UCF biologist Will Crampton, an expert in electric eels, will measure a monster-sized electric eel’s voltage tonight at 8 p.m. on “Monster Fish.”
Crampton will guide National Geographic Channel’s “Monster Fish” show host Zeb Hogan on a trip to the Amazon River in Brazil in search of electric eels on tonight’s episode called “Amazon Shocker.”
The goal is to determine whether the shock of an electric eel is proportionate to the fish’s size, according to National Geographic’s site.
While navigating through a small Amazon river, they will narrow down their search by using a device designed to pick up the electric field of electric eels.
In a previous Nat Geo series “Animal Superpowers,” Crampton had also ventured to find eels in South America. He also visited Hawaii to showcase an octopus’ remarkable ability of camouflage, and find a salamander from California that has the ability to regenerate its body parts is also featured.
“Evolution has resulted in some remarkable adaptations in living organisms, and this series (“Animal Superpowers”) highlights some of the most unusual adaptations in the animal kingdom,” Crampton said in an interview with UCF Today. “To see these animal superpowers is not only fascinating and entertaining, but also reminds us of the incredible beauty of the natural world. Sadly many of the creatures that are featured in this film live in habitats that are threatened by human activity.”
Crampton is an associate professor at UCF. His research program investigates the ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary mechanisms that generate and regulate species diversity.
“With funding from the National Science Foundation, he has conducted many expeditions in search of electric fish in South America – including Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay, ” according to UCF Today.
He is leaving for Peru this weekend.
Crampton has been involved with The Discovery Channel, the BBC, the Smithsonian Institution and the Japanese company NHK.
Watch the video for “Monster Fish: Amazon Shocker” HERE
