Razor-toothed poisonous pufferfish causing havoc in popular British tourist hotspot

A ferocious fish with razor-sharp teeth capable of biting off swimmers' fingers and toes is spreading through Mediterranean waters frequented by British holidaymakers.

The silver-cheeked pufferfish, scientifically known as Lagocephalus sceleratus, has become an increasingly serious problem at popular coastal resorts across Greece and surrounding regions.

Beyond its powerful bite that can sever digits, the species poses an additional danger through tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin present throughout its body that can trigger cardiac and respiratory failure, rendering it completely inedible.

Originally native to the Indian Ocean, this invasive predator entered Mediterranean waters through the Suez Canal and has thrived due to warming seas and increased salinity linked to climate change.

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Tourists heading to Greek beaches this summer now face threats beyond the usual hazards of jellyfish and sea urchins, with the aggressive fish adding to potential dangers in the water.

An elderly woman required stitches this week after being attacked by one of the fish while bathing at Varkiza, a coastal resort close to Athens.

Greek media reported that the pufferfish struck without warning or provocation as she swam.

The incident represents the latest in a growing pattern of similar attacks across the Mediterranean, where the species faces no natural predators and its numbers continue to multiply.

Nota Peristeraki, a specialist on the fish from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, urged caution around the creatures.

She told The Telegraph.: "If you see this fish approaching you, you really need to avoid it.

"Some attacks have happened when people have tried to feed or touch the fish. There have been a couple of cases of people losing a finger or a toe. That said, these are rare incidents. You are more likely to encounter a shark."

Greek fishermen have described the pufferfish invasion as catastrophic for their livelihoods, with the creatures destroying nets and devouring catches.

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"If one of these bites you, it will take your finger clean off," Cretan fisherman Alexis Charlambakis told local media.

"They are the destruction of the sea. They leave nothing behind. If this wasn't my boat, I'd quit this profession for good. The situation is dire... we cannot survive."

Fellow fisherman Giannis Giankakis explained the scale of the problem: "It's an omnivorous fish that eats everything it encounters. Nothing seems to bother it, because it has no natural predators."

The financial toll has proved devastating, with estimates suggesting each Greek fishing vessel suffers approximately €8,500 in annual losses and damage.

Researchers have discovered remnants of fishing equipment inside the creatures' stomachs, according to Ms Peristeraki.

The silver-cheeked pufferfish first appeared in the eastern Mediterranean in 2003 before reaching Greek waters two years later, but recent years have witnessed a dramatic expansion in both population and geographical range.

The species has now spread westward towards Italian and Spanish coastlines, with particularly high concentrations around Crete and the Dodecanese Islands, including the popular holiday destination of Rhodes.

Cyprus has implemented a bounty system paying fishermen to capture as many pufferfish as possible, with the haul subsequently incinerated as hazardous waste.

Greek authorities are now examining whether to introduce a comparable scheme, with fishermen urging swift action to curb the population explosion.

Scientists are meanwhile exploring alternative uses for the toxic fish, including processing them into fish meal for aquaculture operations or converting them into agricultural fertiliser.

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