Piranha in China

(Liuzhou, China) Flesh-eating South American piranha are now in the Liujiang River in China, several hundred miles from the coast.

Swimmers reported seeing several of ruby-red piranhas, also called the sharp-snouted piranha, in the river that runs through the Guangxi Zhuang region. One piranha was actually captured when it attacked a Liuzhou resident and bit right through his hand drawing blood. The same carnivorous fish also snapped the fingers of another man.

Zhang Kai Bo, 31, was giving his dog a bath in the river when he was mauled by several piranhas. One fish sank its razor-sharp teeth into his hand, but he managed to rip it off and throw it to the river bank. When his friend went to check on the piranha, it was still alive and buried its teeth into his fingers.

Zhang took the fish to local experts the same day who confirmed that it was a piranha.

A bounty of 1,000 yuan ($157) was offered by Liuzhou city officials for every piranha caught, leading to a fishing frenzy. After four days, the search was called off since no piranha had been caught and many local fish breeds were dying in nets.

It's a mystery as to how the piranha ended up in the Liujiang River.