Does size matter? This little fishes called Piranha’s may be small in size, but they are feared by even by indigenous people of the rainforest. Piranhas are found in the South American Rivers, namely in Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay-Paraná, São Francisco and the many rivers of the Guyanas. These omnivorous fishes have extremely sharp teeth and a voracious appetite for meat, a deadly combination for its prey.

Piranhas (Sarrasalmos Matteren) are small fishes that generally grow up to 25 cm long (10 inches). So why are these small creatures so feared by the natives? Because these small fishes are vicious predators and come equipped with the right tools. Their upper and lower jaws are lines with sharp, flat knife like teeth that are made to cut through though meat in matter of seconds. They are like mini-sharks.

Because of their small size, they are much more agile and hard to resist of course. Moreover, piranhas, like many other fishes, move in big schools. While they don’t generally attack humans or other animals, they are pretty indiscriminate in what they eat, as long as its meat. So imagine a school of piranha’s are having their favorite meal of fishes in the river. The feeding is more like a frenzy when these fishes are concerned. If an animal just happens to walk into that feeding school, the part submerged will be shredded to the bone within seconds.

Piranhas are also well camouflaged in the water with their black eyes and yellow, grayish body. More than humans, the livestock from the nearby farms are found to be the unfortunate prey of these fishes. Native animals seem to have more sense than to wade into piranha-infested water. It is really about experience in this matter. It is mostly the younglings that fall prey to this fishes, not knowing what lurks under the waters.

No wonder they have a bad reputation and locals are very careful that they don’t inadvertently stick their legs or arms in piranha infested waters. There are many horror stories, some true some false, about explorers into these who fell into the rivers and were shredded to death by these fishes. Movies are also partially to blame for its reputation. We all surely have come across one or two villains in the movie who throw their minions to the piranhas.

There are many myths regarding this fish, specially indicating their behaviors is predatorial and their attacks premeditated. However, scientific researches over the years have confirmed that Piranhas don’t generally “hunt”  for its prey or sense them through the smell of blood like sharks. Moreover, scientists have deduced that Piranhas move in schools to protect themselves from m bigger predators, somewhat like wild dogs. They also cannot eat whole cattle or humans in seconds, as the story goes.

Apart from South America, Piranhas are also found in Venezuela. They are called Caribes there though. Similar species of fishes have also been found in Bangladesh. Piranhas prefer warm waters and die away if the water gets too cols. In behavior, piranhas are like any other small fish that travel in schools. It’s only their sharp teeth and appetite for meat that set them apart from other fishes.

Left to their own devices, piranhas are hardly any more dangerous to the humans then the other predators that lurk in the rainforest. It’ the encroaching human population and farms that have disturbed the Piranha’s habitat and turned these fishes into the bad guys. Ecologically, Piranhas were known to keep a healthy balance of marine life in these tropical rivers. But to the invaders, they are nuisances who eat into the fish-share of the encroaching humans, cut through nets and baits on their way.