The Long Finned Eel is New Zealand's native freshwater eel species, growing up to 2 meters long and 50 kilos, but it is endangered due to overfishing. When migrating to spawn, the eels swim to tropical Pacific islands and the females release up to 20 million eggs. While they have a mixed diet depending on life stage, preying on insects and small fish, the eel population has declined since 1960s fishing and will become extinct if not protected, as the eels do not reproduce until around 100 years old.

1. Long Finned Eels
Wednesday, 14th of February
Ella
The Long Finned Eel is the worlds longest -
living freshwater eel, but is sadly at risk of
extinction. Their species evolved 8 million years
ago and is know as a native creature to New
Zealand.
It is said that they can grow up to 2 meters in
length and they have been reported to weigh up
to 50 kilos.
When migrating, the long finned eel will swim
into their breeding grounds. They swim to the
tropics of the pacific islands and then mate by the females letting off their
up to 20 million.
The long finned eels have a mixed diet. As elvers ( baby eels ), they feed
on insets, but then as they get bigger they start to eat small fish such as
trout.
The long finned eel is native to New Zealand and is found in fresh water -
ways including the Chatham Islands. Younger eels prefer shallow fast -
running water as the adults tend to be found near river banks. Long
finned eels are secretive.
The long finned eel is sadly and endangered species to New Zealand. This
is because of the fishing of the eels that started in the 1960’s. Scientists
say that the fishing of the long finned eel needs to be stopped before the

2. do become extinct. The eels do not let off their eggs until they are about
100 years old, but if they get caught in to a fisher - man before that then it
means we have just lost up to 20 million eggs that would have one day
grown into long finned eels and then they wouldn’t be very endangered
any more.
Even though many people are trying to stop the extinction of the long
finned eel, we as humans actually made them endangered.
By Ella