Many fish eat eels, depending on the eel species and location. Freshwater predators include pike, bass, catfish, walleye, and muskellunge. Saltwater predators include snapper, grouper, sharks, and tuna.
Eels are also eaten by birds such as herons and kingfishers, and by mammals including otters, seals, and dolphins. Smaller eels are vulnerable to a wider range of predators than larger ones.