Original subtitles

No fish other than the shark

has driven fear into the heart of humanity like the piranha.

Native to South America, there are over 50 described species

and they inhabit pretty much every freshwater

system, moving in schools and silently

stalking their next victim.

I'm no stranger to these toothy fish.

And in the summer of 2019, I became witness

to their razor-sharp weaponry.

OK, so getting ready to swim with caiman

and we're also catching prawn on the process.

And I tried to get a picture and had one

bite the tip of my finger off.

That is a lot of blood.

Those teeth are razor-sharp.

I tried to peel down the lip just a tiny bit

and it went [gulp] like that and really took a good chunk out

of the tip of my finger.

And just in case you're wondering, yes, it hurt.

But are these fish truly aggressive?

Clearly, if you catch one, put your finger close to its mouth

and try to see its teeth, you will end up like me.

But do they have an appetite for human flesh?

We are about to find out if I can be eaten alive by piranha.

Today, I'm in my home city of Columbus, Ohio,

and I will be conducting this crazy experiment

at Aquarium Adventure.

Their impressive 12,000 square foot facility is home

to thousands of fish, marine animals,

and every size aquarium you can possibly imagine.

I am here to visit the resident population

of red-bellied piranha.

The dinner table has been set, so let's

get right down to business.

I have to admit, it's pretty intimidating

standing behind a tank filled with red piranha.

Now, if you look at one of these fish as an individual,

it doesn't seem that threatening.

But when you see six of them swimming around like this,

that's what you call a school.

And when there's six fish, yeah, it definitely

gets your heart racing.

Now, the big question that we want to answer tonight

is whether or not piranha will eat human flesh.

But before we do that, first, let's

take a look at some of the cool anatomical features

of these fish.

Now, when you look at the piranha's body,

they've got a very dominant head.

Those big bulbous eyes tell you these fish

have incredible eyesight.

But the thing that's most noticeable

is that big underbite.

That lower jaw tells you that this fish packs a punch

when it comes to its bite.

The jaw structure is broken down into four different sections.

What's so cool about these teeth is that they're interlocking,

razor-sharp and triangular in form,

and they lock together like pieces of a puzzle.

Add that together with the shaking and the spinning

and, oh, buddy, you get attacked by a swarm of piranhas

and you're going to be in a very bad situation.

And similar to sharks, they replace

their teeth throughout the entire course of their lives.

But unlike sharks, these entire jaw segments

replace themselves periodically, which

means that an entire section of the jaw falls out of the fish

and then a new section grows right in.

In the wild, piranha are considered predators.

In many instances, they are opportunistic,

which means that they'll feast upon pretty

much anything they come across.

But it's primarily their sense of smell

and their ability to hone in on hearing that makes them

such an effective predator.

You have to think about where these fish live,

throughout water systems in South America that

are oftentimes quite murky.

So when the fish can't see its prey,

it needs to hone in using smell and sound.

Oftentimes, they will attack things

that are splashing about.

This may signal an animal that is wounded

and struggling, which obviously makes for an easier victim.

When it comes to attacking large prey items,

yes, they have been known to attack

things as large as livestock.

Of course, humans have been bitten

and close to 200 bites are reported every single year.

When you look at the piranha, you

think to yourself, OK, obviously with that dentition,

it's a predator.

But this is not an apex predator.

There are many other animals within the piranha's

environment that will take the opportunity

to feast on one of these fish.

Caiman, otters, river dolphins, and even waterfowl like herons

and egrets will definitely take the opportunity

to eat one of these fish.

That's why they move together as a group.

When you have a school, you seem bigger and more intimidating,

which means you're much less likely to be predated upon.

All right, I know what you guys are thinking.

Coyote, you're going the wrong way around the fish bowl.

Let's get into the experiment.

We want to find out whether or not you're going to be bitten

by one or all of these fish.

There are six of them in there, so I'd

say the odds are pretty good.

So if you guys are ready, I'm Coyote Peterson,

and I think it's time to be eaten alive by piranha.

Now, I'm not going to shake my hands around there

and cause a disturbance.

I'm going to gently place them in slowly and see what happens.

I'm going to keep my hands there for 60 seconds.

There is the chance that I will be bitten.

Be prepared.

If that happens, there's going to be a lot of blood.

So brace yourselves.

OK.

All right, I'm stalling.

Here we go.

1, 2, 3, hands going in.

Start the clock, 60 seconds.

They're definitely moving much more with my hands in there

than when my hands were not in there.

Now they may be feeling skittish in the presence of my hands.

You can see my hand is pretty close.

