I have no idea who stuck these eels in here or why.

December 6, 2018 3:17 PM

Young monk seal, this is not how to fish for eels. This phenomenon, eels getting stuck in seals' noses, is rare; the team has observed only three or four cases of eel-nose in the past four decades.
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee (38 comments total)

I don't wanna know why and I think it's perfectly okay if seals wanna put eels up their noses who am I to judge. But I'm not going to read the article - I saw the picture and am fine to go to my grave not knowing why.
posted by parki at 3:21 PM on December 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

I don't know the name, but I'm pretty sure that's a Pokemon.
posted by SonInLawOfSam at 3:26 PM on December 6, 2018 [14 favorites]

Young monk - how do you fish for eels?
I said young monk how's that fish in your nose feel?
I said, young monk, learn to fish like a seal
There's no need to snort those fishies...

You're being watched by the N O A A
That's right it's the N O A A
posted by FritoKAL at 3:35 PM on December 6, 2018 [37 favorites]

Something something Monty Python something tape-recorder up his nose something hovercraft full of eels.
posted by zaixfeep at 3:46 PM on December 6, 2018 [5 favorites]

When an eel lunges out
And it rams up your snout
That's a morayyyyy
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:50 PM on December 6, 2018 [99 favorites]

The only thing I wanted to know was whether they removed said eels, and they made me wait to the peneeltimate paragraph to find out. :P
posted by darkstar at 3:53 PM on December 6, 2018 [3 favorites]

he looks aroused the cheeky little bastard
posted by Foci for Analysis at 4:06 PM on December 6, 2018

"Does anyone else smell eel?"
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 4:27 PM on December 6, 2018 [15 favorites]

Looking at that picture fills me with a burning,
itchy urge to reach over and help that little guy out. That just looks so freakin' uncomfortable, and I've got some really useful hands.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:30 PM on December 6, 2018 [11 favorites]

Let us all lam-pray for this unfortunate mammal.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:49 PM on December 6, 2018 [6 favorites]

This is the Tide Pod thing for seals, isn't it?
posted by Adridne at 5:08 PM on December 6, 2018 [15 favorites]

Talk about a nazeel problem.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 5:08 PM on December 6, 2018 [4 favorites]

This is some of the strangest monk seal behavior I have seen in some time. I have no idea how these monk seals got eels wedged into their noses, or why.
posted by bleep at 5:14 PM on December 6, 2018 [7 favorites]

Oh no that'll teach me to read the title.
posted by bleep at 5:15 PM on December 6, 2018 [3 favorites]

Paging elsietheeel; paging elsietheeel....

Can you explain what the hell is going on here?
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:17 PM on December 6, 2018 [3 favorites]

In every instance of eel-nose, including this one, the researchers have removed the eel successfully. The seals were all fine, but the eels did not make it, according to the scientists' post.

Q: Where are you most likely to find nose-eels?

A: In the eel-factory patch.

Thanks, I'll be here all week. Try the seal. I mean eel. Er, veal.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:27 PM on December 6, 2018 [2 favorites]

my name is eel
and when i deal
with hunters' zeal
it's not ideal

won't be your meal
so with a squeal
around i wheel
into the seal
posted by moonmilk at 6:31 PM on December 6, 2018 [7 favorites]

My name is eel
And wen I lurk
Beneath the stone
Inside the murk,

I see the snout!
The stone, it rose!
I bolt fast out!...
I stuff the nose.
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 6:38 PM on December 6, 2018 [32 favorites]

No seals like nose eels.
posted by dazed_one at 6:45 PM on December 6, 2018 [10 favorites]

When you feel something queer
And an eel bites your ear
That's a moray
posted by Daily Alice at 6:45 PM on December 6, 2018 [2 favorites]

Just say no!
posted by tresbizzare at 6:58 PM on December 6, 2018

Not just no, but 'eel no!
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:01 PM on December 6, 2018 [2 favorites]

ha ha ha ha ha what the fuck ha ha ha what the FUCK?
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 7:25 PM on December 6, 2018 [6 favorites]

This is the seal version of eating Tide Pods, yes?
posted by ourobouros at 7:41 PM on December 6, 2018 [2 favorites]

I'm very surprised that other seals, or seagulls don't get the eels. I thought seagulls stole any food in sight.
posted by unliteral at 7:43 PM on December 6, 2018

oh honey no

this is like a toddler sticking a Lego up their nose
posted by Hermione Granger at 10:52 PM on December 6, 2018 [5 favorites]

This is amazing, thank you.
posted by wym at 1:14 AM on December 7, 2018

I have a horrible cold and that picture pretty well sums up how I’m feeling.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 2:30 AM on December 7, 2018

I think this is more the condom-snorting thing than Tide Pods.

Also:
The eels crawl in,
The eels crawl out,
The eels play pinochle on your snout...
posted by TedW at 3:43 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I think this is my favorite headline of 2018, maybe of all time.
posted by coppermoss at 5:41 AM on December 7, 2018

This make me glad I have fingers that can reach my face.
posted by eotvos at 9:28 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

> This is the Tide Pod thing for seals, isn't it?

Yeah, pretty much. From another interview with Charles Littnan in the Washington Post:

The “most plausible” theory, he said, is that monk seal teenagers aren’t all that different from their human counterparts. Monk seals “seem naturally attracted to getting into troublesome situations,” Littnan said.

“It almost does feel like one of those teenage trends that happen,” he said. “One juvenile seal did this very stupid thing and now the others are trying to mimic it.”

posted by mbrubeck at 10:37 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Punk Monks
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:49 AM on December 7, 2018

I feel the fact that they did not film the eel-removal process is a tragedy for comedyscience.
posted by tavella at 10:51 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

I'm very surprised that other seals, or seagulls don't get the eels. I thought seagulls stole any food in sight.

Yeah, but they know where this has been.
posted by ZeusHumms at 1:56 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

"Nobody Knows Why" -> "Nobody Nose Why"
posted by tickingclock at 2:37 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

Seals all on their SealChat and SealTube with their eel-snorting videos. Local seal news channels airing pearl-clutching stories about these teen seals engaging in risky eel-snorting behavior.
posted by sarcasticah at 9:02 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

When an eel bites your cheek
Whille you swim in a creek
That's a mor ayyy
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:44 AM on December 10, 2018 [1 favorite]