Chinook Salmon are also known in the USA as King Salmon, when they reach excess of 30 lbs some people refer to them as Tyee. Chinook salmon are unique in several ways.
They are they largest of all five species of Pacific Salmon and have been known to reach sizes in excess of 100 lbs. The world record in the Skeena River Water shed is 99 lbs caught on a rod and reel.
Chinook salmon preserve their genetic pool by spreading it out over time rather than numbers. Specimen from the same hatch out year may return each year up to ten years. In other words you may have a 1 year fish from the year before spawning with a 10 year fish from 9 years before. This way if one years run encounters a dramatically reduced survival rate due to any number of causes the genetic pool will remain somewhat in tact.
However, this does not make this species immune to extinction. Although they are incredible creature they are still ver vulnerable to going the way of the dinosaurs at the hands of humans. The population today isn't even a shadow of what it once was.
We need to care for these animals with a heightened sense of responsibility because they are vital to a healthy functioning coastal ecosystem.
16 сен 2014
