Biology
Territoriality and Resource Defense in Piranha Populations
Quick fact
Piranhas aggressively defend feeding territories around carcasses or food patches, and individuals with larger territories often have better body condition, proving that aggression can be a strategy for resource security rather than pure bloodlust.
Why this is interesting
We picture piranhas as a swirling frenzy of teeth, but what if their aggression is actually a carefully choreographed dance over who gets the best piece of a carcass? Could these 'savage' fish be more like property managers than mindless killers?