Raining lampreys: Fish falling from the sky, here's why
Digital Reporter
Friday, June 5, 2015, 5:28 PM -
A bizarre situation in Alaska are leaving locals in Fairbanks scratching their heads.
There are reports that eel-like creatures have fallen from the sky. At least four of the fish have been found in odd locations around the region. Most were dead, but one was alive and returned to a nearby river, Mike Taras of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game told CNN.
“Two gentleman came in and asked if we have a bucket with water because there’s an eel in your parking lot,” Fairbanks thrift store owner Sue Valdrow told CNN.
Valdrow put the fish in a bucket of water and called officials.
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The Arctic lamprey is native to Alaska and are about a foot-long with no jaw, a funnel-sucking mouth and a ferocious set of teeth.
Birds may be bombing Fairbanks with eel-like lampreys https://t.co/eFQ2TYobXZ pic.twitter.com/OAIZJlWjMd
— Alaska Dispatch News (@adndotcom) June 4, 2015
The answer to this strange phenomenon? The Alaska Department of Fish and Game believes gulls are likely catching the fish from the Chena River and dropping them while flying.
“If you look closely at them they have holes on both sides that may have been made by a gull or some other kind of bird,” Taras told CNN.
The fish are born along muddy riverbanks, feeding on algae and microorganisms. The lampreys then migrate to the sea and return to fresh water to spawn, where they die shortly afterwards. The lifespan is anywhere between one and two years.
Adult lampreys feed on living fish by using their teeth to cut through surface tissues until they reach blood and body fluid.
In other creature news in Alaska, as temperatures climb in parts of the state, a moose and her two calves decided to cool off in a Eagle River resident's sprinkler.
Candice Helm captured video of the calves running through the streams of water while mama moose kept a watchful eye on her babies, eventually joining in on the fun.
Source: CNN
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