Biotropica Zoological Park opens the largest piranha pool in France

Attention to enthusiasts: to break the stereotypes about these fish, which are sometimes called “bloodthirsty monsters”, and to give as many people as possible the opportunity to observe their natural behavior, the Biotropica zoological park in Val de Reil (Eure) has opened a pond with more than 500 piranhas .

“Monsters“bloodthirsty, horror movie stars, piranhas are the objects of all fantasies. So”rehabilitateUnder its image, Biotropica has taken on a crazy challenge: hosting the largest school of piranhas in France. The job is done, they rejoice in a press release published this Sunday, April 28, 2024. And visitors can now admire these mythical fish. !

Under the amazed eyes of visitors: a pond with a volume of 80,000 liters, in which more than 500 piranhas live, with sharp teeth like “real razor blades“But don’t panic!

“Their Shyness is enough to prevent you from being bitten if you accidentally swim into the river with these adorable fish“, says Laetitia Lassalle, assistant zoologist of the park, in in a press release, emphasizing that they serve an environmental role by ridding rivers of dead animal carcasses.

Although breaststroke swimming is not recommended in an indoor pool, Biotropica is enthusiastic about isolating the species.gentle and exceptional“.

This took a year of work:”Red piranhas are very sociable animals, living in schools of several hundred individuals. There is no point in citing a dozen of them; it is in the natural social structure (giant school) that the species expresses all its natural forms of behavior.“, notes François Huyghe, veterinarian and director of the park, in the same press release.

Som, “fake piranhas“herbivores or omnivores… To get as close to their natural habitat as possible, red piranhas are accompanied in their aquarium by other species of fish with which they coexist peacefully (yes).

Visitors seated in the stands around the aquarium will be able to experience a narrative meal each day.

“questionwhen the food is lowered by crane into the pool in Jurassic Park mode, after a few timid bites from the scouts, it is generally a beautiful madness, a beautifully choreographed ballet where everyone participates in ensuring that the traces of death never disappear. tire“, says Laetitia Lassalle.