Do Piranhas Attack people?

The piranha is known for its very sharp teeth. Stories are told of people who go into a river full of piranhas and are attacked by these meat-eaters. In fact piranhas do not normally attack people. They prefer small fish or animals that are injured or weakened. Usually when a person is in water near a piranha the fish will swim away and hide. The piranha is actually a rather timid creature. If a person goes into a river that is inhavited by piranhas the fish generally hide among the water plants. Sometimes a curious piranha may nudge the person but normally piranhas do not attack. Their teeth, however, are extremely sharp, and a large animal can be quickly reduced to a skeleton. some people like to keep piranhas as decorative fish, but one should never put a hand or finger into an aquarium with piranhas. The result could be a severe injury or loss of a finger.