Rush Hour?

October 27, 2007: Traffic picked up this afternoon as the fish seem to rush to their spawning area. This video was taken with the new under water camera. You can see the rocks and sand on the bottom of the estuary.

There are seven species of North American Pacific salmon: chinook, chum, coho, cutthroat, pink, steelhead and sockeye. Although each species has a unique appearance and different habits, they share many characteristics. They are anadromous - meaning their eggs are laid and hatch in freshwater, and their young spend at least some of their early lives in freshwater before swimming to the sea to grow and mature. Their ability to find their way home again when it is time to reproduce is one of the most remarkable things about salmon. In fact, salmon have been known to travel thousands of kilometres in the ocean, as well as battle strong river currents and waterfalls to reach their hatching place. Pacific salmon, with the exception of cutthroat and steelhead, spawn only once and die within days of digging their nests or "redds" in the gravel and mating. Their bodies float down rivers and decompose, filling the water with nutrients for other species of animals and plants. Live and dead salmon are also important food for birds like eagles and gulls, and mammals such as bears and otters. In this way, salmon contribute to the health of freshwater ecosystems.

Salmon lay their eggs in nests or "redds" that the females dig in the gravels of streams or in some cases lakeshores. The gravel must be free of silt and well oxygenated. Young salmon require cold, clean, well-oxygenated water. They are very sensitive to any activities that reduce the quality of their freshwater habitat. Industrial activities like forestry and farming, and other human activities like building roads and cities, can damage or destroy freshwater salmon habitats if they are not carried out in an environmentally friendly manner.

Source: Underwater World: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/zone/underwater_sous-marin/salmon/salmon-saumon_e.htm

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Chehalis
• River
• Estuary
• salmon
• spawning
• bald
• eagle
• fish
• hatchery

[MyWildlifeVideos]

Harold's going to have a BIG water bill!

[XB70Playboy]

Harold!!!! You left the shower running!!!

[stryke23x]

what kind of camera is used for this?

[wildliongirl]

moosie?

[anmoose]

Great footage! And quite a traffic jam. Is there something up ahead that's spooking them and causing the retreat?

Moosie