Salmon Lifecycle By: Cassidy & Karter

Where Do Salmon Live? Most salmon are born in freshwater (rivers or streams) and travel to and live much of their lives in salt water and return to freshwater to spawn.

What do Salmon eat? Young salmon eat insects, invertebrates and plankton. Adults eat other fish, squid, eels, and shrimp. Unlike all other salmon, the sockeye salmon has a diet that consists almost entirely of plankton.

Why do Male Salmon Change Color? Salmon have a pink to red flesh because of the food they eat. Salmon change color to attract a spawning mate.  Salmon use all their energy for returning to their home stream, for making eggs and digging the nest. Only about 2% of salmon eggs will make it to adulthood.

A Salmons Daily Travel Salmon in their saltwater phase travel an estimated 18 miles a day, but they are capable of maintaining an average of 34 miles per day over long distances.

Returning Home Many Salmon after spending 4-5 years in the ocean, return to where they were hatched Most of the time to spawn themselves.

Salmon Lifecycle (Discovery Channel) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqjsWsY8-g

Salmon Cycle

Salmon Eggs & Hatching Time Female Salmon may lay between 2000-5000 eggs before she is spawned out. A larger female may lay between 500-1000 eggs per nest. The cycle begins in freshwater, a nest of eggs, is fertilized. These eggs remain in the gravel throughout the winter, and the embryos develop. In the spring, the eggs hatch and alevins emerge.