Eel smuggling is one of the most lucrative wildlife crimes — so what makes these slimy creatures so coveted? Ellen Ruppel Shell, professor emeritus of science journalism at Boston University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss an animal that’s one of the most trafficked on Earth, a brief history of the significance of eels, and why they’re still somewhat mysterious. Her book is “Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels.”
Eels are long, snake-like fish with smooth, slippery skin. They lack some fins that most fish have, and their bodies wiggle to propel them through water. Eels can be found in both freshwater and saltwater. Shutterstock
