Buzz
An adult electric eel has the potential to generate an astonishing 600 volts of electricity.
Photo: Mark Newman/Getty ImagesMain Points to Remember
- Electric eels are capable of producing up to 600 volts, a powerful enough charge to potentially incapacitate or even kill a human, particularly when subjected to multiple shocks.
- Their electrical abilities serve purposes such as navigation, hunting, and self-defense. They emit a low-voltage charge for navigation and unleash high-voltage bursts when hunting or protecting themselves.
- While rare, there have been reports of electric eel shocks leading to serious injuries or fatalities, mainly due to drowning or heart failure caused by the shock.
What began as an ordinary fishing excursion for a man in Brazil turned into an unbelievable event captured on video. After casting his line into the Amazon River, he discovered that he'd hooked an electric eel. He reeled it up to the shore and left briefly to grab a knife. Upon returning, he found a caiman had approached the catch. As the fisherman started recording, the caiman went for the eel but met its end when the eel delivered a deadly shock.
What would happen if you were shocked by an electric eel? While rare, there are a few recorded cases of people dying from an electric eel's shock. Even a single shock could incapacitate someone long enough for them to drown, even in shallow waters. Multiple shocks may lead to breathing failure or cardiac arrest.
The lethality of an electric eel's shock may also depend on its size. Interestingly, the electric eel, Electrophorus electricus, isn't actually an eel at all. This fish belongs to the Gymnotiformes order and is a relative of the carp and catfish. Found in South America's rivers, streams, and ponds, electric eels can grow up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) long and weigh as much as 44 pounds (20 kilograms). Although they live in water, they often surface to breathe air. Even when not threatened, they emit a steady 10-volt electric charge, helping them navigate through murky waters. This charge also allows them to detect potential prey like fish, amphibians, and birds [source: National Geographic].
A fully grown electric eel can generate about 600 volts of electricity in brief, intense bursts that last only 2 milliseconds. This powerful charge comes from thousands of muscle cells that each produce a small current. For instance, a 6-foot eel has around 6,000 muscle cells working together to generate the 600 volts, which is five times the voltage of a standard U.S. wall socket [source: Caputi].
While it's not entirely clear why an electric eel can deliver such powerful shocks – sometimes even fatally – without harming itself, there are a few theories. One possibility is that while the eel may feel the shock, it has developed a resistance that protects it from the harmful effects [source: Pelletier].
