One of the main problems that the eel faces is finding food. Although it might be easy for it to hunt prey (by just electrocuting them), it takes around 15-20 seconds to generate the electricity needed to kill prey. While the eel is generating all that voltage, the prey can easily escape and realize that it’s about to get eaten. Also, another problem that the eels face are bigger predators, like alligators. Although the eel can easily kill the prey, the amount of effort that it takes to generate all the voltage to shock it, can be enough to tire our, and kill the eel in the process.
The electric eel has 3 main organs. The main organ, the hunter’s organ, and the sach’s organ. The organs make up 4/5 of the eels body, and gives it the ability to generate 2 types of electric organ discharges; low voltage, and high voltage. These organs are made up of electrolytes, in a ‘series circuit’ formation, so a current of ions can flow through and stacked, so each one adds to a potential difference. In the electric eel, some 5,000 to 6,000 stacked electroplaques can make a shock up to 860 volts and 1 ampere of current (860 watts) for two milliseconds. The Sach’s organ is associated with electrolocation. Inside the organ are many muscle-like cells, called electrocytes. Each cell can only produce 0.15 V, though the organ can transmit a signal of nearly 10 V overall in amplitude at around 25 Hz in frequency. These signals are emitted by the main organ; the Hunter’s organ can emit signals at rates of several hundred hertz. On one side of the eel is where the positive charges are located, and negative charges are located on the opposite side. They travel in a circle in the Sach organ, before transferring into the main organ for the electrons to exit.
Electric eels rarely harm people, but, when necessary, electric eels can generate enough voltage to shock a human, and possibly kill, or harm them. But, as always, the eel needs enough time to generate the right amount of electricity in order to do enough damage. But, they can also be a necessity for third world countries that don’t have enough electricity. The shock from a single eel, can generate enough electricity to power a whole village of around 1300 people for a few hours. Imagine how much they can generate with multiple shocks, and multiple eels. It might be inhumane to force the voltage out of the eel, because it is possible that when it’s finished producing all the electricity, it will die in the process. Also, it is very difficult for marine biologists to examine the eel, due to the high possibility of being shocked.
Electric eels don’t cause much harm on the natural world. But, for each electric voltage, and shock that it delivers to a certain organism in the water, it is possible that a bit of pollution is able to generate from the voltage, and also, it can harm the other living organisms around it.
It is very possible that the volts from the shock can transfer onto other organisms and possibly damaging them.
The electric eel has no known weaknesses, for protecting themselves. They generate enough electricity to shock an alligator, until it dies. It can protect itself from any animal, and anything that comes in it’s path. But, many things are able to devour the eel, and sometimes, the electric eel doesn’t have enough time to generate enough voltage in order to kill whatever is harming it.
Model of the electric eel & it’s main organs & functions:
