Nocturnal freshwater fish of South America that stun prey with electric shocks. They must breathe air, have poor eyesight and find their way by electrolocation. They mainly eat fish.
Quick answers
What is it?Fish
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Yes
Its shocks reach 860 volts, strong enough to drive off animals as large as horses.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Nocturnal, with poor eyesight made up for by sensing electric fields.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inSouth America, Rivers
HabitatRivers & lakes, Wetland, Rainforest
ColoursGrey, Brown, Yellow
SizeLarge
LegsNone
Covered inSkin
Lives alone
Lives for15–22 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- South America.
- What it eats
- Mainly fish.
Did you know
Delivers 860 volts, and it is not an eel but a kind of knifefish.
Studies of electric eels in the 1770s helped lead to the invention of the battery in 1800.
Often confused with
On these lists
Sources
Last reviewed
Play
Could you have guessed it?
A photo, a few hints, one guess. Same 438 animals.
