The Electric Eel

Despite their names, electric eels are actually not eels. They are members of the knifefish family, which are closely related to catfish. Electric eels produce electric currents that they use to locate and stun prey and to protect themselves from predators. They can deliver up to a 650-volt blast of electricity, which is strong enough to knock down a full-grown man! 

How do eels produce electricity? The electric eel has three pairs of organs that produce electricity: the main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sach's organ. These organs allow the eel to generate both low and high voltage electricity. Low voltages are used to sense their surrounding environment. High voltages are used to detect and stun prey, which is helpful because electric eels have poor eyesight.

Electric eels live on the murky bottom of the Amazon River in South America. They have long cylinder bodies. They can grow to almost 7 feet long and can weigh up to 45 pounds. They are dark gray/brown in color and have yellow or orange bellies. Electric eels eat invertebrates such as fish and small mammals such as rats. Predators of the electric eel include caimans, but predatory jaguars know to leave this creature alone because it is electric!  

Female electric eels lay eggs in nests made of the male's saliva, or spit. The male then guards the eggs until they hatch. Up to 1,200 eel eggs can hatch from a well guarded nest! 

Cool Fact: Electric eels can leap out of the water to attack predators and prey!