Live meat eating piranhas and an artificial giant mole will feature in an exhibition at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery that opens on Saturday.

The Microcosmographia exhibition is the brain-child of internationally reknowned artist Mark Dion, whose work centres on the natural world.

One highlight of the exhibition is callled Alexander Von Humbolt (Amazon Memorial) which consists of a tank of piranhas.

Mr Dion said it was a tribute to Von Humbolt, whose books inspired the father of evolutionary theory, Charles Darwin, to travel the world.

"The piece is about the romance and allure of the Amazon and the jungle," he said. "I've always been interested in animals that stand in for a place, like the polar bear stands in for the Arctic, the lion for Africa and the piranha for the Amazon."

Mr Dion said the seven piranhas are fed every other day, and if visitors were lucky enough they might witness a feeding frenzy.

The American artist said the 7ft tall mole had attracted complaints of cruelty to animals. It was made by the Creature Shop which also created the puppets used in Jim Henson's Muppets shows.

"People had not realised it's artificial," he added.

The piece is called Les Necrophores - L'Enterrement (Homage to Jean-Henri Fabre).

It was inspired by Fabre's bizzare experiments in the 19th century into the intelligence of insects, and in particular the necrophorus, or burying beetle, which is featured crawling up the mole's back.

Other pieces in the exhibition are Icthyosaur, a prehistoric aquatic creature and the Secret Garden Biological Field Unit, on the steps of the musuem, which is only open on Tuesdays 2pm to 3pm, Thursdays 1pm to 2pm, and Saturdays 1pm to 2pm.

Mr Dion will give an informal talk on Saturday at 12 noon, places are limited and issued on a first come, first served basis. Call 01772 905414, tickets cost £3 or £1.50 for concessions.

Microcosmographia runs until March 12.