On the occasion of various posts on the green anemone, we begin reports on various species with which we may interact. Obviously there’s nothing to worry about. The most important thing of all is correct information and common sense!

The Green Anemone (Anemonia viridis) is a small invertebrate animal, which resembles a beautiful flower. It’s a sessile species, meaning it’s attached — usually to rocks — it does not move, and it will never come towards us. It is found in shallow waters up to 20m deep and often forms small colonies. In its “tentacles” there is a small amount of toxin, which acts as a defence mechanism against its predators (i.g. Capable of deterring e.g. a small fish).

For most people, contact may cause minor irritation, except in the rare case of an allergic reaction.

It is safest to not touch anything at sea that we do not know and to avoid removing anything from the seabed. With a mask and calm observation underwater, marine organisms and many species that are unknown to us can be observed and admired. 

Unfortunately, although we live in a country where we have a great history of coexistence with the sea, we do not teach anything about marine life in our schools. An inevitable result is that we are vulnerable too, but also that sea species are endangered by us. Our ignorance – of citizens and politicians – is also an important factor that contributes to the inadequate management of the seas in Greece, which has prevailed for decades.

As nothing seems to be changing at the state level, we are calling upon educators to include environmental lessons at every opportunity and to impart meaningful knowledge to students. As the archipelagos Marine Institute of Conservation, we are always here to support every effort with information, printed materials, photographic materials, and videos.