- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold piranha, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the piranha
Piranhas belong to the Serrasalmidae, a family of more than 90 characiform fishes native to freshwater habitats of South America, also including the pacus and silver dollars. The family name means serrated salmon family, after the serrated keel along the belly. Members are medium to large, reach about 1 m, and have a deep, laterally compressed body. Piranhas are the carnivorous group, but the diets across the family include seeds, fruits, leaves, invertebrates, fish flesh, scales and fins, and many species change diet with age and resource availability. They occur in Atlantic river systems east of the Andes.
Piranha facts
- Piranhas occasionally bite bathers, but serious attacks are rare and the threat to humans has been exaggerated.
- Pacus, relatives of piranhas, eat fruits and nuts and act as important seed dispersers.
- The earliest definitive family fossil teeth are about 38 million years old, from Bolivia.
- Dried piranha specimens have been marketed as tourist souvenirs.
Where to see piranha in the U.S.
4 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding piranha by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Louisiana· 1
Missouri· 1
Tennessee· 1
Wisconsin· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
