The eels' migration

European eels hatch in the central Sargasso Sea. From there, the young eels drift across the Atlantic for three years until they reach the European coast. They then migrate into freshwater rivers and lakes, where they spend the next 5 to 15 years. By the time they reach the Rhine at Monheim, they have traveled more than 6,500 kilometers.

Once the adult eels have built up enough fat reserves, they begin the journey back to the Sargasso Sea, where they mate, spawn, and die. Over the course of their lives, they may travel an incredible 15,000 kilometers or more.

6,500 kilometers: That’s roughly the distance from Monheim am Rhein to India.

15,000 kilometers: That’s roughly the distance from Monheim am Rhein to Australia.