Oct 12 (Reuters) - More at risk than the polar bear (vulnerable), giant panda (endangered) or blue whale (endangered), the European eel is classified "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
A widely eaten snakelike fish caught in freshwater rivers and tributaries along the coasts of Europe and the Mediterranean, eels are an expensive delicacy as their numbers have shrunk by more than 95 percent over recent decades.
Here are some facts about Anguilla anguilla:
* Eels begin life as larvae called Leptocephalus, but despite the efforts of modern science, virtually nothing is known about how they reproduce.
* European eels reproduce in the North Atlantic's Sargasso Sea, about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) from Europe's shores. The larvae travel to coasts and grow into small transparent fish called "glass eels".
* Glass eels grow into golden yellow "elvers" and make their way into rivers, streams and creeks to feed on insects, worms and smaller water organisms. They can be found anywhere on the coasts between Norway and Egypt.
* They can take 10 to 15 years to mature, and eventually become "silver eels" about 1 metre long, with a dark-grey colouring on their back and silver bellies.
* The cause for the decline in eel population is not known, but excessive fishing, the presence of PCB pollutants and a viral infection are suspected by the scientific community.
* Eels are a popular treat at Dutch fairs, often smoked and eaten with small toast slices. London shops sell jellied eels, eel stew is a common dish across Europe. In Italy eels are often fried, in the south as a traditional Christmas Eve dish. In Spain baby eels are a prized ingredient for angulas a la bilbaina, served sizzling hot in olive oil and garlic. Eels are also caught off Egypt's coast to be fried and eaten. (Reporting by Reed Stevenson; editing by Sara Ledwith)