| Wels Catfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Common Name | Sheatfish |
| Range | Europe |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Siluriformes |
| Family | Siluridae |
| Genus | Silurus |
| Species | S. glanis |
| Conservation Status | |
 Least Concern | |
The Wels Catfish (Silurus glanis), or sometimes called the Sheatfish, is a large catfish native to central, southern and eastern Europe, although it has now been introduced to parts of Western Europe. It is a freshwater fish. It has no scales and can be recognised by its large, broad head. They can live for around 50 years and have excellent hearing.
It feeds on worms, gastropods, crustaceans, other fish, and larger ones have been known to eat frogs, birds and rodents. Recently, individuals of this species in environments that are not their native habitats have been observed lunging out of the water to grab pigeons off the land.
It is very territorial when guarding its eggs, and has been known to attack humans who swim too close. It is classed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.