Man-eating piranhas

**The Man-eating piranhas** are a group of **piranhas** in the *Jungle Cruise*.

## Description

These piranhas are small red/grey fish with sharp teeth who have a habit for leaping out of the water to attack animals along the water in swarms. The fish inhabited the rivers of the Amazon rainforest, with one notable habitat for them being the waters of a flooded ancient temple used by the Puka Michuna tribe. it is possible that their hositility was the result of seasonal changes to their water habitats.

## History

### Background

These piranhas inhabit a particularly hostile region of the Amazon river. Their predation was noted by some Indigenous peoples of the region who marked petroglyphs and totems of the fish around the river as markers. At some point, the fish were used by the *Adventure Trading Company* to serve as the likeness of their *Piranhahaha Juju* medallion to represent the virtues of good humour.

Around the August of 1891, the piranha territory was visited by English colonial explorer, Dr. Albert Falls. Falls was near the end of his expedition to map the world's mystical, "Rivers of Adventure" and spent roughly two days in the region. Falls documented the petroglyphs made of the fish and also partook in fishing for the piranhas near the end of their seasonal rapids. This region would go on to be regularly passed through by Falls' business the Jungle Navigation Company which he founded in 1911.

In 1931, Falls' granddaughter Alberta began running the, "Jungle Cruise" tourism service. These tours would pass through the piranha's territory and be privy to attacks from the fish. A skipper named Sully would take the business opportunity of killing the piranhas and serving them at a dining-location he made in the jungle.

### Development history

In real-life, piranhas are practically harmless to humans and other large mammals. They are small and uncoordinated with each fish only being able to take one small bite of its prey before digesting. In addition to this, they are aware of their own inefficiency at preying on larger animals and the majority of the time will not even attempt to eat large animals unless they are starving.

The myth of man-eating piranhas comes from a prank pulled on Theodore Roosevelt in 1913/1914 when he was mapping the River of Doubt. The villagers passed off non-piranha related injuries as being attributed to piranha bites and then dumped a cow-head into part of the river where they had secretly trapped and isolated various piranhas. Due to having been starved, the piranhas ravenously devoured the cow causing Roosevelt to speak of the small, relatively harmless fish as hyper-carnivorous man-eaters in his book, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness".

The piranhas were integrated into Disneyland's Jungle Cruise during a 2005 refurbishment, tying into the *Happiest Homecoming on Earth* event. The scene was developed by Imagineer Ethan Reed as an idea for Hong Kong Disneyland's Jungle River Cruise with Skip Lang.

## Appearances

### Attractions

#### Adventure Trading Company

The fish were the likeness for the Piranhahaha Juju and had illustrations in the *Jungle Handbook for River Navigation.* In the community posting-section of The Daily Gnus newspaper was a notice for, "Proper Patti's Piranha Petting Pool" being closed until firther notice.

#### Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar

To promote the Jungle Cruise film, this bar served the drink *Feeding Frenzy Cocktail*, referencing the piranhas.

#### Jungle Cruise

##### Disneyland

The piranhas appear in this version of the Jungle Cruise, leaping out of the water at boats. In the queue is a map by Dr. Albert Falls which references them.

##### Magic Kingdom

Dead piranhas appear at Boats & Baits AND Bites!p, being sold as food. In the queue, illustrations of piranhas leaping from the water appear on a map made by Frank Wolff. A cabinet contains two plaques referencing the *Order of the Golden Piranha* with one having a golden piranha statue.

#### Magic of Disney Animation

The fish appear on the poster for the fictional Jungle Cruise movie, swimming towards Minnie Mouse while she's dressed as Rose Sayer.

#### Skipper Canteen

The sustainable fish option in the menu is described as being, "NOT PIRANHA".

#### Trader Sam's

The, "Piranha Pool" drink is named for the piranhas and made to look like blood in the water. It can be served in a souvenir mug resembling the piranhas.

#### Tropical Hideaway

The fish are indirectly referenced in this restaurant. On the wall is an oar from a 1910 voyage along the Amazon river made by Sango Shio. The oar is filled with small bite marks and gnawing, implying he ran afoul of the piranhas. Souvenir sporks made to resemble the piranhas can be purchased.

### Film

#### Jungle Cruise (film)

The piranhas make a few appearance in this film. When Lily Houghton and MacGregor Houghton are hungry, Frank uses a dead mammal as bait to catch the piranha and eat them. Later in the film, when Frank and Lily are trying to open the temple with the *Tears of the Moon*, Frank is attacked by the fish.

### Printed-materials

#### Skipper Survival Guide

The piranhas appeared in this retconned backstory. They are explained to be man-eaters only during dry-season when the water lowers making them more opportunistic eaters.

### Video-games

#### Epic Mickey

A portrait in Lonesome Manor's elevator portrays three colonial explorers sinking into piranha infested waters. The painting is based on the Quicksand Men portrait from the Haunted Mansion's Stretching Room.

#### Kinect: Disneyland Adventures

The piranhas appear in the Jungle Cruise levels of this video-game where they attack the player while navigating rapids. Players have to shake the attacking fish off of them.

## Trivia

* Various piranha skeletons adorn the Adventureland Christmas Tree.

## Gallery

The piranhas in the filmThe Order of the Golden Piranha
## References

1. ↑ https://www.mouseplanet.com/7227/Guide\_to\_May\_4th
2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=871443713837&set=oa.1903682069948046
3. ↑ https://wdwnt.com/2021/08/photos-new-trophy-wall-alberta-falls-and-map-murals-added-to-jungle-cruise-queue-at-the-magic-kingdom/
4. ↑ https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en\_CA/dining/magic-kingdom/jungle-navigation-skipper-canteen/menus/
5. ↑ https://wdwnt.com/2018/12/photos-tropical-hideaway-sporks-available-at-disneyland/
6. ↑ https://blog.disneygeek.com/2021/12/04/pictures-disneyland-adventureland-christmas-tree/