Surprised angler catches piranha in British pond, suspected dumped by pet owner
By APThursday, June 17, 2010
Angler catches piranha in British pond
LONDON — An angler fishing in a British pond got a nasty surprise when his line came back with a thrashing piranha on the end.
Derek Plum caught the flesh-eating fish at a pond in Kent, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of London — and thousands of miles (kilometers) away from the piranha’s usual home in the Amazon.
The fish was left to die by the angler and later identified as a red-bellied piranha, which eats other fish, insects and worms.
The Environment Agency said Thursday the sharp-toothed predator was likely dumped by a pet owner who found it too large for its tank.
The agency says exotic pet owners should refrain from releasing non-native species into the wild because they can upset native wildlife.
