Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The water is so hot in Alaska it's killing
large numbers of salmon
The salmon usually spend their early life in rivers
and then swim out to sea to live their adult lives. When they are matured, they
return to their natal rivers and swim up to the places where they were born
without eating. There, they spawn on gravel beds and die, and the salmon life
cycle begins over again, which is called the salmon run. This is when grizzly
bears and eagles catch salmons for their feast.
So, if matured female salmon die with healthy
eggs still in their bellies in the river, it could affect their future
population. This is what is seen this summer in Alaska’s rivers where water
temperatures have reached over 27 degrees Celsius, over three degrees higher
than the highest temperatures in normal years. At this temperature, salmon cannot
get enough oxygen and lose energy to survive or spawn. Even though salmon are
resilient, this level of extreme water temperatures might cause effects on their
life cycle in the long run.
Enjoy reading the article and learn how global
warming or extreme weather condition could affect wildlife in Alaska.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/16/us/alaska-salmon-hot-water-trnd/index.html
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