![]() ![]() “Don’t let this fish’s eel-like appearance (or name) fool you, true eels do not have fins,” said Tiffany Boothe with the Seaside Aquarium.Īccording to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, wolf eels are part of a group called the wolffishes – no kidding, that's a real name. Seaside Aquarium and Oregon Coast Aquarium have had plenty of them, and they’re a popular feature there. In the wild, however, it’s not really known how long they live. In aquariums, their lifespan can reach 20 years. They’re even at the Oregon Zoo in Portland. You’ll also regularly find them in aquariums on the West Coast, such as the Westport Aquarium, Seaside Aquarium, Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport and the Charleston Marine Life Center in Coos Bay. Their range is all over the Pacific Ocean, from Alaska down to California, so they’re definitely regulars along the shorelines of Washington and Oregon. Now, other wolf eels and their prey are another matter. There’s a lot of misconceptions about these creatures, but experts in the know are well aware the wolf eel seems to enjoy the company of humans. While they have a truly wacky, even angry face, the wolf eel is actually known as kind of a kitten of the deep. None of the above is true of the (believe it or not) rather cuddly Wolf Eel of the Oregon coast and Washington coast. Except for maybe a finger of yours as a side dish, if you try to feed it. (Seaside, Oregon) – They’re grumpy and crusty looking, and they certainly appear as if they don’t like you. New amenities offered specials and tempting prices nowīig deals available lodgings not listed anywhere else Includes rentals not listed anywhere else Includes exclusive listings major specials now that winter is here They invest in durable relationships and – they are only as strange looking as we terrestrial bipeds would appear to them.Īnd if all of that is not enough for you, see the photo below for the indisputable reasoning for by Wolf-Eels are NOT ugly fish!Įnter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts In Seaside: It is a homebody that likes crunchy snacks and prefers that they come right by the front door they are great parents and are docile unless fighting for home or partner. The Wolf-Eel is indeed akin to us in so many ways. The males do compete for females who will sometimes opt to swap dens and go live with the competitor. Sound like any other species you know? Wonder if it happens at mid-life? It was long thought that Wolf-Eels always mate for life but, this is not always the case. One juvenile is even known to have travelled a minimum of 1,000 km having been tagged in Port Hardy, BC and found back in Willapa Bay, Washington two years later. The juveniles settle into the adult sedentary lifestyle between the ages of 6 months and 2 years (presumably dependent on food supply and den availability). Having a long tail also allows them to den-up, curling up and around in narrow spaces between rocks and. The long tail serves in locomotion, powering them forward with big, slow, s-shaped waves while being stabilized with the long dorsal and pectoral fins (see video below). They are the only member of their family that have this body shape. This is likely another driver for the male’s having such fleshy heads – they are better able to survive the wounds inflicted by such battles.Ĭlearly, another unique feature about this species is their eel-like body. They do also sometimes need to do battle for den space with a Giant Pacific Octopus. As adults, the females are smaller and a darker brownish grey (both remarkably camouflaged for when they are in their rocky dens). Both male and female juveniles are brownish orange and look even more eel-like, lacking the big head of the adults. In aquariums, their life expectancy is known to be at least 28 years. Wolf-Eels have long-lasting pair bonds, coming together when they are around 4-years-old and having their first clutch when they are around 7. The males do compete for females who will sometimes opt to swap dens and go live with the competitor. Sound like any other species you know? Wonder if it happens at mid-life? □ The mature males do carry battle wounds supporting that they don’t just hang out in dens waiting for a snack to come by, but rather that they will occasionally duke it out with other male Wolf-Eels.It was long thought that Wolf-Eels always mate for life but, this is not always the case. Mature male bearing the scars of battle ©2011 Gord Jenkins. ![]()
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