Do you know anyone that has run a long race? Salmon are fish that train their whole lives for one event. It’s called the salmon run. But salmon do not run, they swim. Once a year salmon leave the ocean and swim up rivers to lay their eggs.
In the summertime, thousands of salmon run from the ocean up the streams and rivers in Alaska. Salmon are amazing fish that are born in fresh water but live most of their lives in the salty ocean. When they are mature and ready to breed, they leave the ocean and start the journey back to fresh water. Salmon are met with many obstacles during their migration. Strong currents make it difficult for them to swim upstream. Salmon can jump over waterfalls. But they do not always survive. Hungry predators like river otters, bald eagles, and bears prey on salmon. Salmon travel hundreds of miles to build nests in riverbed gravel. The few salmon that survive the run will lay thousands of eggs. Salmon migration is one of nature’s most amazing journeys.
What Do You Think? What are some things that could affect a salmon run?
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