BACKGROUND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 719

swans and blue grouse, as well as a quarter of the world's bald eagles. You'll see beautiful
snow and Canada geese, herons, ospreys, and all kinds of ducks.
British Columbia's official bird is the often-cheeky, vibrant blue-and-black Steller's jay,
found throughout the province.
FISH
Of the 72 species of fish in British Columbia, 22 are considered sport fish. The two varieties
most sought after by anglers are salmon, found in tidal waters along the coast, and trout,
inhabiting the freshwater lakes and rivers of interior British Columbia.
Salmon
Five species of salmon are native to the tidal waters of British Columbia. All are anadrom-
ous; that is, they spend their time in both freshwater and saltwater. The life cycle of these
creatures is truly amazing. Hatching from small red eggs often hundreds of miles upriver
from the ocean, the fry find their way to the ocean, undergoing massive internal changes
along the way that allow them to survive in saltwater. Depending on the species, they then
spend 2-6 years in the open water, traveling as far as the Bering Sea. After reaching matur-
ity, they begin the epic journey back to their birthplace, to the exact patch of gravel on the
same river from where they emerged. Their navigation system has evolved over a million
years—relying on, it is believed, a sensory system that uses measurements of sunlight, the
earth's magnetic field, and atmospheric pressure to find their home rivers. Once the salmon
are in range of their home river, scent takes over, returning them to the exact spot where
they were born. Once the salmon reach freshwater, they stop eating. Unlike other species of
fish (including Atlantic salmon), Pacific salmon die immediately after spawning; hence the
importance of returning to their birthplace, a spot the salmon instinctively know gives them
the best opportunity for their one chance to reproduce successfully.
The largest of the five salmon species is the chinook, which grows to 30 kilograms (66
pounds) in BC waters. Known as king salmon in the United States, chinooks are a prized
sport fish most recognizable by their size but also by black gums and silver-spotted tails.
Averaging 2-3 kilograms (4.4-6.6 pounds), sockeye (red salmon) are the most stream-
lined of the Pacific salmon. They are distinguished from other species by a silvery-blue skin
and prominent eyes. While other species swim into the ocean after hatching, the sockeye
remain inland, in freshwater lakes and rivers, for at least a year before migrating into the
Pacific. When it's ready to spawn, the body of the sockeye turns bright red and the head a
dark green.