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Photos of the salmon at the waterfall, in the river and the many dangers which expect him at the "salmon run"
Photos of the salmon at the waterfallIt is mid-July and the salmon runis in full swing. The Brooks Falls are located in the middle between Naknek Lake and Brooks Lake.
At this place the Brooks River builds a barrier which the salmons have to surmount to reach the spawning grounds. In front of the waterfall there is a large number of salmons constantly trying to surmount the obstacle which is between one and a half and two metres high. The salmons are leaping constantly, but in this key place with strong currents the danger for them is especially great. Above the waterfall there are three bears waiting for an unwary salmon – sometimes the fish leaps directly into the open mouth of the bear. If the salmon falls down again because it hasn’t assessed the situation correctly, four other bears are already waiting below the waterfall to take advantage of the opportunity. Many bears have their own technique to get hold of their prey. Some are excellent divers with a high success rate. A diving bear is the last thing the surprised and weak salmons expect under water. The Brooks Falls
have been an Eldorado for Brown Bears for many generations of bears.
Every year, five different salmon species migrate from the Pacific to fresh water, among them the Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) at the Brooks River.
The Blueback Salmon reaches a weight of three to five kilograms and a length of 60 to 80 centimetres. At first, the Sockeye Salmon remains in fresh water for one to three years. After four to seven years in the width of the ocean it returns to its native waters.
As soon as the fish have left the saltwater, they don’t eat anymore. After several weeks in fresh water the salmons change colour. The head turns green whereas the rest of the fish turns into an intensive red. The way back from the sea is full of dangers and salmons are the food basis for many other animals.
But the majority of salmons is claimed by the fishing industry. However, all the salmons which found their place of birth with an incredible certainty spawn and die afterwards. Their bodies decay and build the food for the young fish brood.
Other salmon species migrating from the Pacific to fresh water for spawning between May and August are: King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Pink Salmon and Dog Salmon.
