‘Killer’ piranhas get bad press, say scientists

PIRANHAS may not deserve their reputation as the ferocious man-eaters that almost made mincemeat of James Bond, research shows.

Scientists found the South American carnivores swim in dense shoals not to hunt down victims but to protect themselves.

The fish, which inhabit flooded Amazon forests, are usually depicted as merciless killers which overwhelm large animals by force of numbers and strip them to the bone with razor sharp teeth.