Liberty Science Center has a new resident: the black spot piranha!

Native to the Orinoco River Basin in South America, these predators are known for their voracious appetite. But in reality, they pose little threat to humans.

A little bit of history: Piranhas got a bad reputation a hundred years ago when President Teddy Roosevelt wrote about “man-eating fish” in the Amazon. But it seems Roosevelt’s tour guides told him exaggerated stories, or purposely staged “feeding frenzies.” A group of piranhas can devour a big animal, but only when extremely hungry or overstimulated by blood.

Most of the time, piranhas ignore people and wading animals. They eat things like fish, insects, and carcasses, utilizing their pointed, triangular teeth to crunch, chop, and tear!

Meet the piranhas on your next visit to the Science Center. You can find them on the third floor in our Eat and Be Eaten exhibition, along with 100+ fascinating animal species.

animals,  black spot piranhas,  Eat and Be Eaten,  fish