They're actually being touched right now by the fish.

Fins drifting up against me.

Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy.

Look at that.

Look at that.

So far, nothing.

I'm going to drift my hands closer in this direction.

OK.

My hand-- my left hand and my forearm

are completely surrounded by the piranhas.

I can feel the tails brushing up against me.

Oh, man.

Fish's face is right close to my hand.

Oh, boy, feels like it might take a bite.

Ahhh.

Ooh, ooh, no, no.

Getting smacked with tails, hand in the middle of the fish.

So my right hand is completely away from the fish altogether,

but my left hand is completely surrounded

by the fish at this point.

Look at that, right in the school of piranha,

no bite happening.

OK, now that I've sort of gotten over the initial fear

and the fact that the piranha are slapping their tails up

against me, I'm beginning to feel like they're just going

to ignore me at this point.

So far, no bite.

And I feel like even if a bite came at this point,

it would simply be a curiosity bite to say,

what is this in our tank?

Is it something that I can eat?

Don't feel as if they're going to swarm into one

of those frenzies like you would see in the movie

where they strip all the flesh--

oh, boy.

Thought I was about to take a bite there,

just getting smacked my tails, no bites happening,

hands coming out.

Ooh.

Hands shaking a little bit.

I will admit that.

But absolutely no bites, all flesh still intact.

So what we've seen in the Hollywood B

movies of these fish devouring human flesh right

down to the bone definitely did not

happen within this scenario.

OK.

Got to shake off those nerves just a little bit.

Man, when the piranha are actually slapping up

against your skin, you're thinking to yourself, OK,

could that next movement be some of those razor-sharp teeth

taking a big circular chunk out of your hand

or out of your forearm?

OK, so the last test, the ultimate test

is now going to be to hold this fish filet underwater

with my hand and see if they can tell the difference

between the filet and my hand.

So this is going to be fish, flesh, and oils

mixed together with my hand.

Let's see if they go for that.

Are you guys ready?

Here we go, hand and fish filet going

back in to the piranha tank.

1, 2-- ah, it doesn't get any easier--

3.

And what I'm doing is actually wiggling the filet

around just a little bit.

Try to give them that motion, that movement that--

as we've read, piranha are drawn into things that

are splashing and struggling.

So if I use my hand to make the filet look

like a struggling prey item, will that evoke an attack?

They honestly want nothing to do with my hand or the fish filet.

So what I'm going to do now is drive my hand and the filet

into the school of fish and see what happens.

Slowly.

You guys hungry?

Free feast.

Human hand, half price, fish filet, free to consume.

Anybody even want to try a taste test, just one little bite?

Anybody going to go for it?

Six fish.

Six fish, six chances for a bite.

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

At this point, I'm completely at ease with my hand

being inside of the piranha's tank.

You've got three fish on one side, 3 fish on the other.

They want absolutely nothing to do with the fish filet

or with my hand.

OK, hand and fish fillet coming up and out of the water.

No bites on the filet, no bites on my hand.

Perhaps the rumors that piranha are bloodthirsty,

ravenous, flesh-eating killers is nothing more than a rumor.

Typically, they're thought of as being carnivores.

But truth be told, they're really omnivores.

Piranha will eat berries, nuts, and pretty much anything

that they can scavenge upon.

It's a misnomer in many instances

that piranhas will just strip something of its flesh

if it's already alive and turn it into a feast.

Now, it is fair to say that this is

a controlled setting and these fish

have been raised in captivity.

So will piranha in the wild behave differently?

I'm not sure.

Perhaps that's a test that we need to place

back out into the wild.

So the next step is for us to head to South America back

to the Pantanal and actually place me into the environment

within a school of these fish to determine will piranha truly

eat a human alive?

Stay tuned, guys.

Part two is coming soon.

I'm Coyote Peterson.

Be brave.

Stay wild.

We'll see you on the next adventure.

Every year, there are said to be around

200 piranha bites in the wild.

However, these bites are minor.

Generally, these fish are shy and quick to flee, especially

if larger animals like a human enter

into their watery environment.

So while their teeth may be razor-sharp

and their notorious reputations always define them

as bloodthirsty Hollywood horror creatures,

piranha simply desire to be left alone.

West Virginia is famous for its wild and wonderful beauty.

The scenic peaks and valleys from a bird's eye view

are absolutely breathtaking.

But the beauty doesn't end with the landscapes.

This state is home to a plethora of stunning animals,

many of which appear to have been selectively

colored from an imagination inspired

by a box of brilliant crayons.

Today we are visiting the Smoke Hole Resort.

