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An idiot blogger and his friends are facing fines after by throwing each other into a tank filled with huge Arapaimas which are capable of inflicting deadly injuries and even going swimming in there.
The incident took place in Manaus, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, and was posted online on 26th August.
Footage circulating on social media shows Jon Vlogs and his friends jumping into an Arapaima tank, with one scene showing him being thrown into the water and another showing him leaping back in as the massive fish swirl around.
At one point they can be seen trying to catch the Arapaima with a net as others shout from the edge of the pond.
The behaviour sparked outrage online, with critics calling it disrespectful to the animals and dangerous, given the fish’s immense power.
Ibama, the federal environmental agency, confirmed the actions were infractions and said the group may face hefty fines.
Penalties under Brazil’s environmental code include fines of up to BRL 100,000 (GBP 13,700) for fishing a protected species and as much as BRL 10 million (GBP 1.4 million) for running unlicensed tourist activities with Arapaima.
Biologist and presenter Richard Rasmussen defended the influencer, dismissing the backlash as "mimimi" - exaggerated complaints - and insisting that Manaus residents should thank the group for bringing tourism promotion to the city.
Jon Vlogs, real name Luan Kovarik, is a Brazil-based content creator with an established audience: on YouTube he has around 7 million subscribers and over 829 million total video views.
He also commands a massive following on Instagram of approximately 11 million users.
He typically posts high-energy stunts — ranging from survival challenges and extreme dares to stunts like swimming with dangerous animals or spending 24 hours with just one dollar — that regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views.
The Arapaima is one of the world’s largest freshwater fish and can reach 10 feet in length and weigh over 400 lbs.
Although not normally aggressive, their sheer strength means they can easily cause scratches, falls or injuries if provoked or stressed.
(Mike Leidig / newsX)
Byline Journalist: Mike Leidig
Byline Sub editor: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Spotter: Ivica Stojanovski
Byline Commisioning Editor: Mike Leidig
Byline Senior Writer: Mike Leidig
Byline Picture Editor: Zorica Stojkovik
Byline Video Editor: David Stojkovic
Byline Copychecker: Angela Trajkovska
Byline Illustrator: Angela Trajkovska
Byline News Editor: Simona Kitanovska
Geography: Manaus
Subject: Animals, Fish, Environment, Legal, Crime
T4 Editor Story Rating: 7
T4 Editor Pic/Vid rating: 9
T4 Total rating: 8
