Book 19, Question 62
How Do American Eels Swim From Rivers to the Faraway Sargasso Sea?
American eels grow up in rivers, then swim all the way to the Sargasso Sea to have babies! The Sargasso Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda. It is one of the greatest journeys of any river animal.
More fun facts
- Atlantic eels are born in the Sargasso Sea, east of Bermuda.
- Baby eels drift across the ocean for two or three years.
- They arrive at the coast as tiny see-through glass eels.
- Adults spend most of their lives in rivers, lakes and estuaries.
- Then they swim back to the Sargasso Sea to breed once and die.
Sources: NOAA, BBC, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
What is a glass eel?
It is a tiny see-through baby eel that arrives at the coast after drifting across the ocean.