Anyhow, I thought the one sentence was worth a [nervous] chuckle.
Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216.661.6500 ext 4485
><)> -----Original Message-----
><)> From: aquaticinfo-in-neaq.org
><)> On Behalf Of Bob
><)> Jenkins
><)> Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 3:43 PM
><)> To: Aquatic Information Listserve; AZAAquatic
><)> Interest Group
><)> Subject: Aquaticinfo: Deadly piranhas may have
><)> been released into
><)> Thaiwaters
><)>
><)>
><)> Deadly piranhas may have been released into Thai waters
><)> Sun May 30, 5:17 PM ET
><)>
><)> BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai authorities warned that
><)> piranhas may have
><)> been released into Bangkok's waterways, as dealers of the
><)> flesh-eating fish dumped their stashes to avoid a
><)> crackdown on
><)> trade in exotic species.
><)>
><)> But specimens of the ferocious South American fish
><)> have yet to be
><)> found in the teeming city's rivers or canals, and experts
><)> reportedly advised against panic as it was
><)> unlikely the fish
><)> could thrive in Bangkok's polluted waters.
><)>
><)> Last year when police launched a crackdown on
><)> unregistered exotic
><)> animal sales, police seized 112 piranhas and
><)> threatened legal
><)> action against traders, but owners and breeders of
><)> the fish were
><)> never found, police Colonel Wichit Nanthawong said.
><)>
><)> Only eight piranhas have been seized this year and
><)> no owners have
><)> been located, but Wichit said the continuing
><)> crackdown may be
><)> prompting breeders to flush the piranhas out of
><)> their inventory.
><)>
><)> "It causes concern that the owners might be scared to face
><)> penalties and instead dump the fish into
><)> waterways," he told AFP.
><)>
><)>
><)> "Thais, especially children, often swim in the
><)> rivers or canals.
><)> It would be frightening if those fish are dumped."
><)> In the Bangkok Post, Wichit added: "Especially men
><)> should cover
><)> themselves well, otherwise they could be sorry for
><)> the rest of
><)> their lives."
><)>
><)> Chirdsak Vongkamolchoon, director of the Fish
><)> Trade Inspection
><)> Section, was cited by the English-language daily
><)> that fish buyers
><)> may unknowingly release piranhas' eggs into the
><)> water system when
><)> cleaning their tanks, and that the fish could
><)> survive in the
><)> country's waters.
><)>
><)> Other experts said however that the fish would
><)> have less chance
><)> of surviving in the polluted waters of Bangkok's
><)> Chao Phraya
><)> River and smaller canals, and preferred a dense
><)> forest ecosystem
><)> such as that found in southern Thailand.
><)>
><)> Copyright ) 2004 Agence France Presse. All rights
><)> reserved. The
><)> information contained in the AFP News report may not be
><)> published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
><)> without the
><)> prior written authority of Agence France Presse.
><)>
><)>
><)>
><)>
><)>
><)>
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