Piranha catches HK boy off-guard

BBC News ^ | Tuesday, 3 August, 2004

[presidio9]

A Hong Kong teenager had a nasty shock when he trailed his hand in a fountain - and got bitten by a piranha. The boy, 14, was taken to hospital where he received three stitches in his left index finger, but was not in a serious condition, officials said.

Staff at the housing complex where the attack took place drained the fountain on Tuesday morning.

They found three dead freshwater fish, including two piranhas of a rare breed - apparently abandoned household pets.

Piranhas are popular fish in Hong Kong and can be bought at pet shops for less than HK$100 ($12.80) a pair.

Signs have now been posted around the fountain requesting pet owners not to release unwanted fish into the water.

Fearsome reputation

Piranhas come from the warm rivers of South America, and can tear a whole cow to shreds in minutes when hunting in packs.

In fact, farmers who need to take a herd of cattle across one of the Amazonian rivers sometimes slash one cow and throw it in before crossing to distract the piranhas from the rest of the herd.

It is reported that a school of piranhas devoured up to 300 people when their boat capsized near Obidos in Brazil in 1981.

However, some say piranhas' fearsome reputation is exaggerated. Pet piranhas usually only attack when underfed, and in general piranhas are reluctant to attack a creature unless it is already bleeding or dead.

[presidio9]

PING

[KarlInOhio]

The boy, 14, was taken to hospital where he received three stitches in his left index finger,

The real question is "Did Fox News interrupt broadcast to have a Fox News Alert"?

[oilfieldtrash]

I wonder what his hospital bill was for 3 stiches. I got 5 stitches in a superficial wound and got a bill from the emergency room for 800 dollars. 600 bucks just to walk through the door of the emergency room.

I sure wouldnt vote for that idiot Edwards after that. Guys like him are the reason we pay those mind boggling hospital fees.

[presidio9]

Since this happened in a territory of the Great Asian Socialist Worker's Paradise, I'm assuming it was free.

[WillVoteForFood]

In fact, farmers who need to take a herd of cattle across one of the Amazonian rivers sometimes slash one cow and throw it in before crossing to distract the piranhas from the rest of the herd.

PETA reacted with great anger at the above statement and called for immediate discontinuation of the practice of bovine sacrifice. Said Anita Nomeet, president of PETA, "This practice is without question inbovine and should be stopped immediately. I call for U.N. intervention against Amazonian farmers to stop this practice." Shortly after, Kofi Annan called the U.N. Security Council into emergency session.

[technochick99]

Fish of Peace Alert

[Piranha]

Yeah, but you should've seen the boy who got away!!