Eels live in both saltwater and freshwater.
Even though the eel looks like a snake it is really a fish. They have long, narrow bodies with long dorsal and anal fins.
Most eels have no scales.
The eel’s backbone is made up of over 100 vertebrae which makes it very flexible.
Eels have gills and very sharp teeth.
Most eels hide and live in caves and rock crevices. They also burrow in the sand. These behaviors allow them to surprise and attack their prey.
Some eels will actually chase their prey. The rocks also provide protection for the eel.
Some species of eels travel up to 4,000 miles to breed. This journey can take the eel over seven months to finish. While on the journey, the eel doesn’t eat.
After the eel breeds, it dies. It takes a young eel three years to become an adult.
