Photo: One of two fish caught. The fishermen managed to eat the second one.
Local fishermen caught two unusual fish weighing 2 and 4 kilograms. Scientists have confirmed that these are, indeed, piranhas, but herbivorous. And they are not dangerous to humans.
Scientists from the Kemerovo State University are going to organize a scientific expedition to verify the data that piranhas are found in one of the most popular recreation places - the Belovsky reservoir, and also to find out whether they can take root in this reservoir.
About the capture of two South American fish in the Belovo Sea, this is the unofficial name of the reservoir in the Kemerovo region, employees of the Kemerovo State University learned from one of the local fishermen. He wrote a letter in which he said that he had caught an unusual fish, similar to a piranha, and sent a photo of his catch. At first, zoologists thought the message was a joke, but scientific interest prevailed, and they decided to check the fact. The scientists' verdict was unambiguous. “The fish shown is very large. These are herbivorous piranhas,”says Nikolai Skalun, head of the Department of Zoology and Ecology at Kemerovo State University.
The fish is not small indeed. How did the unusual inhabitants of the water element appear in Siberia? So far, everyone is inclined to believe that the only way the fish could get into the reservoir was that someone released them from the aquarium. By the way, in South America, piranhas can live up to 15 years. And the requirement for life in Siberia is one - a constant temperature not lower than plus 20 degrees. And this requirement is feasible for the Belovo Sea, the local state district power station more than supplies the reservoir with warm process waters. It was in the place of their discharge that these tropical fish were caught.
“The temperature conditions in the reservoir are suitable, so tropical fish can survive in it,” Nikolai Skalun confirmed. Only this news is unlikely to please the numerous vacationers who occupy the shores of the reservoir in summer. But scientists are in a hurry to reassure: the Belov piranhas are herbivorous species and do not pose a danger to people. They feed on numerous algae that have filled the reservoir in recent years, assures the head of the department of the KemSU.
“Even in the Amazon, people swim despite the presence of piranhas in the river. And tragic cases are very rare. We have, if there are several piranhas, especially herbivores, then they are safe for people. If you catch it and stick your finger in your mouth, then it will not seem like a little,”explained the zoologist.
Yet many questions remain. For example, can uninvited guests breed in Siberian conditions? To give an answer, the university scientists hope to organize a scientific expedition to the Belovskoe Sea, since no one can give guarantees that piranhas no longer live there. By the way, zoologists did not see the fish live. The fishermen managed to cook and eat their prey. The fish turned out to be bony, but quite edible, fishermen say.