PORT ARANSAS, Texas (KXAN) — A researcher recently found a large American Eel — an endangered species — washed up on a Texas beach.

Jace Tunnell, reserve director at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, showed the eel in a YouTube video, saying the eel was “as big as they get.” He estimated the eel was around 4 feet long.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), females can reach up to four feet in length, and males usually only reach a foot and a half in length. The American Eel is the only species of freshwater eel found in North America.

Tunnell said dams going up in the area affect the life cycle of fish like these.

Researchers like Tunnell said they are dedicated to educating and preserving the health of Texas coastlines and their residents.

You can read more about the American Eel and its lifecycle online.