Video Shows Eel Biting Woman Who Was "Fishing" For Her Phone in Pond
Eels are in the news.
A 25-year-old woman was attacked by an eel after she tried to retrieve a cellphone she'd dropped into a pond at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch, New Zealand. While she attempted to reclaim what was rightfully hers, the eel took objection, landing a solid chomp on her forearm. It's not the only unexpected animal cameo that's occurred near water in recent weeks, nor the only reason eels have made the news. Curious? Read on.
In the video, the woman is shown attempting to retrieve her dropped cell from an area of shallow water. As she makes purchase with the item and draws it out, an eel seems to attach itself to her forearm. Both cameraperson and victim shriek, and the eel drops back into the pond. Before the video ends, it lingers on a nearby sign that reads, "Tame Eels." Keep reading to see the video.
That's not the only unexpected animal attack that's happened in recent weeks. Last month, a Brazilian fishing guide was attacked by an anaconda that leapt out of the water and bit him. "When I was filming the anaconda, she pulled away and I saw that she was about to strike," Joao Severino said. In a flash, the snake jumped up and bit the man, as he screamed in shock.
In other eel news, Sora News 24 reports that the US restaurant chain Eggslut recently opened an outpost in Japan and has added a special egg sandwich to its menu for the month of August. The special ingredient: Eel. "In Japan, eel is eaten in summer to help combat fatigue, particularly on the Midsummer Day Of the Ox, which fell on 23 July and 4 August this year, and at Eggslut they're suggesting we try eating eel with egg, in the form of an Unatama Egg Sandwich," the news outlet says.
And of course, aquatic animal attacks aren't all viral fun and games. Last week, a Florida paramedic was attacked by a 12-foot alligator while he was swimming in a lake near Tampa. "When I felt the teeth, I immediately knew," La Verde said, "And then as I opened it, I knew that I either turned it or it turned me. But it was confused, just as I was confused, and then it just let go." The injured man was driven to the hospital by a Good Samaritan and is recovering.
On the flipside, not all eels are treacherous. Just ask Nick Tobler, a Northern Kentucky native who has gone viral on TikTok—we're talking more than half a million followers—for his homemade "eel pit," a backyard pond that contains eels named Tequeela, Shaqueel, Mentally Eel, Eely Dan, Eelbow, Neel, Eelissa, Lemon Peel, Meelanie, Lee, Unagi, and Crunchwrap Supreme. "I've always been catching toads in my yards, snakes, really anything I could get my hands on," Tobler told Cincinnati magazine. "I was a big fan of like, Steve Irwin, Animal Crossing, Pokémon. I like weird stuff."
Watch the video of an eel biting a woman here.
