Respect for Moray Eels May Reduce Risk of Dangerous Encounters

Newswise — Encounters with hazardous marine animals will undoubtedly occur more often because approximately 80 percent of the world's human population is now living in coastal areas. A case study published in the September issue of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine outlines such an encounter.

In that case study, a 37-year-old male was scuba diving on a coral reef close to the Cuban island of Varodaro. A green moray eel attacked the man, apparently unprovoked, and seized his right forearm. The eel clenched tightly and then eventually released its grip. The estimated size of the eel was 1.5 meters in length.

Onboard, a cloth tourniquet was applied to the diver's arm. Thirty-five minutes later the boat returned to shore and the victim was admitted to a hospital, where a large amount of tissue loss in the forearm was evident. At a one-year follow-up examination, the victim's ability to make certain movements with his arm and hand was still considerably impaired.

Moray eels do not possess fangs or venom as once thought, but they do have muscular jaws equipped with sharp teeth than enable them to seize and hold prey. Green moray eels also have a third row of teeth on the roof of their mouths. Their jaws lock around prey, and it is sometimes necessary to kill the eel or dislocate its jaws to release its grip. After an attack, radiographs should be obtained of the diver's injuries in order to identify particles of teeth that may be embedded in the injury.

According to the study, bites most commonly occur when divers reach their hands into holes occupied by eels. Eels are also attracted to divers when the diver carries freshly cut fish into the water. Increased awareness of eels and their habitat by divers and emergency personnel can help minimize the risk of an attack.

Wilderness & Environmental Medicine is a peer-reviewed quarterly medical journal published by the Wilderness Medical Society. For more information, visit http://www.wms.org

To view the article, visit http://www.allenpress.com/pdf/weme_15_309_41_44.pdf