The Amazon rainforest travels through numerous countries in South America including Peru, Venezuela, Columbia, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. There are approximately 3,000 fresh water fish living in the river, including the piranha.
Movies have created the myth that piranhas eat humans. However, the diet of a piranha usually consists of insects, small fish, plant materials, and decaying animals and fish. Some piranhas are even vegetarians.
Corey Axelowitz catching a Piranha.
Jesse Axelowitz, Ryan Axelowitz, Jason Stoll, Corey Axelowitz, Nico Frost, and Juan Carlos look over as the people on the second fishing boat catch piranhas in the Amazon River
Many local indigenous communities fish for piranhas and use their teeth as cutting tools, sell the piranha teeth and/or bodies as tourist gifts, or sometimes eat them.
Sources used:
• All Photos: © Shira Stoll
• Juan Carlos, Zafiro Amazon Riverboat Cruse, Dec. 26, 2015.
• Smithsonian Magazine: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-piranhas-180951948/?no-ist
