It looks like some sea creature from the deep,
Karl Bly told
CBS13.
Bly has been exploring the American River for over 40 years. Recently, he s taken a GoPro with him to capture video along the way. I ve captured sea lions, river otters, crawdads, and lots of crazy things, he said.
But nothing is as strange as seeing the vampire fish, says Bly. They would be high up there as a rare fish, said Bly.
Although they aren t seen very often, the vampire fish actually calls California waters home. It is native to California and to the American River,
Peter Tira with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told
Vampire fish making comeback to American River
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Posted: May 21, 2021 10:42 AM
Posted By: KOVR
Just this week, local divers spotted two of them.
The vampire fish, otherwise known as pacific lamprey, is long with leather-like skin, and it has teeth.
“It looks like some sea creature from the deep,” said Karl Bly.
Bly has explored the American River for 40 years, most recently with a GoPro, taking videos along the way.
“I’ve captured sea lions, river otters, crawdads, and lots of crazy things,” he said.
But Bly says the vampire fish tops his list of strange sightings.
‘Like Some Sea Creature From The Deep’: Vampire Fish Making Comeback To American River
CBS Sacramento 3 hrs ago Syndicated Local – CBS Sacramento
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A strange underwater creature known as the vampire fish is making a comeback to the American River.
Just this week, local divers spotted two of them.
The vampire fish, otherwise known as pacific lamprey, is long with leather-like skin, and it has teeth.
“It looks like some sea creature from the deep,” said Karl Bly.
Bly has explored the American River for 40 years, most recently with a GoPro taking videos along the way.
“I’ve captured sea lions, river otters, crawdads and lots of crazy things,” he said.
American River Diver Spots Parasitic Vampire Fish That Feed Off Sharks
On 5/20/21 at 11:50 AM EDT
A veteran diver in California has spotted a strange vampire fish, or lamprey, in a Sacramento river.
On Tuesday, diver Karl Bly spotted two pacific lampreys in the American River, which runs for 30 miles from the Sierra Nevada mountains to where it meets Sacramento River. He wrote on Facebook that this is the second lamprey he has seen in 30 years. It looks like some sea creature from the deep, Bly said.
These jawless, parasitic eel-like fish are characterized by their large sucking disk mouth, which features sharp teeth on a tongue that resembles a file. To feed, they attach their disk to other fish, and grate their scales and skin in order to devour their body fluids. Like leeches, they release an enzyme that stops their victim s blood from clotting. This way of feeding often means the fish they feed on will die due to blood loss or because of infection.
Officials try new tactics to get bears to behave
CA Fish, Wildlife/ KOVR
TAHOE, California (KOVR) Tahoe is a roaring tourist attraction year-round, but when the snow melts, that’s when experts say black bears pose a threat – and it’s getting worse every year.
“It’s a real problem every summer. It was heightened last year during COVID with so many people looking to get out of the city,” said Peter Tira, a spokesperson with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We are seeing bears become more bold, jumping on picnic tables, bluff charging people to scare them off to get the food. Then they are getting rewarded with the food and it reinforces that kind of behavior.”