of all the scary articles, we moved to bathe at Bat Galim beach. Do you have something to scare this beach too?
Dear Moti. Excellent and very interesting article. One recommendation, if it is allowed, is to replace the word attacker with defender. The trigons do not attack, not people and not in the sea. The spike in the tail is for protection only. In the event that a person steps on a trigon covered in sand or passes over it in a very short distance, the trigon will defend itself by waving its tail. But he will never make a proactive attack.
happily follows.
Fascinating article, thank you!
Moti, thank you for this important information, and for the beautiful photographs.
A number of years ago, for a number of weeks I came across catfish, not spotted, at the Crimson Beach in Netanya. The fish, maybe even the same fish, were about 30 cm in size (without the tail) and the depth was about 1.5 m, a depth that could be stood. I saw them while swimming above them with swimming goggles. It was in the late afternoon, So I didn't save them.
What a beautiful fish
That's right Zohar.
There are lots of them.
Hello Haifa resident.
The answer is yes. They reach shallow water.
but avoid being found near humans.
Thanks Muti,
I should mention that about a month ago I was with a snorkel at Bat Galim beach. I saw one at a depth of no more than 1,5 meters about 25 meters from the shore when quite a number of people swam above and around it.
Hello Munda.
The thorn is poisonous.
May you be healthy - there was nothing in the world that I loved as much as swimming in the sea - I also have no time for other entertainment and since I read you regularly I avoid going to the sea for fear of God.
How deep do they swim? Do they also reach shallow water?
Thank you very much, Muti. Very interesting. Your writing is as usual fascinating, and accompanied by beautiful pictures. Have a nice Saturday. ??♀️
All precautions should be taken. be vigilant Shabbat Shalom
Thank you Moti and the system here. Great article.
Many thanks to Moti. Beautiful photographs for a fascinating article!
Is their thorn poisonous
Thanks to Motty Mendelson for the article