This landmark destination is the perfect place

for a fun family adventure.

And while they offer a variety of exciting attractions,

including some of the state's most iconic caverns,

we have shown up for the gold.

What's going on, Coyote pack?

This location is home to unique color

morph of the rainbow trout known as the golden rainbow trout.

With any luck, we're going to be able to catch one and get

it up close for the cameras.

So if you guys ready, let's go fishing for gold.

Once again, we have brought in the wildlife

expertise of Tim Brust.

You may remember our last fishing

endeavor where we landed an ancient fish

species known as the bowfin.

With Tim as the rod and reel man and me as the nimble net ninja,

our strategy was a success.

The only thing that's different today

is Tim will be fly fishing, an art form that requires

patience and precision.

Now, in this body of water, we have

five different trout species.

Of course, it is the golden rainbow trout that we're after.

But there are also regular rainbow

trout, the native brook trout, tiger trout, and brown trout.

So any fish that we catch, we're definitely

going to take a look at.

But it is the gold ones that we are after.

Tim, how are you feeling?

You're going to get a gold one on the first cast?

Sure.

I like his confidence.

Let's catch ourselves some gold.

What's pretty cool about these golden rainbow

trout is that they are created through something

known as selective breeding.

And they first came onto the scene in 1949.

There were actually 10,000 fish that

were gifted from the state of California

to the state of West Virginia.

And one of those fish that survived

had this unique golden color to it.

And this fish the researchers took a unique liking to

and they started calling it little camouflage.

It was kind of ironic because as a golden colored fish,

it wasn't technically camouflaged

within the environment.

What ended up happening is this fish grew older.

They separated it from the rest of the fish

and nurtured it a bit.

Eventually, they were able to determine that it was a female.

They took eggs from that fish and then began

to start selectively breeding with those eggs

to create this golden strain of trout.

Oh, we got a fish.

We got a fish.

What is it? What is it?

Is it a gold one? No.

No?

All right, reel it in.

I'll continue that history lesson in a second.

Got it.

Yes.

Wow.

Look at that fish.

That is a monster rainbow.

Holy cow, that is a big fish.

OK, here we go.

Wow, this fish might almost not even

fit inside of this container.

Coming up and over.

Here we go.

There we go. OK.

But we can only hold onto the fish

for just a couple of seconds.

Rainbow trout are incredibly delicate.

But look at that brilliant coloration that runs

down the length of the body.

Now, if you were to catch rainbow

trout of this size in the wild, it would

be considered a true trophy.

In this trophy pond here, they do

grow a little bit bigger than you would

typically see in the wild.

But the rainbow trout is not a native species

here in West Virginia.

Remember, only the brook trout is native when

it comes to the trout family.

But you can find these fish in the rivers

here introduced by Department of Natural Resources.

So it is the rainbow trout where the golden rainbow originates

its original genetic line from.

Absolutely stunning.

Great first catch, Tim. Yeah.

I would say we're hot on our track

to catching one of the goldies.

OK, I'm going to let this fish back down into the pond.

Ready?

Got an OK shot?

All right, there she goes.

Tim, ready for some more fishing?

Yeah.

Here we go.

Now before we caught that fish, I

was starting to tell you the history

of these golden beauties.

To sum it up, what started as an experiment

with little camouflage in the 1950s

became a success story by the 1960s.

And this selectively bred golden fish was officially

dubbed the Centennial golden trout

and was revealed to the public to celebrate West

Virginia's Centennial in 1963.

That year and every year since, the West Virginia Division

of Natural Resources has stocked golden rainbow trout in rivers

throughout the state.

This golden anomaly is exclusive to West

Virginia, making it quite the attraction to anglers

across the country.

So now that you know a bit of the history,

I bet you want to see one of these fish up close.

Perfect timing because Tim just got a bite on the line.

All right, here we go.

We got a gold one on.

Yes.

Nice one, Tim.

Bring it slow.

Don't get in the rocks.

Don't get in the rocks.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

A little closer, a little closer.

Oh, I missed it.

I missed it.

Got it.

Yes.

Look at that fish.

Have you ever seen a fish that beautiful?

My goodness.

Nicely done, Tim.

All right, let's get the hook out.

OK.

We've got a golden trout.

Here, I'm going to hand you the net

and let's get the fish gently into--

don't lose you, don't lose it.

OK, fish is inside the plastic container.

Look at this.

OK, so can you see it OK from right there?

Mm-hmm.

All right, we're going

to have to be very gentle.

We can only hold onto it for a couple of seconds.

