Ten people savaged by flesh-eating piranhas in Argentinian river as they tried to cool off in blistering 41C heat.
The vicious creatures, known as palometas, have been attacking bathers since Thursday at the Parana River in Rosario, which is 186 miles north-east of Buenos Aires. During that attack, a seven-year-old girl lost part of a finger, while other swimmers suffered deep cuts to their ankles, fingers and hands.
They are known for their sharp teeth and a voracious appetite for meat. The exact number of piranha species is unknown, as new species continue to be discovered, but estimates range from 30 to 60. Piranhas are normally 14cm to 26cm long, though some have been reported up to 43cm in length.
Attacks in the Amazon basin have been on the increase in recent years. In 2011, a drunk 18-year-old man was attacked and killed in Rosario del Yata, Bolivia. In 2012, a five-year-old Brazilian girl was attacked and killed by a shoal of piranhas, while recurring attacks in Piaui in 2011 resulted in 100 people being injured.
Piranha attacks peak in the dry season when there is less food and the water levels are lower. Fatalities are rare, with the majority of attacks taking the form of bites to the feet and hands. Splashing tends to make piranhas more likely to attack, explaining why children are often injured during mass attacks of these creatures.
They are known for their sharp teeth and a voracious appetite for meat. The exact number of piranha species is unknown, as new species continue to be discovered, but estimates range from 30 to 60. Piranhas are normally 14cm to 26cm long, though some have been reported up to 43cm in length.
Attacks in the Amazon basin have been on the increase in recent years. In 2011, a drunk 18-year-old man was attacked and killed in Rosario del Yata, Bolivia. In 2012, a five-year-old Brazilian girl was attacked and killed by a shoal of piranhas, while recurring attacks in Piaui in 2011 resulted in 100 people being injured.
Piranha attacks peak in the dry season when there is less food and the water levels are lower. Fatalities are rare, with the majority of attacks taking the form of bites to the feet and hands. Splashing tends to make piranhas more likely to attack, explaining why children are often injured during mass attacks of these creatures.
Read more and see pictures of piranhas and the injured -
More interesting info on piranhas
- http://www.livescience.com/16525-piranhas-bark-bite-communication.html- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2251768/The-black-piranha-powerful-bite-animal-history--T-Rex--researchers-find.html
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