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Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus)

on 19th March 2018
Purple Heron with Asian Swamp Eel (image courtesy of Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS)

Aviculturist Lee Chiu San was impressed with the video documented by Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS showing a Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) struggling with an Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus), also called the Swamp or Rice Eel, before finally swallowing it LINK. The Purple Heron stalked the eel for more than 20 minutes before snatching it on the head. It then took another 4 minutes thrashing it on the ground, spearing it repeatedly before killing it. The eel was then washed and swallowed.

Asian Swamp Eel (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).

According to Chiu San, “Such swamp eel can be seen in a field near where I live, which has a few small streams flowing through it. As for the eel, I can confirm that it does have teeth, and does not hesitate to use them. In the days when … there were still water hyacinth ponds in Singapore, because it makes for rather good eating, I used to fish for this type of eel using baited lines staked out overnight. If the catch was plentiful, eels not to be cooked right away would be stored in a large tub. A neighbour’s son put his hand into the tub to play with the eels. One of them gashed his thumb so badly that it had to be stitched.”

Lee Chiu San
Singapore
15th January 2018

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

2 Responses

  1. Just as a heads up, Monopterus albus is the old name. The species complex has recently been split, and the species found in this part of the world is known as Monopterus javanensis now.

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