This is the moment piranhas attack swimmers at a popular Amazon resort, leaving several injured and a seven-month-old baby with part of his toe ripped off.
The incident happened at the Miriti Beach in Manacapuru, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, on Sunday, 26th October.
According to local reports, seven people were injured, including a seven-month-old baby who lost part of his toe during the attacks.
Footage shared on social media shows families and children rushing out of the river as people shout warnings and try to help others reach the shore.
In another scene, a firefighter is seen treating one of the victims whose hand is bleeding heavily as she receives first aid on the riverbank.
The Amazonas Fire Department said the attacks happened throughout the day as bathers enjoyed the water.
A spokesperson said that the baby was attacked in the morning and that firefighters on duty provided first aid before the parents decided to take the infant to hospital themselves.
Later in the day, crews carried out new treatments and dressings while advising swimmers to stay away from the deeper parts of the river, where the attacks had been concentrated.
Local fishermen believe the aggressive behaviour of the fish is linked to the breeding season, which occurs during the river’s low-water period when piranhas move closer to the banks to spawn and defend their nests.
The discharge of food waste into the water – a practice common among visitors and nearby establishments – may also be drawing shoals to bathing areas.
The Manacapuru city council has since advised the public to stay away from Miriti Beach until the fish disperse.
Biologist and aquatic ecology expert Edinbergh Caldas Oliveira explained that the behaviour is typical of piranha species and that most incidents occur when people unknowingly enter nesting zones.
He said the fish act defensively and usually deliver a single warning bite to drive away intruders rather than launching sustained attacks.
He added that such incidents are accidents caused by human interference with natural habitats.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: newsX
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