Monday 12 October 2015

Not botanical at all.

We spent a rather relaxed morning this weekend wandering about the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne.

While it's a great place to see plants (what a revelation!) it also has some other 'wilder' wildlife.  And the ones we had come to see were the Short-finned Eels that live in one of the ponds.  The gardens were built on wetlands associated with the Yarra - that's Melbourne's river - and the eels never moved out as the exotic plants moved in.

These eels can grow to more than a meter in length - although I don't think this one was a little bit shorter than that.  They may not be everybody's idea looking fish - but they are more than a little different!




You can find more shots from around the world at Our World Tuesday.  SM

20 comments:

  1. very cool

    I wonder why N America has no eels. Not fair. They're cool looking.

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  2. Hari OM
    ...makes a change from carp!!! YAM xx

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  3. They look much more attractive than the ones found in the River Thames although to be fair I have only seem them wriggling whilst caught in the beaks of herons.

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  4. Hello Stewart, neat captures of the eel. I am sure they are slippery creatures. Have a happy new week!

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  5. Interesting looking fellow. Some people eat them I guess. I wouldn't.

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  6. That's a big eel. We get eels in our lake too.

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  7. Interesting photos and certainly a bit different. Have a good week Diane

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  8. Great photos they are and a new fellow for me!! I've never seen eels here in the US except at a zoo/aquarium!! Hope your week is off to a great start, Stewart!! Enjoy!!

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  9. Ewwwww..Wouldn't want that guy wrapped around my ankles...Good shots though!!

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  10. heel mooi,wat is hij groot.

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  11. Very cool! Kinda looks like a snake with fins.

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  12. I think we do have eels in North America - along the east coast of the United States - but I've never seen one myself.
    Great photos!

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  13. Not easy shots to get of them in the water so you did well.

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  14. Fascinating! I've never seen an eel!

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  15. They are fascinating, I'll give them that!
    I don't believe I've ever seen an eel in person, but have seen sea lamprey out of Lake Superior that were somewhat similar. I like the eel much better. :)

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  16. I bet your kids loved them! So prehistoric looking.

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  17. Very interesting and especially since they got to remain.

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  18. Interesting critter! They've become very rare around here.

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