A popular holiday resort has been forced to close after piranha-like fish with human teeth attacked 94 tourists in the space of a year. There have been at least 30 fish attacks on holidaymakers at Praia da Figueira this year, which has forced local authorities to partially close one of the most popular beach resorts in Bonito, in Brazil.
In one horror incident, a swimmer lost part of her finger while in the sea after being bitten by the razor-sharp teeth. Other victims have required stitches to treat nasty wounds and help prevent infections. Some of these bites were reportedly caused by a 4ft tambaqui fish, which is part of the red piranha family. They are known for their strong teeth and can weigh up to a whopping 100 lbs.
According to Kleber Mathubara, a PhD student in Zoology at the University of Sao Paulo, this freaky fish feeds on soft foods, such as leaves and small invertebrates, as well as harder foods, such as fruits and seeds – and humans.
But despite wanting to nibble on humans, these types of fish rarely pose a danger to humans in nature – but have simliar teeth to us.
The expert said: “In this species, the front teeth are large and incisor-shaped, similar to human teeth. These teeth, combined with an impressive biting force, are essential for cutting and breaking harder materials.”
“But in environments such as beach resorts, where tourists feed the fish in the water, accidents can happen, as the animals can miss the food or even get confused.”
The recent beach attack comes after a teenager who nearly died following a shark attack has spoken about her horrific ordeal. Lulu Gribbin, then 15, lost her left hand and a portion of her leg in the horror on June 7, 2024.
She was one of three people bitten by sharks during a string of attacks in just one day off the Florida Panhandle, the northwestern part of the US state. Lulu and her friend were riding the waves when her pal screamed, “shark!”
Recalling the encounter today, an emotional Lulu said: “I saw a big shadow, but we all just started swimming for our lives.”
Lulu, from Montgomery, Alabama, continued: “My hand was bitten first. I remember just lifting it out of the water, and I was stunned because there was no hand there. I couldn’t feel it because of all the shock I was in. Then the shark latched onto my leg.”
A stranger, whom Lulu has described as a hero, pulled the teen from the water. She blacked out and came to on the shore where a doctor and other medical workers, who were on the beach that day, rushed to save her.
She said: “I remember being focused just to keep my eyes open and to breathe, to just be able to make it to the hospital.”
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