Hyderabad: The ocean dread is in India now, Telangana and AP to be precise. Piranhas are one of the most dreaded fish in the world. The people of the Piranha-plenty regions, still remember the horrors, the deadly fish leave in their wake. Now, according to the reports, the red-bellied Piranhas have found their way into the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh.
For those of you who don’t know about Piranhas, read the following: Piranhas are a native of fresh water rivers which flow through South American nations like Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela. The fish has razor-sharp teeth and as per scientific reports, they tend to bite off flesh from humans, usually, when there is a scarcity of food in the river they live.
Fortunately enough,the red-bellied piranhas that are seen in AP and Telangana are not that aggressive, but there have been many reports of attacks on humans in other regions in the past.
Piranhas were first reported near the Dowleswaram barrage in Rajahmundry last year by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. There have been several sightings of the fish since then. The fish has also been spotted being sold in the market for consumption. Shaik Salauddin of Deccan Anglers came across the fish at a fish seed farm in Akividu, West Godavari.
Adding to the dread, there are also reports of a cousin of red-bellied piranha, Pygocentrus brachypomus, also known as Pacu, lurking in the Godavari river. This fish is also known as ‘ball-cutter’ as it is known to bite off testicles of people entering its territory. (Ouch!! That’s gotta hurt)
The latest revelation is that Piranhas were quite commonly found in the region and the locals call this fish ‘Roop Chand’. Several sightings of the fish in the Krishna river were registered in the recent past.
On the other hand, Presence of piranhas in Godavari has raised alarm among conservationists. The fear is that as it is a predatory and aggressive carnivorous fish, it may compete with native species for food and other resources, which will eventually lead to the decline or may even wipe out many native fish in the river system. Some are even suggesting that locals and government are to be alerted on the issue and start eradication programs of this and other invasive species.
Adding to the people’s vows There are also reports of a cousin of red-bellied piranha, Pygocentrus brachypomus, also known as Pacu, lurking in the Godavari river. This fish is also known as ‘ball-cutter’ as it is known to bite off testicles of people entering its territory.
