• Submit A Nut
KnowledgeNuts
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Bizarre
  • Other
No Result
View All Result
KnowledgeNuts
No Result
View All Result
Home Facts

The Incredible Journey Of An Eel

The Incredible Journey Of An Eel
211
SHARES
1.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
“I am an unpopular electric eel in a pool of catfish.” —Edith Sitwell

In A Nutshell

For Westerners, freshwater eels are a rather unappreciated fish and, if considered at all, are usually thought of as slimy bottom-dwellers that are better left alone. However, what many don’t realize is that eels have incredibly interesting lives, which includes a total metamorphosis and an incredibly long migratory journey into the open ocean.

The Whole Bushel

Related articles

From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

September 14, 2023
Student Financial Aid Beyond Loans

Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook

September 14, 2023

There’s no denying that eels, with their long, snake-like bodies, are somewhat off-putting; yet when we look past their hideous appearances, we find out they are rather remarkable creatures.

All freshwater eels are in the Anguillidae family and are one of only a few fish that are catadromous, meaning they spend the majority of their lives in freshwater but go to the ocean to breed. For centuries, scientists and fisherman had no clue that eels made this migration, and they even thought baby eels, found at sea, were an entirely different species. In their defense, it wouldn’t be hard to mistake eel larvae for something else, since they look nothing like adult eels. Larval eel are tiny, transparent, and have a leaf-like shape. Even when they get a little bigger, to what’s known as the “glass eel” stage, they still don’t look quite right, as they are flat, only about 8 centimeters (3 in) long, and still entirely see-through.

ADVERTISEMENT

It wasn’t until the early 20th century that researchers finally figured out what eels are really up to and how their bodies change. What they discovered is every year, sexually mature American and European eels take a long trip (as long as 6,000 kilometers or 3,700 miles) out to the Sargasso Sea, an area of the Atlantic Ocean that’s east of the Bahamas and southwest of Bermuda. They only have one mission on this voyage, which is to mate and lay eggs. They don’t even stop to eat along the way. In fact, their guts completely dissolve during the trek, so they couldn’t eat if they wanted to. Aside from losing a gut, they also optimize their bodies for the ocean environment by taking on a silvery sheen and expanding the size of their eyes.

After spawning and selflessly finishing their life’s purpose, the exhausted eels die at sea and leave the offspring to find their own way back home. It can take the young glass eels one to two years to reach the coastline and prepare to make their way into freshwater. But, before getting there, they once again change shape and become rounder, darker, and a bit more eel-like. At this stage they’re referred to as elvers and are about 8 centimeters long. During the spring, the elvers make the laborious swim upstream.

Article Continued Below

Neither the coming nor going migration is an easy feat for the eels, and they’ll often go to great lengths to get past barriers. They’re known to pile on top of each other to make their way over rocks, dig through the ground, and even traverse across dry land. The fact that they’re covered in slime makes it easier for them to slip and slide their way around. Still, many eels don’t survive the journey out to sea or back in, as they face a host of predators, get stuck in man-made obstacles, or end up in Asian fish markets.

Those that do make it can live as long as 15 to 20 years in freshwater before reaching sexual maturity and then taking their own noble voyage out to the salty breeding grounds.

Show Me The Proof

Extraordinary Animals: An Encyclopedia of Curious and Unusual Animals, by Ross Piper
The Independent: The great eel migration: One million to swim to Britain in one night

Post Views: 1,233
Share84Tweet53
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

From Loans to Lifestyle: How Bad Credit Can Impact Your Life

Gender and Finances: The Averages in Bank Account Balances

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

  Managing money can be a daunting task, regardless of who you are. Did you know that there is often...

Student Financial Aid Beyond Loans

Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook

by Knowledge Nuts
September 14, 2023
0

Finding affordable student housing can be a daunting task for many. The "Affordable Student Housing: Your Handbook" is here to...

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

Your Mortgage Hack for Financial Freedom

by Knowledge Nuts
September 8, 2023
0

Mortgage payments can feel like a burden that lasts forever. Did you know however, that it's possible to pay down...

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

An Easy Financial Aid Roadmap for College Funding

by Knowledge Nuts
August 10, 2023
0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1266t2ee7CY Heading to college is exciting, but figuring out how to fund it can be overwhelming. With "NavigatingFinancial Aid: Your...

Medicare’s Grocery Allowance: How to Know if You Qualify

Medicare’s Grocery Allowance: How to Know if You Qualify

by Lauren Ashley
July 18, 2023
0

If you're on Medicare, did you know there could be extra monthly money in your pocket? It's true! You may...

Load More
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Handicap Parking Eligibility Requirements

Handicap Parking Eligibility Requirements

September 23, 2023
Healthcare Options for Uninsured Individuals

Healthcare Options for Uninsured Individuals

September 22, 2023
Nurturing Financial Smarts in Children: 5 Key Tips

Nurturing Financial Smarts in Children: 5 Key Tips

September 21, 2023

KnowledgeNuts.com: Your go-to source for insightful information and financial guidance. Explore, learn, and empower your future with us.

Categories
  • Artist
  • Artwork
  • Attitude
  • Bizarre
  • Business
  • Creative Insight
  • Design
  • Differences
  • Facts
  • Finance
  • Forgotten
  • Forgotten Horrors
  • Innovation
  • Inspiration
  • Learning
  • Listicles
  • Market
  • Misconceptions
  • Other
  • Personal Finance Tips
  • Places
  • Thinking
  • Uncategorized
Tags
aid bad credit Business car insurance cash flow credit debt difference disability Education family Finance finances Financial Aid food government assistance Health healthcare help history home home loans housing how to make money how to save insurance Invest Japan jobs loan loans make money Misconceptions Money myths personal finance quick cash saving money savings side hustle side hustles student student aid Superstitions taxes
Lost your password?
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Mobile Privacy Policy
  • Mobile Terms & Conditions
  • SMS Opt-in

© KnowledgeNuts.com – A Division of Media Comms Networking.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Facts
  • Misconceptions
  • Differences
  • Finance
  • Bizarre

© 2023 KnowledgeNuts.com