Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Oregon Zoo
Blanche may look vicious, but she is really just a gentle giant.
Blanche the rescued wolf eel was adopted by the Oregon Zoo back in 2015. In a video recently posted by the Oregon Zoo on their Facebook page, you can see just what it takes to feed this unique creature.
You can see in the video that the diver is holding a pink ring in one hand with food in the other. The care staff is trying to get Blanche to associate the ring with food. They hope that eventually she will make her way up to the surface of her kelp tank (which is 23 feet deep) to feed. This also means the vet staff will be able to get a better look at Blanche to study her and allow for more frequent feedings.
Currently, the care staff has to dive in to the bottom of the tank to feed her. It’s quite a tedious process!
But what exactly IS a wolf eel?
Well, obviously it isn’t exactly a wolf…but is it really an eel either? The wolf eel is actually not related to other eels, it’s actually one of five species in the wolffish family- a group of bottom-dwelling carnivores that hide on the rocky ocean bottom. Fun fact: true eels do not have fins!
Despite it’s frightening appearance, wolf eels are harmless, shy and gentle creatures. They love to hide and wind their long bodies into caves and crevices, sticking their head out only to snatch something crunchy swimming by. They love crabs, urchins, and shellfish.
Currently, wolf eel populations seem to be stable. They are not targeted by fisherman, but they do sometimes get caught in crab and fish traps. As with many coastal species, one of the keys to keeping this species plentiful is keeping its habitat intact. That means guarding against polluted runoff and making sure sewage is properly treated before it is discharged.