ST: Piranhas attack bathers in Brazil: Report

[barmby]

From The Straits Times

BRASILIA (AFP) - Carnivorous fish attacked bathers in a river in southern Brazil, leaving about 20 of them with bite wounds on their hands and feet, a news website said on Monday, citing lifeguards.

The unusual attack occurred on Sunday when a school of palometas, a species of piranhas, surprised hundreds of tourists bathing at a beach in Toropi, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Lifeguards told the G1 website that 20 of the bathers suffered cuts on their hands and feet and were treated on the scene.

Firefighters said low water levels in the river, resulting in scarce food sources, may have prompted the feeding frenzy.

dated 21 Feb
here is the link: click ST webby

[stormhawk]

Sushi role reversal. The species involved should be Pygocentrus nattereri, or perhaps P. palometa.

[limz_777]

surprised the locals didnt warn them ,think there is too many unreported cases

[stormhawk]

How can the locals predict when these fish will come? The tourists were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[limz_777]

its always low water level(dry season) when the food are scarce ,thats when the piranhas are hungry, even little puppies taking a swim gets eaten up

[icefire]

How can the locals predict when these fish will come? The tourists were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

agree with that. but now its time to place signs to warn tourists of attacks. both piranhas or stingrays as lower water levels = more chances of humans x fishes interaction(wrong ways hehe)

[barmby]

Piranhas only attack animal that send out distress signal like wounded, bleeding and etc. This is what I learn from Discovery Channel's Jeremy Wade, haha...

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/r...anha-pool.html

[felix_fx2]

These were very VERY hungry ones.

[limz_777]

unreported cases its actually from jeremy wade river monster piranha series, cases due to dry season, the piranhas are concentrated at a certain river drying up, very hungry and aggressive, tourist is at the wrong place and wrong time,think they must watch more documentary, still got many unknown dangers in amazon rivers

[barmby]

urban legend has it that a school bus of children drop into the river and they all get feast upon by piranhas

[stormhawk]

Yeah I saw that episode too on piranhas. I think the most compelling story was that of the little kid that fell into the water from his house boat and died from a piranha frenzy.

If you think about it, the piranhas probably attacked not just because they were hungry or low water levels, but maybe because of all the splashing from the bathers. Any sign of "distress", in this case splashing at the water surface is bound to attract these predators.

[Shi Xuan]

think they must watch more documentary, still got many unknown dangers in amazon rivers

I think some unknown dangers in the Amazon rivers would be attributed in some cases, not to the monstrous species, but even the smaller ones. Parasitic catfish species like the Vandellia sp., generally known as Candiru would be a good example. They usually feed off the giant pacu, Colossoma macropomum but have read how they enter human bodies via the urethra, probably because they mistaken it as water exhausted from fish gills when they urinate.

Thinking of it, we have catfishes ranging from monsters like Goonch, Mekong catfish, Red tail catfish to parasitic ones like Vandellia and Cetopsis, known to the native as Candiru acu. Back to the topic, has anyone heard that River safari's going to have a school of Red-bellied piranha on exhibition?

[barmby]

River safari - you have to ask lorba. he is in charge of the project i think LOL

[limz_777]

haha the infamous candiru , a painful experience , definitely looking forward to the new zoo exhibit , any idea when will it start ?

[icefire]

what about electric eels think piranhas>stingrays>electric eels... there are more vicious tiny fishes also but lets not go into the gory details

[stormhawk]

It's slated for opening in October this year. Electric eels.. I saw 2 at C328, young ones.

[Shi Xuan]

Electric eels.. I saw 2 at C328, young ones.

I thought it was a while ago since I last saw them kept separately in those smallish tanks. Can't believe they are still there. I'm crossing my fingers for those who decided to buy them, only to find out later their monstrous size and a nasty "shock".

[stormhawk]

There's always one or two Electric Catfishes too for sale. The eels are gone but I wouldn't be surprised if I saw them again.

[barmby]

guys.. off topic. lets stick to killer piranhas : ) : ) : )

[icefire]

It's slated for opening in October this year. Electric eels.. I saw 2 at C328, young ones.

lol~ thanks for the clarification.. was planning to get them as they look like electric eels as quite "cool" but now change my mind...