Fishers told to get rid of piranha invasion in river
Source: Xinhua |
July 11, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RESIDENTS in a south China city have been mobilized to go fishing to rid a local river of fierce, red-bellied piranhas that had attacked swimmers days before.
The fishing order came after the government of Liuzhou City held an emergency meeting following the weekend attacks, local officials said yesterday.
All fishing clubs were asked to join the piranha hunt in the Liujiang River, the game fishing association of the city said on Monday, adding that people who caught piranhas would be rewarded.
Zhang Kaibo, a resident of Liuzhou, in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was bitten by at least three piranhas on Saturday while swimming in the river. Part of Zhang's palm was bitten off by the fish.
"I felt the pain and tried to get rid of the fish, but one clung on my palm until I hit it off on a rock," Zhang said at his home. The fish, chopped into pieces but with its jaw wide open, was on a table in the kitchen.
Zhang's friend Wu Rihua was also slightly injured. A piranha bit one of his thumbs as he played with it in a net.
The pictures of the fish and Zhang's injured palm caused a stir on the Internet, raising concern over the illegal entry of alien species into the country. Piranhas are native to the Amazon basin and other areas of South America.
Zhang said he and his friend were attacked by three fish, but they killed just one, while the other two swam away.
A shopkeeper at a local fish store said some pet stores sell piranhas smuggled from Guangzhou for 5 yuan (79 US cents) per fish, even though selling it is illegal.
The fishing order came after the government of Liuzhou City held an emergency meeting following the weekend attacks, local officials said yesterday.
All fishing clubs were asked to join the piranha hunt in the Liujiang River, the game fishing association of the city said on Monday, adding that people who caught piranhas would be rewarded.
Zhang Kaibo, a resident of Liuzhou, in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was bitten by at least three piranhas on Saturday while swimming in the river. Part of Zhang's palm was bitten off by the fish.
"I felt the pain and tried to get rid of the fish, but one clung on my palm until I hit it off on a rock," Zhang said at his home. The fish, chopped into pieces but with its jaw wide open, was on a table in the kitchen.
Zhang's friend Wu Rihua was also slightly injured. A piranha bit one of his thumbs as he played with it in a net.
The pictures of the fish and Zhang's injured palm caused a stir on the Internet, raising concern over the illegal entry of alien species into the country. Piranhas are native to the Amazon basin and other areas of South America.
Zhang said he and his friend were attacked by three fish, but they killed just one, while the other two swam away.
A shopkeeper at a local fish store said some pet stores sell piranhas smuggled from Guangzhou for 5 yuan (79 US cents) per fish, even though selling it is illegal.
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