Killer 'Hezbollah' Fish Threatens Israeli Waters
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For years the Israeli government has warned that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatens the security of Israel. Now a new threat to Israel swims the country's coast along the Mediterranean. Marine researchers sarcastically refer to it as "Nasrallah" — <a href="http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/11/12/another-nasrallah-threatens-israel/">a fish that can kill</a> with one sting. The fish are "so dangerous, one sting can kill a person or leave them paralyzed for weeks," said Moti Mendelson, a marine researcher. "There are many of them--[just] like Hezbollah soldiers." (Dr. Dani Barchana)
Researchers also worry about the damage to the underwater ecological system. "These fish are like vacuum cleaners," says Mendelson. "They eat everything in the ocean — big fish, algae, crabs and snails. They take away food from bigger fish." (Dr. Dani Barchana)
The fish arrived through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea in 2001. Researchers estimate that there are now likely thousands living along Israel's coast but admit it is difficult to get an exact number. (Dr. Dani Barchana)
"They've had a population explosion," said Dani Golani of Hebrew University. "They are producing more offspring than the environment can handle." But the fish aren't just an Israeli problem. Scientists believe they're likely to move to the waters of Syria and Lebanon, if they haven't already. (Dr. Dani Barchana)
In a speech Wednesday night, the human Nasrallah acknowledged he heard about the fish. "Israeli researchers surprisingly call this fish handsome and cute, apparently they think about me. But if I have poison, I am ready to sting. We are all ready to sting the occupying enemy who occupies our land and takes our saints." (Dr. Dani Barchana)
(Dr. Dani Barchana)
(Dr. Dani Barchana)
(Dr. Dani Barchana)
(Dr. Dani Barchana)