Holiday resort forced to close as piranha-like fish with human teeth attack 94 tourists

A popular has been forced to close after with human teeth attacked 94 tourists in the space of a year. There have been 30 fish attacks on tourists at Praia da Figueira this year, which forced the Mato Grosso do Sul Environmental Institute to partially close one of the most popular beach resorts in Bonito, in .

In one case, a swimmer lost part of her finger. The city is considered the "national capital of ecotourism." Some of these bites were reportedly caused by tambaqui fish, an species known for its strong teeth. Tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, does not occur naturally in the region.

It is an Amazonian fish and belongs to the pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, and red piranha, Pygocentrus nattereri, family. It can grow to over four feet long and weigh more than 100 lbs.

According to Kleber Mathubara, an ichthyologist and PhD student in Zoology at the Institute of at the University of , this fish has omnivorous habits and eats soft foods, such as leaves and small invertebrates, as well as harder foods, such as fruits and seeds.

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Mathubara 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." Fish rarely pose a danger to humans in nature.

The expert said: "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." Last year, there were 64 attacks in the area.

The recent beach attack comes after a teenager who nearly died following a shark attack has spoken about her horrific ordeal. in the horror on June 7, 2024.

She was one of three people bitten by 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."