The Mystery of Eels

Eels can be found all over the globe, in fresh and salt water ecosystems alike. But today, risk of over-fishing and the presence of dams and other obstacles that prevent eels from reaching their oceanic spawning grounds pose new threats to an animal that once roamed the planet alongside the dinosaurs. Artist, writer, and naturalist James Prosek explores the mysterious world of the eel.

Season 31 Episode 10 Length 52:59 Premiere: 04/17/13

Recent Episodes

Legendary Tigers of India

S44 E13 Length 53:59 Premiere Date 04/22/26

Graduation Day | Becoming Elephant: The Orphans of Reteti

S44 E12 Length 53:33 Premiere Date 04/15/26

Baby Steps | Becoming Elephant: The Orphans of Reteti

S44 E11 Length 53:33 Premiere Date 04/08/26

The Greatest Adventure | Parenthood

S44 E10 Length 54:33 Premiere Date 03/04/26

Jungles | Parenthood

S44 E9 Length 52:22 Premiere Date 02/25/26

Oceans | Parenthood

S44 E8 Length 51:50 Premiere Date 02/18/26

Clips & Previews

The Mystery of Eels Preview

Preview Length 00:30 Premiere Date 04/17/13

James Prosek: Painting with Eels

Clip Length 05:44 Premiere Date 04/17/13

The Eel Life Cycle

Clip Length 04:30 Premiere Date 04/17/13

The Eel Project

Clip Length 06:30 Premiere Date 04/17/13

Season 31 Preview

Preview Length 05:00 Premiere Date 10/10/12

Specials

Project Shark | WILD HOPE

Length 15:35 Premiere Date 03/02/26

The Comeback Cat | WILD HOPE

Length 17:23 Premiere Date 02/02/26

The Butterfly Effect | WILD HOPE

Length 12:24 Premiere Date 01/05/26

A City in Nature | WILD HOPE

Length 14:51 Premiere Date 12/01/25

¿Por qué caen los rayos? | Why does lightning strike?

Length 20:41 Premiere Date 10/14/25

Leones Africanos | African Lions

Length 29:02 Premiere Date 10/09/25

Los Oceanos y los seres humanos | Humans and the oceans

Length 23:05 Premiere Date 10/07/25

Rhino Ops | WILD HOPE

Length 16:28 Premiere Date 10/06/25

Gusanos de Cinta: ¡El animal más largo del planeta! | Ribbon Worms: the longest animal on the planet

Length 34:41 Premiere Date 10/02/25

La nieve y el efecto albedo | Snow and the albedo effect

Length 21:12 Premiere Date 09/30/25

Escarabajo coprófago: El reciclador del popó | Dung Beetle: the poo recycler

Length 32:18 Premiere Date 09/25/25

Biodiversidad: La imaginación de la Tierra | Biodiversity: The imagination of the Earth

Length 24:23 Premiere Date 09/23/25

Giant Pacific Octopus: 8 arms and 9 brains

Length 30:02 Premiere Date 09/18/25

Pulpo Gigante del Pacifico: 8 brazos y 9 cerebros

Length 34:48 Premiere Date 09/18/25

Titanoboa: La serpiente más grande de la historia

Length 23:00 Premiere Date 09/16/25

Titanoboa: The largest snake that ever lived

Length 32:54 Premiere Date 09/16/25

Fitoplancton bioluminiscente de Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico's bioluminescent phytoplankton

Length 34:11 Premiere Date 09/16/25

Series Trailer | Mes de Herencia Hispana con Cumbre Kids

Length 02:01 Premiere Date 09/15/25

Bat Vax | WILD HOPE

Length 14:47 Premiere Date 09/01/25

Puffling Patrol | WILD HOPE

Length 13:15 Premiere Date 08/04/25

Thunder & Fire | WILD HOPE

Length 18:52 Premiere Date 07/07/25

The Women Behind the Wild | In Her Nature

Length 30:40 Premiere Date 06/26/25

Significant Otters | WILD HOPE

Length 15:28 Premiere Date 06/02/25

The Chameleon Queen | In Her Nature

Length 13:25 Premiere Date 05/15/25

Reclaiming Bear River | WILD HOPE

Length 17:25 Premiere Date 05/12/25

The Slowest Stampede on Earth | In Her Nature

Length 19:31 Premiere Date 05/01/25

Saving The Slowest Mammal on Earth | In Her Nature

Length 37:46 Premiere Date 04/17/25

Building for Birds | WILD HOPE

Length 16:03 Premiere Date 04/07/25

Saving the World’s Rarest Lemurs | In Her Nature

Length 22:01 Premiere Date 03/27/25

The Rhino Whisperer | In Her Nature

Length 20:51 Premiere Date 03/13/25

Series Trailer | In Her Nature

Length 01:25 Premiere Date 03/13/25

Mission Impossible | WILD HOPE

Length 39:41 Premiere Date 11/18/24

Guano Gold | WILD HOPE

Length 09:34 Premiere Date 10/28/24

Pangolin Protectors | WILD HOPE

Length 12:24 Premiere Date 10/21/24

Way of the Elephants | WILD HOPE

Length 15:11 Premiere Date 10/07/24

Whale Shark Homecoming | WILD HOPE

Length 16:49 Premiere Date 09/23/24

AI of the Tiger | WILD HOPE

Length 14:31 Premiere Date 09/09/24

Stork Sisters | WILD HOPE

Length 16:40 Premiere Date 08/26/24

Cougar Crossing | WILD HOPE

Length 13:56 Premiere Date 08/12/24

The Great Ocean Cleanup | WILD HOPE

Length 15:12 Premiere Date 07/22/24

Unleaded | WILD HOPE

Length 13:11 Premiere Date 07/08/24

America's BFF | WILD HOPE

Length 18:11 Premiere Date 06/24/24

Protecting Paradise | WILD HOPE

Length 14:11 Premiere Date 06/10/24

The Frog Ark | WILD HOPE

Length 16:08 Premiere Date 05/28/24

Jaguar Passage | WILD HOPE

Length 13:03 Premiere Date 05/27/24

Road Warriors | WILD HOPE

Length 09:16 Premiere Date 05/13/24

Rebuilding a Forest | WILD HOPE

Length 15:56 Premiere Date 04/22/24

One Golden Chance | WILD HOPE

Length 09:57 Premiere Date 04/08/24

Return of the Manatees | WILD HOPE

Length 16:01 Premiere Date 03/14/24

Rewilding Rio | WILD HOPE

Length 14:37 Premiere Date 03/14/24

Gardener to Guardian | WILD HOPE

Length 13:11 Premiere Date 03/14/24

Vertical Meadows | WILD HOPE

Length 07:36 Premiere Date 03/14/24

The Serpent's Lair | WILD HOPE

Length 11:50 Premiere Date 03/14/24

Turtle Trackers | WILD HOPE

Length 11:27 Premiere Date 03/14/24

Birds on the Brink | WILD HOPE

Length 10:16 Premiere Date 03/14/24

A Farm Goes Wild | WILD HOPE

Length 08:36 Premiere Date 03/14/24

Seabird Sanctuary | WILD HOPE

Length 10:53 Premiere Date 03/14/24