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s its name suggests the Electric Eel is capable of generating powerful electric shocks which it uses to stun its next meal. But the other half of its name isn’t quite as straightforward. Despite being termed an eel this creature isn’t actually related to the eel or Anguiliformes species but rather it is a member of the knifefish family which is similar to the catfish. It’s easy to see how it adopted the eel name though with a long cylindrical body that typically grows to about two metres long. But like the catfish the electric eel has a flat head and a square mouth located at the end of its snout however it is noticeably missing that fish’s distinct whiskers. Primarily found in the fresh waters of the Amazon and Orinoco River basins these juiced up swimmers often lurk in the muddy bottoms of calm creeks, swamps and small rivers. Here they feed on fish but have also been known to extend their taste to small birds, amphibians and mammals. But the way in which electric eels capture their unsuspecting victims is what really sets them apart. Within their serpentine-like body are three abdominal pairs of organs that