مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت ب

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART B

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

The New Zealand Eel

There are many animals that go to extreme lengths to find their way home.

Are there many animals that go to extreme lengths to find their way home? Yes, there are many animals that go to extreme lengths to find their way home. What about you? Do you go to extreme lengths to find your way home?

The New Zealand freshwater eel is one of the world’s greatest travelers.

Who is one of the world’s greatest travelers? The New Zealand freshwater eel is one of the world’s greatest travelers.

These eels are born on the bottom of deep, warm, ocean, such as the ocean off the coast of New Caledonia or Fiji.

Are these eels born near New Caledonia or Fiji? Yes, these eels are born near New Caledonia or Fiji.

The eels then drift as larvae all the way to New Zealand – about 1,500 miles.

How far is it to New Zealand? It’s about 1,500 miles to New Zealand.

As they drift, the larvae feed through their skin.

How do they feed? They feed through their skin.

When they arrive in New Zealand, the recent immigrants use the brackish water – which is half salt water and half fresh water –to dramatically transform into glass eels, which look much more, like the eels we are used to seeing.

What is brackish water? Brackish water is half salt water and half fresh water.

Then they swim up into New Zealand’s streams and rivers, for about 14 years.

How long do they swim in New Zealand’s streams and rivers? They swim in New Zealand’s streams and rivers for about 14 years.

At this point, they are 20 to 40 inches long. That’s when they begin a long swim home to New Caledonia or Fiji.

How big are they when they begin to swim home? They are 20 to 40 inches when they begin to swim home.

When they arrive back in the deep, warm waters of the South Pacific, they lay their millions of eggs before they die.

How many eggs do they lay? They lay millions of eggs.

Why do they swim all the way home? No one knows. There are many environments closer to where they live that are suitable for them to lay their eggs.

Why do they swim all the way home? No one knows.

Maybe the eels are unaware of these alternative environments, and this is just how it has always been done. But maybe the eels actually feel a calling – a calling to go to home.

Do you think they feel a calling to go home?

If so, it’s the same calling that the salmon feels.