Researchers Build American Eels an 'Eelevator' (upi.com) 52
randomErr writes: Bad pun aside, Cornell researchers have built a solution to help migrating eels bypass dams on their journey upstream. They call their solution the "eelevator." "Dams are one of the main impediments to the recovery of American eels," reports UPI. "The removal of old dams has proven a boon to the endangered species, but many dams remain and not all can be demolished. [...] Eel ladders have been installed along a number of dams, but the newest device is liftable and works with the assistance of human volunteers. Eels looking to move upstream can climb a ramp of netting, kept wet by hoses, into a holding tank of circulating water. Twice a week, volunteers can check to see if eels have arrived. The tank can be raised, like an elevator, and the water deposited into the river above the dam." This is similar to a concept implemented by the Isle of Wight's Island Roads, Environment Agency, Arc Consulting, and Artecology back in May.
Re: (Score:2)
Stupid cowards posting stupid things? How unusual!
People don't want eels to go extinct for several reasons. They are part of the system providing an important function (waste management) but the most important reason is selfish humans - it turns out those waste recycling snakelike fish taste excellent!
Even if we didn't want to preserve a species for some specific reason we know from experience that (most) species have functions that can impact the rest of the ecosystem sometimes with great impact for humans
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I prefer them smoked. Yummy!
Re: (Score:2)
I don't publish where I live except when it's needed (like buying things). The name was Megol and it have been used as a general nick/tag for over 20 years (more likely 30 years) all over the web and in private. Megol is relatively rarely used in the western part of the Internet.
If you are interested enough there are data out there to get my "real" name and (as it is a very unusual combination) then learn my age, where I live etc. Some data is actually spelled out explicitly in my forum posts. But _you_ ha
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
You are truly an idiot. Make America Stupid Again... oh wait.
You have to try and excel at something.
Re: (Score:1)
It's eelementary: they're fucking delicious. Ever had unagi at a good sushi place?
Re: (Score:2)
You are making a strawman argument. Not surprisingly, the strawman is easy to defeat.
Every species affects the environment. It's common for species to overrun local resources, for individuals in that species to suffer and die prematurely, and then start all over again after the population crashes.
What's different about human beings is that we can anticipate this, and ask ourselves, is this really something we want to go through?
Just for the pun (Score:1)
I bet that was the only reason they did it :)
Re: (Score:2)
Interesting but common practice (Score:4, Informative)
Not as good as the salmon cannon (Score:5, Funny)
Not as good as the salmon cannon. [google.co.uk]
Re: (Score:2)
That might not be a problem for salmon, which will die anyway after they finish their journey upstream and spawn. But eels are the opposite of salmon - they go to sea to spawn. The young li
Re: (Score:2)
How tough it is to create a eel sensor? (Score:3)
Twice a week, volunteers can check to see if eels have arrived.
Meanwhile there are companies trying to create self driving cars on city streets. These guys would not think of creating an eel sensor using 5$ chips and automating it.
Why lift the entire holding tank? One can design something similar to the Dyson bladeless fan or design a series of holding tanks, air pumps etc and let the eels swim upstream,.
Well I can understand pure bio students/profs coming up with this idea. Showing to the engg department they might have helped design something simpler and more cost effective.
Re: (Score:2)
One can design something similar to the Dyson bladeless fan
the Dyson bladeless fan hides its blades where you can't see them, but it still has them and the air still moves over them. Your proposal is therefore similar to a monty python sketch. This is where the eels pass the rotating knives...
Re: (Score:2)
You need to incorporate a hovercraft into that, and then we're set.
Not too expensive (Score:2)
At least elevators for eels come cheap, because they bring their own electricity.
I want to see a drone hovercraft (Score:2)
When the hovercraft fills with eels, it would automatically lift off and transport the next batch.
It's a great article (Score:3)
Containing some uplifting news.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: Researchers Build American Eels an 'Eelevator' (Score:2)
Exactly. WTF are American eels? I bet they're the same eels as we have here in the Netherlands.
Re: Researchers Build American Eels an 'Eelevator' (Score:4, Funny)
Exactly. WTF are American eels? I bet they're the same eels as we have here in the Netherlands.
Our current president is a bit particular about immigration. Foreign eels that have not bee "green tagged" must undergo extreme vetting before they may immigrate to the upstream homeland.
Re: Researchers Build American Eels an 'Eelevator (Score:2)
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks!
Bad idea (Score:2)
This is a bad solution. It would be much better to build a long ramp that the eels can go up rather than depending on human intervention. The eels are quite willing to travel the extra distance.
Why not ... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Twice a week, volunteers can check to see if eels have arrived.
"The more that you read, the more things you will know"
-- Dr. Seuss
"If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time to write. Simple as that."
-- Stephen King
"Think before you speak. Read before you think."
-- Fran Lebowitz
Need dam-powered, self-sustaining eelavator (Score:2)
It should be automatic (how long will humans pay attention?), and powered by the dam using lo-tech wheel & cogs that won't need maintenance for the life of the dam.