Publisher's Synopsis
Are piranhas dangerous? Well, piranhas are much less dangerous to humans than electric eels or sharks. Aquarium hobbyists that enjoy frightening fish even keep piranhas as pets. But what if you encounter them in the wild? Can a piranha eat a human if provoked?
For the most part, piranhas are not dangerous to humans. They are very well equipped to be a threat to us. Yet they almost never attack people.Jeremy Wade of River Monsters performed an amazing stunt a few years ago. He took a swimming pool full of piranhas and added a bit of blood to the water. Enticing them with the smell.
Next, he feeds the piranhas with a bit of meat on a string. Proving that they are plenty hungry and able to tear chunks out of flesh.
And then he enters the pool in shorts. What do the piranhas do to him?
As it turns out: nothing at all. The school of piranhas remains at the other end of the pool most of the time. They do move close as Jeremy stays still. But not once do they try to bite or attack as a school.
River Monsters viewers and internet commenters took this as proof that piranhas are harmless. Simply a fish with big teeth that pop culture has made into a monster.
Yet that's not the entire truth of the matter...
