BATTAMBANG: The Battambang Police issued a statement on August 17, clearing up rumors on social media that a carnivorous fish was present in Samlot District’s section of the Kranhung River. The public panic comes just days after Cambodia officially banned the import and sale of piranhas, after having destroyed the inventory of a man trying to sell the non-native carnivorous fish.

Battambang Police Commissioner, Major General Sat Kimsan, said he immediately contacted the Samlot District Police upon hearing the news. The local police clarified that a man had been bitten along a main artery by a species of pufferfish, causing him to bleed profusely. The Pao turgidus pufferfish is native to the Mekong basin and eats fish and small crustaceans, rarely posing any risk to humans. The man who was bitten while swimming walked away without any major injuries.

Battambang Police called for people to rest assured in the knowledge that no carnivorous fish are present in the area’s rivers and streams.

The last reported incident of any danger in the water of Samlot District was in April 2020. Siamese crocodiles spawn there during the rainy season and a person received bites on their hands and feet from one of the crocs, which average anywhere from 3-6 feet.