Europe’s eel may be on its last journey

THE European eel is in trouble. Its numbers have declined catastrophically since 1980 and the species is listed as ‘critically endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The eel undertakes two enormous journeys, one at the beginning of its life, the other towards the end. How it accomplishes these extraordinary navigational feats is a mystery. If conservationists are to help this iconic creature, they need to better understand its ecology and the difficulties it faces.