Look how beautiful that animal is.

Now, it's really important to note that this is not

the same golden trout that you can find in the cold waters

of the Sierra Nevadas.

This is a fish you can only find here in West Virginia.

This is the golden rainbow trout.

And as we said earlier, this is a specific color morph.

It's taken over half a century to perfect

the design of this fish.

Now, as compared to other rainbow trout,

they behave exactly the same way.

Apex predators, highly tuned at hunting,

lateral line that runs down the length of the body that allows

them to really hone in on their environment,

sensing vibrations, knowing if a predator or any prey items

are coming close.

When it comes to being male or female,

this is without question a male.

Look at that big hook jaw.

Now, when they reach sexual maturity,

that jaw begins to develop that hook.

It's called a kype and it gives these fish

such a distinct gnarly look.

But nothing is more stunning than that goldfish coloration.

Now, when you look at the front end of the fish--

see those big eyes?

They have incredible eyesight, honing

in on any potential prey item.

These fish specialize in eating small little invertebrates.

They'll even go after small baby crayfish

as well, specializing in things like freshwater shrimp.

Well, I can tell at this point that the fish

is about ready to get back into the water again.

You can only hold onto these animals

for a couple of seconds.

But let me hold it up one more time so we can get a good look.

There it is, West Virginia's very own golden rainbow trout,

an unbelievable creature.

And remember, if you want to catch one of these fish

for yourselves, come to the Smoke Hole Resort.

I guarantee with just a little bit of patience,

you'll land yourself a golden beauty.

I'm Coyote Peterson.

Be brave.

Stay wild.

We'll see you on the next location.

All right, let's let this fish back into the Trout Pond.

We're going to call it a day.

What's going on, everybody?

I'm Mark Vins and welcome back to another Brave Crew

exclusive.

And right now, we're in Grand Cayman

at world-famous Starfish Point.

And as you may be able to tell from the name,

we are here to see sea stars, and we didn't

have to go far to find them.

You can see our both ladders right there and right in front

of us is 1, 2, 3-- oh, Corey, you

got one crawling up your foot--

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 red cushion star.

And let me just go ahead and pick one up.

This is one of the most iconic sea stars in all of the world.

I'm sure you recognize it from postcards and photographs

and really anywhere you might see an image of a sea star.

Now, a lot of people call them starfish,

which isn't technically wrong.

That is the adopted name.

But in more of a science sense, they are a sea star.

This is about the average size, even

though they can grow larger and they

traditionally have 5 points.

You can count them right there--

1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

But sometimes they have four points,

sometimes they have six points.

Looks like all of these are the traditional five-point stars

and they do move.

You can see they started congregated all together.

And since we came upon them, they are starting to disperse.

So anybody can come and do this.

This is a local favorite spot here in Grand Cayman.

And you are allowed to pick up the sea stars.

You can touch them.

You can pet them, take photographs, take

video like we're doing here.

The one thing they ask you not to do

is to remove the sea stars from the water.

And they ask you to not do that because--

the big word of the day, madreporite.

That's the center spot on the top of the star--

is where they breathe.

And if you remove them from water too often,

you can actually suffocate the sea star.

We'd hate to do that because we want people

to be able to come back and enjoy

this spot time and time again.

At first, when you pick them up, appear very rigid.

They almost feel like a rock.

Here, Corey.

Why don't you put your hand out and touch that?

Oh, yeah, that's rigid.

It does, right?

It feels like a rock.

But when you hold them, you can actually feel their arms start

to morph around your hand.

So they are a living creature.

They're quite pliable.

They're able to change the shape of their body

to adhere to any structure that they're clinging onto.

Right now, obviously, on the sandy bottom,

they're completely laying flat.

But sometimes when they're on coral or rocks,

they will have to use those arms to wrap around

and grip on so they don't get swept away

by the tide or the current.

Now, here's a really weird fact.

They actually have the ability to regenerate their points.

So let's say this sea star were to lose its point-- sometimes

they'll drop them off as a defense.

Sometimes a predator might eat them.

But they will be able to regrow that appendage.

And here's another cool fact.

If they actually were to be split in half,

they could become two separate sea stars.

So by dividing a sea star, you can actually

make two completely new organisms,

similar to a segmented worm.

Well, I think that about does it for us here today.

We had an absolute blast here at Starfish Point,

getting up close and personal with the world's most iconic

sea star, the red cushion star.

I'm Mark Vins.

Be brave.

Stay wild.

We'll see you guys on the next one.

All right, back to the sand.

And we got to get back on the boat.

Let's go, guys.