Montour Preserve adds live eels, 24/7 underwater livestream in new display through partnership

From left, Riverkeeper John Zaktansky, Vernal School Program Supervisor Marissa Crames, Riverkeeper summer intern Theadora Duane, Montour Area Recreation Commission (MARC) Director Bob Stoudt, Susquehanna River Basin Commission Communications Director Stacey Hanrahan and MARC Assistant Director Julian Brehm check show off the new Eels in the Classroom display at the Montour Preserve.

The Montour Preserve, located in Montour County, is the newest addition to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission's (SRBC) Eels in the Classroom initiative thanks to a collaboration with the Montour Area Recreation Commission (MARC), Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association (MSRKA) and Fessler IT Consulting all through the Vernal School Environmental Education Partnership.

“We’re thrilled to have the Vernal School partner with our Eels in the Classroom (EIC) program that has educated tens of thousands of students on the importance of the American Eel in our ecosystems” said SRBC Fisheries Biologist and EIC creator Aaron Henning. “The display at the preserve is an excellent way of spreading the word to both children and adults about the eel population restoration successes we are beginning to see throughout our basin.”

The eels were delivered on Monday, May 20, and are in a 30-gallon tank in the hallway as you enter the educational center just outside the auditorium. The display includes three large educational panels that offer information about the historical and ecological impacts of the eel in our river basin and how the Eels in the Classroom program is helping to offer important awareness.

"Eels were once plentiful in our river to a point where we can still see the weir systems once used to catch them in large numbers, but dams on the river have disrupted their migratory life cycle. Programs like this are helping flip the script, raise awareness and hopefully will trigger positive change," said Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. "It is exciting to offer this at the Montour Preserve so that families and people of all ages can engage with this process together much like students in more traditional classrooms have over the past couple of years."

In addition, this site has incorporated an underwater livestream thanks to technological assistance from Fessler IT Consulting's Doug Fessler. The Eel Cam is available 24/7 for people to check out the four juvenile eels, called elvers, in the comfort of their own home.

"I'm honored to have helped set up the eel tank at the Montour Preserve, a project that merges information technology with environmental science. It was a privilege for me to offer my skills to get the technology up and running, we now have a live stream camera that allows us to educate the public about the importance of these fascinating creatures and our watershed," Fessler said.

Learn more & visit the Eel Cam

One of four juvenile eels (elvers) explores the bottom of its new home, a 30-gallon tank in a new Eels in the Classroom display at the Montour Preserve.

Doug Fessler, of Fessler IT Consulting, configures the Eel Cam livefeed camera during display set up about a week before the Susquehanna River Basin Commission dropped off four juvenile eels at the Montour Preserve.

​​"At one time, the Susquehanna River was thriving with eels, and by raising awareness about water quality and the river, we hope to inspire greater stewardship of Pennsylvania's natural resources."

The livestream feed, as well as an online version of the educational display, photos of the eel display being created and the eels being dropped off and important links to the SRBC eels brochure and ways for people to report eel sightings in our watershed is all available at a new page at the Vernal School website: www.vernalschool.org/the-eels.html

"This project is another example of the bigger benefits of our Vernal School partnership effort at the Montour Preserve," said Zaktansky. "Bringing together resources and successful programming from the SRBC, the skills and talents of local individuals and businesses like Fessler IT Consulting and merging them with the ongoing efforts to improve the Montour Preserve by MARC and critical river-based education and advocacy by our Riverkeeper association, we now have this cool new display that will hopefully educate and enhance the experience of those who visit the preserve. 

"There is much more yet to come and we are excited to bring in new partners and continue to creatively connect people to nature, strengthen the future of the Montour Preserve and inspire the next generation of stewards."