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An Italian woman in her mid-eighties has been hospitalised after suffering a serious bite to her leg while swimming at Playa de Palma in Mallorca. The attack happened near Balneario 6 and involved an unidentified sea creature. Part of her calf was torn away in the incident, prompting lifeguards to close the beach and raise the red flag.

 

Experts are still unsure what type of animal was responsible. Early suggestions included a shark, a stingray or a triggerfish, based on the shape of the bite. However, marine biologist Toni Grau, who is also the Director General of Fisheries, believes the evidence points to a triggerfish.

 

“When you look at the image of the wound, it appears as if something has been pulled. There is no clear mark of teeth along the edges of the wound. By process of elimination, the only thing that comes to mind is a triggerfish. It fits, because they have a beak-like mouth similar to a parrot's and are quite aggressive. It's also a species that is expanding and tends to live in sandy areas.”

Other experts have different ideas. Aniol Esteban, a marine biodiversity specialist at the Marilles Foundation, said: “We don’t believe it was a shark, as it would have been seen. Statistics show that shark attacks in Mediterranean waters are extremely rare. Our hypothesis is that the attack may have been caused by a bluefish, also known as anjova or pez azul.”

 

The bluefish, also called Pomatomus saltatrix, is a fast and aggressive predator with a strong jaw and sharp teeth. It is usually found in temperate coastal waters and is common in the Mediterranean during the warmer months. While it does not normally attack people, it can become aggressive if it feels threatened or is feeding. Experts say it is not unusual for it to come close to shore, and there have been previous cases of it biting swimmers.

 

Lifeguards acted quickly to clear the water and carry out a search using boats. Environmental officers from the local council also helped, but no trace of the animal was found. After about an hour, the beach was reopened and the green flag was raised.

 

Several beachgoers saw the woman being bitten and called emergency services. The bite had torn away skin and left a deep gash in her leg. She was treated on the beach by two ambulance crews before being taken to Clínica Rotger for further care.

 

This is not the first report of a biting fish this summer. Just a few weeks ago, holidaymakers at beaches across Mallorca reported similar incidents, mostly around Playa de Palma. Swimmers said they were nipped on the legs and feet by small, aggressive fish in shallow water. Although most bites were minor, some needed medical attention.

 

The number of cases has gone up in recent years. Marine biologists believe that rising sea temperatures and changes to the environment may be drawing unfamiliar species closer to shore. Beaches from Sa Ràpita to Cala d'Or have seen this behaviour, raising concerns that these types of encounters could become more common.

 

 

Image: Freepik