Salmon
Like other species of Pacific salmon, sockeye must return to the stream in which they were hatched in order to spawn. This requires an arduous journey often hundreds of miles long battling the current of a major river, as well as manmade impediments such as dams and animal predators such as raccoons, bears and ospreys. During the journey, sockeye undergo extensive anatomic and metabolic changes, triggered by their entrance into fresh water. Silvery blue in the ocean, the fish become bright red with yellow-green faces; males develop hooked teeth and a hooked upper jaw, as well as a humped back. The relatively few fish that complete the journey have the opportunity to reproduce, soon after which they die. Their decomposing bodies are eaten by a variety of organisms and, in the end, provide nourishment for the surrounding forest.
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Sockeye male at Dusk |
Sockeye at Dusk |
Sockeye at Night |
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Sockeye Males |
Male Sockeye |
Sockeye Males |
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Sockeye in a shallow stream |
Sockeye in a shallow stream |
Sockeye in a shallow stream |
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Sockeye in a shallow stream |
Sockeye Males |
Sockeye in a small stream |
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Chinook & Sockeye Salmon |
Chinook & Sockeye Salmon |
Chinook & Sockeye Salmon |
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Sockeye Males Fighting |
Sockeye Males Fighting |
Photographing Salmon |
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Sockeye in a River |
Sockeye in a River |
Sockeye in a River |
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Sockeye at Night |
Sockeye at Night |
Sockeye at Night |
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Sockeye at Night |
Sockeye at Night |
Sockeye at Night |
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Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
Sockeye at Dusk British Columbia |
Sockeye in a Stream British Columbia |
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Sockeye in Freshwater Stream British Columbia |
Sockeye in Freshwater Stream British Columbia |
Sockeye in Freshwater Stream British Columbia |
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Sockeye in Freshwater Stream British Columbia |
Sockeye in Freshwater Stream British Columbia |
Sockeye in Freshwater Stream British Columbia |
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Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
Sockeye and Chinook Salmon British Columbia |
Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
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Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
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Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
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Sockeye at Dusk British Columbia |
Sockeye at Dusk British Columbia |
Sockeye in a River British Columbia |
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Chinook with Sockeye British Columbia |
Sockeye in a Stream British Columbia |
Chinook Salmon British Columbia |