Testicle-eating pacu fish back with a vengeance in Scandinavia
A young boy views a Pacu fish at the Beijing Aquarium on May 30, 2012.
Skinny-dipping in Sweden and Denmark is ill-advised this summer after fisherman there spotted the vicious pacu fish, a native to the Amazon, in their nets.
An eight-inch pacu was caught in the Oresund Sound between Sweden and Denmark.
The freshwater fish is said to have a proclivity for attacking men's testicles while they swim or fish, earning it the nickname "ball cutter."
"Keep your swimwear on if you're bathing in the Sound these days — maybe there are more out there!" the Danish National History Museum warned those who enjoy bathing au naturel.
More from GlobalPost: Pacu, the testicle-eating fish, found in Illinois lake
Apparently the omnivorous fish has taken the testicles of many a fisherman along the Amazon, some of whom fatally bled out in rural, isolated locations. They have also munched the manhood of fishermen in Papua New Guinea — odd for fish considered the friendlier, vegetarian version of the piranha.
In July 2012, the ball cutters, which can weigh up to 55 pounds, were found in Lake Lou Yaeger in Illinois.
Though Swedish fisherman seem to have been unscathed, more pacu may be lurking, and likely wondering why the water's so much colder than they're used to.
From Illinois to Denmark, the fish were most probably dumped by exotic pet collectors —an illegal act, no doubt, and one that strikes fear in the hearts of fisherman and swimmers the world over.
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?