There are many people who are afraid to bathe in the river because they do not know what animals may be swimming there. And they have no shortage of reasons, because while in our European streams we can find trout, salmon or eels, in other parts of the world there are more ferocious creatures.
Far from what many people might think, some of the most dangerous fish in the world are not found in the depths of the ocean. They are also not species known for their aggressiveness, like the piranha; its toxicity, like the puffer fish or its threatening representation in the popular imagination, like the shark. We are talking about tiger fish, a predatory species normally found in the rivers and lakes of Africa.
It is characterized by being very ferocious and having very sharp teeth, allowing it to destroy crocodile bones in just a few seconds. They usually hunt in packs and their scientific name is Hydrocynus goliath. It is considered the equivalent of the South American piranha, although they are from a different zoological family.
It is also known that these fish are capable of attacking and capturing birds that search for prey in the shallowest part of the water. Males can weigh 50 kilos and measure more than 130 centimeters long, but it is true that some heavier and larger specimens have been found exceptionally.
In fact, at a fish market in Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, a 70-kilogram Hydrocynus goliath was recently put up for sale for Rs 500 per kilo. This fish was caught in the waters of the Ganges and was taken to the fish market so that everyone could admire the specimen and buy it if they wished.
