By Megan Gannon, News Editor | February 10, 2014 01:51pm ET
Rare European eels are thought to cross the Atlantic Ocean to breed, but not all of them finish the ambitious voyage. Some meet their end in the bellies of deep-diving whales, new research reveals.
Not only does the finding underscore the risks European eels face during their epic migration, but it also shows that whales may have a previously unknown appetite for eels.
Considered critically endangered, European eels (Anguilla anguilla) are found in increasingly small numbers in rivers, lakes and brackish waters across the continent from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia. Scientists think the fish travel thousands of miles each year to get to the Sargasso Sea, a calm expanse in the middle of the North Atlantic that is warmer, saltier, bluer and clearer than the surrounding waters.
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