(Photo: Reuters/Jorge Silva)An indigenous Warao man shows a piranha bite after catching it at the Orinoco Delta in the state of Delta Amacuro August 25, 2009.A pacu fish, known for eating human testicles, has been captured in Lake Lou Yaeger in Illinois, the Department of Natural Resources has stated. The fish is a relative of the piranha, which is known for its sharp teeth and vicious nature.
"The red-bellied pacu is the cousin of a very well-known fish that terrorizes swimmers in made-for-TV movies and on the big screen: the piranha," notes the Discovery channel. "These family members sure know how to use their sharp teeth to make their prey scream for mercy."
Although the pacu normally stick to a fruit, nut, and insect diet, they have been known to eat other fish as well as human flesh. In 2001, two fishermen bled to death after being bitten in the genital region. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has assured residents that it is safe to swim in Lake Lou Yaeger and that attacks by the pacu are extremely rare.
The pacu are native to the Amazon, and it is believed that any found in the lake are former pets illegally dumped into the water. Anyone found guilty of dumping the fish could face charges. Thankfully, no one was injured by the pacu in Lake Lou Yaeger.
Piranhas have long terrorized American audiences, with their ferocious appetites and need for meat. The fish were featured in a Bond film, "You Only Live Twice," as well as their own films "Piranha" and "Piranha II: The Spawning." In these films, the fish have an insatiable appetite for human flesh exclusively.
In 2010, "Piranha 3D" was released, allowing for a new generation of audiences to be horrified by the fish. It is more likely, though, that piranhas will eat smaller fish or their own if desperately hungry.
The Department of Natural Resources has stated that if there are more pacu in the lake, they are not a threat to residents.
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