The eel is a mysterious and secretive fish, inhabiting both freshwater and coastal areas of Europe. Juveniles spend their time in freshwater and as they mature, migrate to the Sargasso Sea to mate. Eel larvae are then carried by sea currents towards European shores where they enter river systems and start the cycle over again. They are predatory and carnivorous benthic fish, living on the bottom of bodies of water and feeding either on living or dead prey. Due to pollution and overfishing, eel populations are under heavy pressure and require conservation efforts in many countries.