There are dozens of aquatic species in the Chicago River, but for one angler fishing in River North, his catch was an unexpected surprise.
Ben Gorahschenko told NBC Chicago this week that as he was fishing on the night of May 4 in the Chicago River he reeled in something truly special: an American Eel.
At first, he thought his catch was a snake, but a quick perusal of the internet revealed he had instead caught an eel.
After snapping some photos of the eel, he and his compatriot threw it back so it could live to swim another day.
According to Block Club Chicago, researchers have said the find is only the second documented eel to be found in the Chicago River, but wildlife experts say it’s indicative of the resurgence of aquatic life that has accompanied years-long cleaning efforts on the waterway.
According to the Friends of the Chicago River, the discovery of the eel is an “indicator of improved water quality,” saying the number of active species in the river has soared from fewer than 10 in 1979 to more than 80 currently.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the eel is the only species of freshwater eel to be found in North America. They primarily spend their lives in rivers and estuaries but typically migrate out to the ocean to spawn.
While primarily living in areas near the Atlantic Ocean, they have been found in Gulf Coast waterways and in the Mississippi River, and it’s not outside of the realm of possibility that the eel was able to make its way up the Mississippi River system and into Illinois.
It’s also possible the eel made its way out of Canada through the St. Lawrence River or other waterways, though hydroelectric dams have blocked their migrations and caused the deaths of millions of the fish in recent years.
The eel is in danger of extinction in the wild because of loss of access to spawning grounds and because of the reduced oxygen levels in water churned up by hydroelectric dams, according to experts.
