A massive eel is gaining attention after a marine researcher shared his rare find on a Texas beach.
Jace Tunnell, with the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, shared a video this week of a 4-foot-long American eel that he spotted in the sand.
Tunnell called the find “rare” as this American eel was “as big as they get.” He said the fish was likely a female, as they go into the ocean to spawn up to four million eggs before dying.
The reserve director for the Marine Science Institute said American eels could be typically found in the Gulf of Mexico with the smaller ones usually used for fishing bait.
Tunnell can be seen exploring several beach areas and spotting other unique creatures and items in his #beachcoming videos shared on Mission-Aransas Reserve’s Facebook page.
According to Tunnell, some of his previous finds during his beach surveys include thousands of sea stars, unique shells, and a scalloped hammerhead shark in the Gulf of Mexico.
American eels reportedly live mostly in freshwater before heading to the ocean for spawning.