It’s a hot,
dry day in July when you decide
to explore the Amazon basin by boat.
You feel pretty comfortable with your
local guide showing you
the exotic environment.
But all of a sudden,
your boat capsizes
and you fall overboard into the still,
warm water.
Luckily, you’re a strong swimmer.
Wait a minute.
What are all those fishes?
And why are they swarming?
There are 40 to 60 species of piranhas.
The majority are timid by nature
and scavenge meat from other fish
and carcasses they find in the water.
However,
the red-bellied piranha is the
most vicious and aggressive.
It’s also the most common,
and it looks like it’s the species
you now find yourself swimming among.
Since it’s the dry season,
the water is low,
and this shoal has grown to over 100 fish
with razor-sharp teeth set in powerful,
clamping jaws.
And they’re hungry.
You can’t help but think of that news report
from January 2020 when more than
30 people were attacked by piranhas
in the aptly named, Parana, Brazil.
This surge happened over several days
and prompted local authorities
to post strict warning signs.
Piranhas are stealthy opportunists
and are attracted to sick, dying animals.
If you panic and begin to thrash around,
this will tell predators you’re in trouble
and they will begin to swarm.
Make your movements slow and deliberate.
Red-bellied piranhas locate their prey
with excellent hearing combined
with teamwork.
The shoal, fans out in search of prey.
Once they find a tasty morsel,
they communicate acoustically
to each other
which signals the feast to begin.
So it’s important you make
as little noise as possible.
Don’t yell or scream,
and tread carefully.
Attacks on humans have been
on the rise over the last decade.
Scientists believe it’s caused by an
increase in dams on the Amazon River,
which slows the current
and attracts swimmers.
This slow-moving, warm,
prime swimming water is exactly
what piranhas love.
If you can,
quietly move toward deeper water
where it’s colder
and the current is quicker.
Currents can be dangerous themselves
if you’re not a strong swimmer,
but they will help safeguard you
from an unwelcome feeding frenzy.
Exposed hands and feet
are vulnerable main targets.
So protecting these areas
before you potentially go out in
piranha-infested waters
will help you survive nasty bites.
They will still hurt,
but maybe you’ll be missing less chunks
when you finally escape.
Think thick leather gloves
and solid shoes.
It was United States President
Theodore Roosevelt
who turned piranha into a
popular 'supervillain'
in a book chronicling his jungle journey,
“Through the Brazilian Wilderness.”
He witnessed an entire cow
being devoured down to the bone.
But experts believe the shocking event
was staged for the President’s benefit.
Sorry, Teddy, in truth,
these beasts aren’t quite that
monstrous after all.
Like most animals,
piranhas are more scared of you
than you are of them.
Giving them a wide berth is your best bet,
especially if they’re guarding
a clutch of eggs
or are especially ravenous.
Honestly,
you may have bigger things to be worried
about if you fall into a river in the Amazon.
You can learn all about caimans,
deadly parasites,
and more in other How to Survive episodes.