A lake used by swimmers in Brazil has been attacked by piranhas that have injured more than 100 people.Visitors to the inland Barragem do Bezerro dam, close to the town of Jose de Freitas in the Piaui province, were left with bitten heels and toes after the predators attacked due to a lack of food.Some needed hospital treatment for their injuries in the state capital of Piaui, around 50km from the site.
There have also been schemes to educate the public who visit the site with one teaching swimmers not to throw food into the water.They have also allowed anglers to fish for the animal in an attempt to reduce the stocks further.Statistics from the dam show that more than 1,000 were caught in the 40 days that fishing was allowed. Overpopulated: Piranhas numbers at the damn have boomed because of a lack of predatorsMr Mafra told the Brazilian UOL news channel that a lack of tilapia and peacock bass, were one of the main factors in the large numbers of piranhas.The fish are predators of the eggs of the fish, while the fry of both provide food for piranhas.
He said: 'People have a bias to feed the piranhas. In addition, fishermen are not interested in fishing them because this type of fish destroys the networks and causes damage. 'They end up just catching peacock bass and tilapia that upset the natural balance of the dam. Without natural predators, this increases the number of piranhas.'Piranha attacks on humans are rare and while they occasionally bite and injure swimmers, a bite is considered more an act of carelessness than misfortune.
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