Leeches Invade Sea of Galilee
June 28, 2012 1 Comment
From Haaretz:
Leeches have invaded Lake Kinneret’s [the Sea of Galilee’s] shores – for the second time in seven years.
Standing in the water for as little as two minutes will cause your legs to be covered in hundreds of leeches. These particular types are not blood-suckers, making them relatively easy to remove once one is out of the water.
They are found on the lakebed, at depths of 0.5 to one meter, at two spots over the last few days: near the Sapir visitors center and along the western coastline. They live off snails and other invertebrates.
The leeches first overran the shores of the lake seven years ago.
Four types of leeches are known to live in the Kinneret, but they are usually present only in small numbers. This year, however, huge quantities have been detected.
The rest of the story suggests some explanations, including human activity and the rapidly changing water level.
About Fr Stephen Smuts
I can still remember those leeches in the Nam, nasty!