When I heard the premise for the movie Piranhas 3D I couldn’t help but laugh about the unlikeliness that Piranhas will attack people but that’s exactly what has been happening up and down some of the shoreline in Brazil .
In a UOL Noticias report nearly 100 people who had been swimming in the water at Piaui state’s main beach last weekend were taken to the hospital and treated for piranha bites along their toes and heels. While the likelihood of a piranha induced death is marginal it’s still an odd occurrence to have the fish attacking human’s in the first place.
According to one local official
“Since they have no predators, piranhas have started attacking people on the beach.”
In the meantime state officials have decided to introduce schools of tilapia into the waters in the hopes that the fish can help satiate the piranha populations hunger. Wildlife authorities are also attempting to figure out a way to quell the piranha population before it gets too far out of control to handle.
State officials are warning residents and tourists to stay out of the water until they can fend off the attacks.
Next time I watch a bad b-movie I won’t be able to get this very real situation out of my head…at least they aren’t genetically mutated sharks with the thinking capacity of human’s and the hunger of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Do piranha’s freak you out?
