Yes, there are eels in Missouri – And they're all female
Earlier this week, Steve Hite of Environmental Restoration, LLC, caught and released an American eel while working on the Mississippi River, just south of Plattin Creek near Festus.
The Missouri Department of Conservation recently shared about the sighting, reminding the public that – while rare – American eels indeed live here among us.
According to MDC, the only eels you will find in Missouri are female. While both males and females are commonly found in coastal estuaries, only females make the long journey inland to rivers and streams like those in Missouri. Freshwater environments provide critical feeding and growth habitat for females before some return to ocean to spawn.
Though considered uncommon, eels can occasionally be found in Missouri's large rivers and major streams. The distribution and abundance of eels can still be difficult to track, but they tend to be especially rare in southwest Missouri.
That said, American eels play a quiet, yet important role in local ecosystems. Young eels feed on aquatic insects, while adults consume crayfish and fish. The adults also serve as prey for larger predators.
Conservations believe Missouri's eel population have declined over time, largely due to dams that restrict their long migratory routes. That's part of what makes encounters like the one on Festus ever so more special.
If you happen to come across an eel in Missouri waters, be sure to handle it with care. Use wet hands or a wet cloth to protect its slippery, delicate skin. If it's been hooked, gently remove it and release it back into the water as soon as possible.
MDC also encouraged anglers and outdoor enthusiasts to take a quick photo or video of any eel sightings. Each encounter could be valuable information for researchers and conservationists.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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The postmaster general would work for a board of governors instead of reporting to the president. The U.S. Postal Service would set its own rates, control its finances and decide post office locations. How anthrax attacks reshaped the postal service Weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, four threatening letters contaminated with anthrax were sent through the mail, including to two U.S. senators. Two workers at a mail distribution center in Washington, D.C., died after breathing in the spores. Three other people were killed, and more than a dozen were sickened. Following a nine-year investigation , authorities concluded the person who mailed the anthrax had taken his own life in 2008 and the case was closed, but new precautions were added to protect workers. 'It changed the whole way that we sorted mail at that time,' Kochersperger said. Years later, postal workers would be designated essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and don protective gear again. What's next for the USPS? The advent of the internet and private companies like Amazon has taken a bite out of mail volume, threatening the postal service's financial viability . A 10-year modernization effort was launched to keep up with the times. Reaction has been mixed, but David Steiner , the agency's newly appointed postmaster general, says some improvements have been made. Steiner, a former FedEx board member, wants to help keep the service self-sustaining. He has said he opposes privatization, an idea raised by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, and believes the agency has a bright future as an independent entity. 'There is much to build upon in the years ahead,' he said. ___ Haigh reported from Hartford, Conn.
