"Nessie's offspring" attacks Aussie trout farm, reward offered for capture

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2005

SYDNEY (AFP) — An Australian trout farm announced a 1,000 dollar (790 US) rewardfor the capture of a giant eel baptized "Nessie's offspring" that has suddenly appeared in breeding ponds and begun eating up the fish.

Gary Wales from Tommy Finn's Trout Farm near the southeastern city of Melbourne said the eel turned up earlier this month and had eluded all attempts at capture so far.

Visitors who have seen the creature said it was about four metres (13 feet) long with a head the size of a football.

Experts said it was probably a long-finned eel, which is common along Australia's east coast but normally grows to a maximum length of about two meters, though bigger specimens have been found.

Wales said it's the biggest eel he's ever seen and he's hoping...