Vanderbilt University professor of biological science Kenneth Catania decided to put his own arm into a tank with an electric eel as part of a study, to try and measure the effectiveness of the eel’s shock.
Electric eels are known to be capable of generating up to 800 watts – more than enough to stun predators and prey alike, as well as leap out of water to stun land based animals.
Fortunately however, the eel used in the experiment was only a juvenile, though it is worth noting that the shock was described to be quite painful.
“Greatly exceeding thresholds for the withdrawal reflexes in diverse species provides a convenient benchmark for rating the averseness of the eel’s attack, and it is a testament to the potential effectiveness of the leaping defense,” he said.
