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News Release 13-021
Animal Magnetism: First Evidence That Magnetism Helps Salmon Find Home
Salmon appear to seek the magnetic signature of their home river during their spawning migration
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The proportion of salmon using the northern versus southern passage to the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada, could be largely predicted by the magnetic fields of these passages; the closer the magnetic field at a passage entrance matched the field at the river mouth years before when the fish originally swam through it, the more fish used the passage.
Credit: Nathan Putman, Oregon State University
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When sockeye salmon migrate from salt water to fresh water, they change color--going from their ocean colors of mostly silver with some darker coloration on their backs (like a lot of other ocean fish) to red when in fresh water.
Credit: Dr. Tom Quinn, University of Washington
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Sockeye salmon weigh on average 8 pounds, and may reach 3 feet in length.
Credit: Dr. Tom Quinn, University of Washington
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Nathan Putnam, a post-doctoral researcher at Oregon State University, solves some of the mysteries of amazing salmon migrations.
Credit: National Science Foundation