Skip to the fun stuff
Meet the salmon
Salmon use the Earth's magnetic field and their sense of smell to return to the exact stream where they hatched, sometimes years later.
🏡 Born in rivers, grown in the ocean, returning to rivers to spawn.🍽️ Insects and plankton when young; fish and crustaceans at sea.⏳ 3–8 years depending on species.🛡️ Many wild salmon populations are shrinking due to dams, warming rivers and overfishing.
Friends and family
Young salmon shoal together and learn from each other where danger lies.
Mothers dig a gravel nest called a redd with their tails to protect their eggs.
How they talk
Fish communicate with body posture, movement and some sounds.
How clever are they?
Fish learn, remember and can even use landmarks to navigate — scientists once wrongly believed they had 3-second memories.
What they feel
Research shows fish have pain receptors and change their behaviour when hurt — most scientists now agree fish can feel pain.
Superpower: Built-in compass
Salmon sense the Earth's magnetic field like a living GPS.
🤓 Did you know?
- The idea that fish have 3-second memories is a myth — they remember for months.
- Salmon find their birth river by smell.
- Most scientists agree fish can feel pain.
Living alongside people
Salmon are one of the most farmed fish. Farmed salmon live in crowded sea pens their whole lives.