| In Japan, an endangered eel was hiding in plain sight | |
| By Shi En Kim |
Source: nationalgeographic |
2/9/2024 |
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Credit: Yuriko Nakao, Reuters/Redux |
The narrow strip of murky water rippling along the concrete-lined banks of Japan’s Dotonbori River in Osaka may be the last place anyone would think to find wildlife, let alone an endangered species.
Japan’s third most populous metropolitan area, Osaka, is famous for its round-the-clock entertainment, endless shopping districts, and seas of crowds. At the heart of its bustling downtown is the Dotonbori River, where millions of tourists flock annually to bask under the iconic billboards, their multicolored glare spilling into the river. The water itself is not particularly attractive, with an expert once advising that swimming in it would be like “jumping into the toilet bowl.” |
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But the inhospitable depths of the Dotonbori hide a familiar creature: The river is home to Japanese eels, exactly the kind you would be served if you ordered unagi at a Japanese restaurant. Last year, the Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, in the Osaka Prefecture, and the Mainichi Broadcasting System Television jointly announced the capture of 11 individuals in Dotonbori’s waters. It was the first record of live Anguilla japonica there. |
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