Don't let occasional news reports and articles disturb you.  The oceans surrounding Mexico are considered safe. You will hear of some problems of course, because with 9,330 km (5,793 miles) of coastline, 450 different beaches, over 32 million foreign visitors and millions of local enthusiasts, there are bound to be some problems.

Most of the locals and visitors love the water. They swim, surf, scuba dive, snorkel, fish, wade, golf, walk on the...

Don't let occasional news reports and articles disturb you.  The oceans surrounding Mexico are considered safe. You will hear of some problems of course, because with 9,330 km (5,793 miles) of coastline, 450 different beaches, over 32 million foreign visitors and millions of local enthusiasts, there are bound to be some problems.

Most of the locals and visitors love the water. They swim, surf, scuba dive, snorkel, fish, wade, golf, walk on the beach, boat, and are involved in other activities close to water with very few problems. There are some potentially dangerous animals that you really don’t have much to worry about. You should keep in mind a few possible animals that might ruin your day.

In no particular order, here are 12 potentially dangerous animals:

1. Stingrays are usually peaceful but if you step on one, it may sting you and that can be very painful. If left untreated, the sting can possibly lead to serious complications and even death. I have seen stingrays washed up on the beach but fortunately, I have never stepped on one.

2. The moray eel is an extremely nasty looking creature. They are not likely to be aggressive, but if you disturb them they can be very vicious and inflict severe wounds. They can be found in shallow water between rocks and in holes.

3. Sharks are found in waters all around Mexico. There have been very few reports of shark attacks in recorded history but in 2008 there were three shark attacks in one month and two fatalities. This panicked a lot of people but there have been no problems reported since that time. The greatest danger is to surfers and for years surfers have considered the beaches of Guerrero and Oaxaca as dangerous but it has not hurt their popularity. None of the 2008 attacks were at tourist beaches. The major beaches will warn people if dangerous sharks are reported in the area.

4. Jellyfish are the animals most likely to be a problem. Again, warnings are posted if there is much danger. But people do get stung and the sting can be very painful and complications can even lead to death.

5. A newcomer to the Gulf of Mexico is the lion-fish (a type of scorpion fish). They can attack with their dorsal spines if provoked.

6. A particularly mean looking fish, the Barracuda, can be very aggressive and is common in deep waters but is seldom found in shallow waters near the shore. There are not many reports of them biting humans.

7. An octopus will occasionally bite someone but its relative, the squid, is very aggressive and has been rumored to attack humans. In fact, fishermen call them diablos rojos (red devils) and claim they have devoured people who fell into the water.

8. There have also been some problems with crocodile attacks including several cases where large crocodile have attacked golfers on a course in Cancun.

9. Sea Snakes have also been reported along the Pacific coast. The yellow-bellied sea snake is extremely poisonous but they are not aggressive and it would be unusual for you to encounter one.

10. Cone shells are marine snails and are venomous. The poison can be fatal if they sting a person. They are mainly nocturnal and hide in crevices in the day.

11. The sea urchin is actually the most common danger even though it is not as serious as many of the others. If one of its spines punctures the skin it can be very painful and can create complications if it remains embedded under the skin.

12. Although it may be a surprise, the crown-of-thorns starfish has venomous spines which can stay embedded for months unless removed by surgery. When they puncture the skin they cause a sharp, stinging pain and swelling.