Piranha — a real scarecrow of South American rivers. The image of this predatory fish is covered with so many legends that sometimes it is quite difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. The reason for this fear of a small fish is understandable — united in flocks, they are able to tear apart any prey, but, nevertheless, the abilities of piranhas are still slightly exaggerated. Fear, as they say, has big eyes.
Interesting facts about piranhas
- The word “piranha” in translation from one of the Indian languages means “sawfish”.
- There are about fifty different types of piranhas in the world, and they all live only in the rivers of South America, in particular, in the Amazon (interesting facts about the Amazon river).
- Without exception, piranhas — freshwater, they cannot live in salt water.
- The weight of an adult piranha usually does not exceed one kilogram.
- Local shepherds, driving a herd of animals across the ford, usually give one of their animals to the piranhas to be torn to pieces, and while the predators devour it, they drive the entire herd to the opposite shore and move themselves.
- A piranha with one bite can easily bite off a person finger.
- Piranhas are most active at low tide, and at high tide — at least.
- Piranhas, like sharks, are able to feel even one drop of blood dissolved in water at a great distance (interesting facts about sharks).
- If wolves — orderlies of the forest, the piranhas — river orderlies. They primarily devour carrion, weak and sick animals.
- Caimans, river dolphins and some species of turtles themselves are not averse to feasting on piranhas.
- A pack of piranhas is capable of gnaw a cow to the bone in a few minutes.
- Piranhas show their aggressiveness only in a flock, alone this fish is very shy (interesting facts about fish).
- Well-fed piranhas never attack a potential victim , even if they have such an opportunity.
- The upper and lower teeth of piranhas, closing, do not leave a gap between the jaws, which allows them to literally pull out pieces of meat from the victim’s body.
- The piranha bite is stronger than the bite of any other living thing on Earth, including the extinct dinosaurs. Unless, of course, you count in proportions based on the overall size of the body.
- Piranhas can faint from fear. And a piranha living in an aquarium can faint even a sharp clap next to its home.