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In the 1970s, an Italian priest sold 12,000 piranhas to Europe; 55 years later his proceeds have funded 350m bridges and an 800m airstrip

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Times of India
In the 1970s, an Italian priest sold 12,000 piranhas to Europe; 55 years later his proceeds have funded 350m bridges and an 800m airstripWorldPing
Image via Times of India.

What happened

Giovanni Gallo, an Italian Jesuit priest, moved to Marajó Island in Brazil in the 1970s.

He organized the preservation and export of 12,000 piranhas to fund community infrastructure projects.

Key facts

  • Giovanni Gallo, an Italian Jesuit priest, moved to Marajó Island in Brazil in the 1970s.
  • He organized the preservation and export of 12,000 piranhas to fund community infrastructure projects.
  • Reported by Times of India and published Sat, 03 Oct 2026 09:24:57 UTC.

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  4. In the 1970s, an Italian priest sold 12,000 piranhas to Europe; 55 years later his proceeds have funded 350m bridges and an 800m airstrip

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Sources

The original report was published by Times of India. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Times of India

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