Join Watershed Fellow Kate Hode as she feeds the resident American eels and sunfish, including bluegills, pumpkin seed and large-mouth bass. These live animal shows will take place from 11 – 11:30 a.m. on April 2, 9, 16, and 30.
During a free 30-minute presentation, visitors will learn about the history, life cycles and traits of these special critters, as well as some steps we can take to help preserve their habitats. The animals reside in a large tank that is on display in Discovery Hall inside of the Watershed Center.
Sunfish are some of the smallest and most popular game fish, sometimes referred to as pan fish since they fit perfectly in a pan.
Our two American eels, Anguilla rostrata, reside in the giant tank. They are in the “yellow stage” of their life spans, which can range from two to 50 years! In the wild, eels are nighttime feeders and consume insects, crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks.
American eels are what we call catadromous fish meaning that they live their adult lives in freshwater habitats before returning to the ocean to reproduce. Eels are the only catadromous fish that inhabit North America.
These eels spawn and die in the Sargasso Sea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. The eels spend most of their lives in various freshwater habitats.
You will learn about the factors that endanger some of these critters and the steps you can take to help preserve their habitats!
This is a drop-in activity and pre-registration is not required.
