PHNOM PHEN, Cambodia -- A Cambodian teenager was recovering in hospital after an angry puffer fish attacked him in the groin, local media reported.
The Khmer-language Koh Santepheap daily ran a picture of the unnamed 13-year-old in a hospital bed with heavy strapping around his testicles, saying he was lucky to be alive.
The paper quoted the boy's father, Sok Ly, as saying the fish had become enraged when it was accidentally trapped in the boy's net and, when it was freed, had attacked the boy's scrotum.
Cambodian legend has it that the bite of the fish is even more dangerous than its poisonous spines, especially for boys, and Cambodian boys are traditionally advised not to swim in waters where the fish is common.
The victim, from Prek Pneuv commune outside Phnom Penh, was expected to recover from Monday's attack, the paper said, but the extent of the damage had yet to be determined.
source: http://www.kohsantepheapdaily.com.kh
Reader Comments
4 people have commented so far.Thats gotta hurt
- James · winnipeg canada · Jun 18, 2008 @ 7:42am
OMG... I've never heard of such a thing happening in all my life. I know there are aggressive species of fish and mammals in the ocean - particularly Bull Sharks and Sperm Whales. But I've never heard of a PUFFER FISH (of all things) throwing a tantrum and actually attacking someone. Wild!
- Gypsy · Tacoma, WA - USA · Jun 18, 2008 @ 10:35am
ouch...
- Richard · Bangor, Maine · Jun 19, 2008 @ 5:35pm
Puff Daddy fish!!
- Robert Rolin · Onalaska Texas · Jun 23, 2008 @ 9:12pm