A team of European researchers have taken a major step forward in solving one of nature’s most enduring mysteries – where do European Eels spawn and how do they get there? Having suffered a 95% decline in numbers returning to Europe’s rivers since the 1980s, the European Eel is now a critically endangered species.
But ground-breaking research published in Scientific Reports is enabling the researchers to better understand the lifecycle of this globally important but little-known species and ensure effective protection measures are put in place to combat their decline. It marks the first time that this particular species of eel has been tracked to the Sargasso Sea, much like their American counterparts!
The journey of European eels to their breeding place in the Sargasso Sea is up to 6,000 miles or more and considered one of the most impressive feats of animal migration observed in nature. It’s a mystery that has perplexed scientists for centuries, with the first recorded evidence of scientists looking into this phenomenon dating back to the 4th century BC.
Read the full story at The Fishing Wire.
