Piranha, an extremely predatory fish with sharp teeth and powerful jaws that always illustrate itself a dreadful creature from a gruesome Hollywood scene as the picture depicts below. Yes, they could be really dreadful at some points!
In 2015, a horrible corpse of an 11-year-old boy was found after being eaten by the piranhas in a Peru’s piranha-infested deadly water. According to the primary investigation, the boy was on a vacation trip with his family and was playing near the reservoir when he suddenly fell into the lethal water where his life was taken in a gruesome way. However, many of the locals claimed he had already drowned before he was consumed by the piranhas.
Piranha attacks resulting in horrific deaths have been reported several times in the Amazon territory. In February 2015, a 6-year-old girl was roaming with her grandmother on a boat during their vacation in Brazil, while their boat foiled and the girl died after being eaten by the piranhas. In 2012, another 5-year-old Brazilian girl was attacked and killed by a shoal of red piranhas. In 2011, a drunk 18-year-old man of Rosario del Yata, Bolivia, was attacked and killed by these deadliest fishes.
Piranhas are definitely one of the most dangerous fishes in the world. They are also called caribe or piraya. There are more than 60 species of this razor-toothed carnivorous fish. The blunt head with strong jaws bearing sharp, triangular teeth is enough to identify these grisly creatures. The deadliest Piranhas are mostly found in the South American rivers, lakes and reservoirs, especially located near the Amazon basin. And the most infamous of them is the red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) or simply called the red-piranha, who has the strongest jaws and sharpest teeth of all.
Unlike the other kinds of fishes, piranhas do not merely feed on algae or seagrass. They feed on small fishes and even on the flesh of other dead or living animals. The teeth-row of this tiny bizarre creature is so sharp that it’s often used in making some tools and sharp weapons. Generally, a group of red-piranhas spreads out to look for prey. When located, they acoustically transfer the attacking signals, then just attack in hundreds and thousands of numbers to the prey’s horrible death. Some 12 other species called wimple piranhas (Catoprion mento) live in their own creepy way. They survive solely on morsels nipped from the fins and scales of other fishes, instead of killing them. Though the wounds later completely heal, that doesn’t put their lives in danger.
However, according to the experts, piranhas do not deliberately attack any larger living animal for eating alive but they can do enough harm in their efforts to protect themselves.
Did you know about the Megapiranha?
The Megapiranha or Prehistoric Piranha – scientifically called, Megapiranha paranensis – is an ancient prehistoric species of piranha that was long believed to be extinct between 6 million and 10 million years ago. It is thought to be about 28 inches in length and 20 to 30 pounds in weight. The holotype consists only of premaxillae (a pair of small cranial bones bearing the teeth at the very tip of the upper jaw of some animals) and a zigzag tooth row, and the rest of its body is unknown.
Megapiranha lived in South America during the Miocene era, when the Amazon and Parana basin were one continuous habitat. During that time, all animals, from snakes to fish to crocodiles, were really massive like we see in some horror movie scenes.
A new study reveals that the ancient Carnivorous Megapiranha packed a fearsome bite with a force that was between 1200–4700 N and was up to 50 times its weight. Pound for pound, the extinct predator beats out other mega-predators like an ancient, semi-truck-size shark called the Carcharocles megalodon. In this way, they become one of the deadliest and the battle winner creatures at that prehistoric time.
Now, leave that gigantic and terrible prehistoric age and come back again to these modern era’s piranhas, who are indeed one of the deadliest creatures in this world.
Fortunately, there are some things you can do to avoid or prevent the Piranha Attack:
- First of all, without any reasonable need, don’t get caught in the piranha-infested water, even if you think it’s okay.
- Experts advise that it is best not to swim in the piranha-infested water during the daytime because Piranhas usually tend to be more harmful during the daytime than their resting time of night.
- In case you are about to cross a piranha-infested river or canal (if you really think it’s necessary), throw an animal carcass or a slice of raw meat to attract them. Hence, you can get some time to escape and cross to the other side, but be sure to move quickly because, for them, a few minutes enough to prove your decision to be a big mistake in your life.
- Experts suggest avoiding making noise because piranhas are more attracted by the movement in water rather than by the smell of blood. However, if you have wounds or cuts on your body then you should never go into that deadly water since piranhas are more likely to attack a larger animal if they think it’s wounded and hence they will be triggered to be more harmful.
So, beware of the Piranha attack. Not only the Piranha attacks, but there are also such bizarre wild things that can destroy your life within a second in various known and unknown ways. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” you should always think twice before you decide to do anything strange. If you don’t think it’s safe, it probably isn’t!
