Multitudes of young eels are surging in Berlin's waterways.
Gear up, Berlin! The city's rivers are about to see a spectacle as nearly two million tiny, transparent guys make a splash. Yep, you guessed it - we're talking about eels! The Berlin Senate's environmental administration has announced the release of these young glass eels into the Oberhavel, Unterhavel, Spree, and Dahme rivers.
These critters were recently scooped up from French river mouths and transported directly to Berlin. Funded by the European Union, fishing rights holders, and the good folks at the Senate, the operation set the young'uns free for around 130,250 euros. This move is part of a larger, long-term conservation effort to help maintain and increase the European eel population, which has been suffering a sharp decline for more than three decades.
Now, you might be wondering, what's the skinny on these multimillion eel-drops? Well, it started back in 2005 with over 17 million eels released between then and 2024. That's right – we're in this for the long haul!
The European eel, a key ecological player, helps control water pollution and keeps invasive species like alien crayfish at bay. In fact, they're so cool that they've been named the "Fish of the Year 2025," demonstrating their importance (and cool factor)!
Here's the rundown on their lives:
- Leaf-like Larvae Stage: These itty-bitty guys drift eastwards across the Gulf Stream, reaching European coasts after two to three years as glass eels.
- Growing Up in Rivers: These teeny eels hang out in the rivers and lakes, mature into adult eels after six to twelve years, and then migrate to the Sargasso Sea on the eastern side of Florida to spawn.
- Adult Eel Migration: When mature, adult eels journey downstream to the Elbe, swimming across to the Sargasso Sea.
But here's a quirky fact – spawning has not been observed in the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture since early March, and the lifestyle of these baby eels during their journey in the Gulf Stream remains a bit of a mystery.
So, bottom line – releasing glass eels into Berlin's rivers is a crucial step in reviving the European eel population and maintaining the ecosystem's balance. It's also an exciting opportunity to watch these fascinating creatures make their comeback!
Sources: ntv.de, mba/dpa
- Fish
- Conservation
- Berlin Rivers
Education in Berlin is not just about its rivers, but also about the thousands of glass eels that have recently migrated there. These eels, part of a larger conservation effort to increase the European eel population, were funded by the European Union, fishing rights holders, and the Berlin Senate. The goal is to maintain the eel population, which has been decreasing for over three decades. This release of glass eels into Berlin's rivers is not only a significant step in their conservation but also an opportunity for education about these fascinating creatures.
