Slippery Beast

About this episode

This episode explores the history and mystery of eels, featuring insights from author Ellen Ruppel Shell.

Today’s topic is an aquatic creature that has been on the planet since the Cretaceous Period – that’s about 145 million years ago. Indigenous tribes in the state of Maine were catching and consuming this tasty fin fish in the local rivers and streams for thousands of years – using handmade traps that pre-date the pyramids at Giza. Yup, we’re talking about the creature commonly known as the Eel. And today we'll take a look at this fascinating and mysterious creature that has baffled philosophers, scientists, and fisherman alike for thousands of years. The book is called Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels. Its author and my guest today is Ellen Ruppel Shell.

People in this episode

Host: Mark Winkworth

Guest: Ellen Ruppel Shell

Topics covered

• eels
• natural history
• aquatic creatures
• indigenous practices
• philosophy
• science

Keywords

• eels
• Cretaceous Period
• Maine
• natural history
• indigenous tribes
• fishing
• philosophy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels

Places: Maine

More episodes of Tales of the Sea

• Survival at Sea "Rope" with Tim Queeney · May 25, 2026 · 40 min
• Shipwrecks with James Delgado · April 12, 2026 · 41 min
• Christmas at Sea · December 17, 2025 · 8 min
• Jellyfish Mysteries · August 26, 2025 · 48 min
• Reading the Glass · May 25, 2025 · 33 min
• Friends of Casco Bay · May 12, 2025 · 31 min