FALL 2007 EDITION
VOLUME 5, NUMBER 3

Vegetarian Piranha Found in Georgia

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA: Pacu may be confused with the red piranha – a species that has never been caught or reported in Georgia – due to their similar shape and coloring and their strong teeth and jaws, naturally designed to grind the fruit and seeds that are their dietary staples. Photo (c) Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Piranhas in Georgia? Well, yes, but not the man-eating type. Pacu are frugivore (fruit and seed eating) members of the piranha family, and relatives of the infamous and dangerous red piranha; they are large fish that can grow to a length of three feet, but are not typically aggressive. Native to South America, where they are a prized catch due to their mild, sweet taste, pacu have been found in at least 25 states in the U.S., including Georgia. A number of pacu are caught from our waters each year.

Georgia Fisheries officials speculate that the considerable full-grown size of pacu is the most likely cause for their presence in our local waters. Pacu are sold here legally as aquarium fish, and aquarium owners may be releasing the fish when they outgrow their tanks. Pacu sightings peak in the summer, but they can survive and populate over the winter in mild climates such as this. As with any exotic species, pacu pose a threat to the local ecosystem, where they compete with native species for resources and can potentially introduce new diseases. Pacu can live for up to 35 years, which may be another contributing factor to their release from aquariums. Unwanted aquarium pacu can be disposed of properly by a veterinarian or aquarium retailer. Pacu sightings and catches should be reported to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. For more information about pacu in Georgia, visit the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website.

Recycling Lake "Trash" to Benefit Kids and the Environment

HAVING A BALL:The lifespan of a rubber ball in a landfill is one million years --nearly 2000 times as long as it takes for an aluminum can to biodegrade!

American Rivers, a national organization that is dedicated to protecting and promoting healthy rivers, estimates that millions of tons of trash wind up in our nation’s lakes, rivers and streams each year. While carelessly discarded fast food waste, paper, and aluminum cans account for the bulk of that tonnage, some of the "trash" in our waters might surprise you. Most any neighborhood lake, for example, is sure to receive its fair share of soccer balls, footballs and basketballs.

Here at Aquascape Environmental, we remove hundreds of balls and other sporting equipment items from our client lakes each year. Collectively, these lost or discarded items would take up significant landfill space. Recreational sports balls are not commercially recyclable at the present time, but we've created our own recycling system by collecting the items that are in usable condition for donation to youth programs. This fall, we donated over 200 lbs. of balls to The Global Gear Drive, a program that distributes sports equipment to underprivileged children all around the world.