Update: There Are Now Tens Of Thousands Of Eels in the Hudson Valley

Af a few thousands wasn't enough, there are now tens of thousands of eels swimming in the Hudson Valley, and researchers as ecstatic.

Scenic Hudson, an organization that describes itself as a "regional and national environmental powerhouse", hosts many environmentally-focused opportunities in the Hudson Valley, including a chance offered alongside the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) to help observe and count the eels that travel through Black Creek Preserve in Esopus, NY. The eels are on an impressive journey that takes them thousands of miles from roughly Bermuda to the Hudson Valley, and their population is booming.

There Are Now Tens of Thousands of Hudson Valley Eels

"For those following the Hudson Valley Eel Migration... we're now up to 10,000 + per day", came a recent post in a Hudson Valley, NY Facebook group. The person behind the update, a volunteer with the NYS DEC Eel Project, gleefully shared the new info about the eels that have traveled a mind-boggling distance to the Hudson Valley.

Glass Eels in Esopus, NY

These tiny glass eels swim more than 1,000 miles from the Sargasso Sea (below) to live for a decade or more in the fresh waters of Hudson River estuaries before returning to the ocean. This migration is carefully monitored by Scenic Hudson, the NYS DEC, and their faithful volunteers to keep tabs on the impressive journey and to understand their impact on the Hudson Valley.

Volunteer Opportunities with Scenic Hudson

Volunteers can help collect, count, and record information on the number of glass eels that swim through Black Creek Preserve. While training for this year's project has already been completed, Hudson Valley residents interested in this or any other Scenic Hudson Project can learn more here.