The Ultimate Piranhas Eating Cows Quiz
Piranhas have the image of vicious man-eating monsters. In reality, they prefer other fish over mammals and are mostly eight inches long. Take this quiz to learn about the circumstances when a school of piranha would eat a cow.
Question 2 of 21
What ferocious fish did Theodore Roosevelt take an interest in?
... Theodore Roosevelt took a special interest in piranha fish. He wrote about piranha in his book, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness."
Question 3 of 21
In the 1978 movie "Piranha", why are the piranhas released into a resort's river?
... The piranhas are released into the river by accident.
Question 4 of 21
How big is a piranha?
... The maximum size of a piranha may be about two feet (60 cm), but most are about eight inches (20 cm) long.
Question 5 of 21
What fish is the most vicious of the piranha species?
... The Pigocentrus naterreri is the most vicious of the species.
Question 6 of 21
How would you describe the teeth of a piranha?
... Piranha have teeth like razors.
Question 7 of 21
The piranha jaw is designed for:
... The piranha jaw is designed for chomping.
Question 8 of 21
How are a piranha's teeth spaced?
... The teeth are spaced in an interlocking pattern, the better to chomp with.
Question 9 of 21
Piranha do not ______ their prey.
... The piranha do not chew their prey, they chomp it.
Question 10 of 21
What happens after piranha chomp down on a big bite of flesh?
... Piranha do not chew, so the big bite goes straight to its stomach.
Question 11 of 21
What causes the boiling-water effect in piranha infested water, often shown in movies featuring piranhas?
... Piranhas let everyone in the school get a big bite, so when they change positions, very fast, the water bubbles with their movement.
Question 12 of 21
Piranhas are the prey of what animals?
... Piranhas are the prey of herons and caimans.
Question 13 of 21
What is the mainstay of piranhas' diet?
... Mainly piranhas are scavengers, so they eat dead animals.
Question 14 of 21
Why can't you buy a piranha?
... Piranha are illegal to import, so don't plan on keeping one in your home aquarium.
Question 15 of 21
What animal do piranhas primarily eat?
... Piranhas eat fish, and occasionally will eat another piranha.
Question 16 of 21
Where do piranhas prefer to breed?
... Piranhas prefer to breed in slow-moving water. An increase in dam building in South America has increased slow-moving waters and is thought to account for an increase in the piranha population.
Question 17 of 21
Why may piranhas be found in unlikely places?
... Anywhere but South America would be an unlikely place to find piranhas. One explanation is that "pet" piranhas have been dumped into waterways, after the owners discovered just how difficult they were to keep.
Question 18 of 21
What may happen when piranhas are dumped in waterways outside of their natural habitat?
... The addition of piranhas to these waterways may threaten the ecological balance.
Question 19 of 21
What is the size of a typical school of piranha?
... About 20 piranha make up a typically sized school, but it takes hundreds to eat a cow.
Question 20 of 21
When Roosevelt visited the Brazilian Amazon, what did he see that left him feeling disturbed?
... Roosevelt witnessed a school of piranhas strip a cow to the bone in a very short time, perhaps around one minute. It is thought that the piranhas he saw had been intentionally starved beforehand.
Question 21 of 21
How long are the razor sharp teeth of piranhas?
... The teeth are only about one-quarter inch (0.6 cm) long.
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