Chinook Salmon Spawning Act1 May 2016

[@raptorme9251]

Have huge respect for our salmon...they are at our mercy...amazing fish and we all need to respect them!

[@naturalistkamera4235]

Out of curiosity, how long do you sit with the salmon and film them before the hen deposits eggs?

[@KevinBelcher]

I position the camera once they are ready to spawn, then move away completely. (The salmon seem to sense the presence of a human) I leave the camera running and I may not return for 4 hours or more.

[@naturalistkamera4235]

@@KevinBelcherhow do you know when they are ready to spawn? Also how do you get enough battery life to let your camera sit that long? I’m genuinely curious as I’ve tried to film pink salmon spawning, but my GoPro battery dies in about an hour.

[@KevinBelcher]

@@naturalistkamera4235 With chinook the hen forms a deep nest with larger stones in the bottom.When I see this and the pair of salmon present they are about to spawn.Thats the time to position the camera.This will scare them off, but they soon return and are very suspicious of the camera at first.I use a gopro 3+ with and battery backpack which gives about 2 hours of filming. Hope that helps...Kevin.

[@Arizzaable]

why another fish (i don't know male or female) move the tail like that after laying ? to generate oxygen or they try to hide its eggs ?

[@KevinBelcher]

The lighter colour fish is the female or "hen" the big dark fish is the male or"Jack". Once the hen has dug her nest to her satisfaction she then lays hers eggs and at the same time the jack moves alongside to fertilize the eggs in a with cloud of "milt or sperm". Once that batch of eggs is laid the hen then uses her tail to cover them over with stones. The hen will then rest for a while before starting to dig another nest.This will go on and on until the hen has laid all her eggs. The hen does all the hard work.The task of the jack is to chase away intruders and of course to fertilize the eggs.

[@raptorme9251]

Awesome video...not anything like it..loved it!

[@СветочДхармы]

Tell me, please, what is the name of this river?

[@KevinBelcher]

The stream flows into the Waimakariri River system and is on the east coast of the South Island, New Zealand.

[@brianfarmer6223]

Look like hatchery fish have no problem spawning

[@KevinBelcher]

The parents of these fish may have been wild sea run returns.Their eggs have been harvested and cared for in a high country hatchery then fin clipped as smolts and returned to the wild.So yes they have the same instinct to spawn.I have other videos of the Fin clipping process.This particular hatchery and fin clipping program for salmon has since been ceased.

[@evang6912]

which watershed is this?

[@KevinBelcher]

Thanks for the question Evan It's a tributary of the Waimakariri Hopefully there will be "some" returns this autumn

[@twistedjigco.548]

He should have helped her bury those eggs, that was pretty rude.

[@KevinBelcher]

The jack salmon only has one job.That is to be there on time and fertilize the eggs,although he will chase off others if he is dominant enough. He will then go in search of other females or "hens" to mate with if he can.. The hen does all the work preparing and covering the nest or redd and will stay to watch over it until she dies. Regards Kevin.

[@leopoldoreyes2928]

Saludos desde Guerrero Bonito video Ánimo

[@KevinBelcher]

You are welcome Leopoldo. I have other videos of salmon spawning as well.

[@arjunsaha8896]

Masha Allah 👍💫 Beautiful 👍💫💓❣️

[@KevinBelcher]

Thank you for the comments Arjun The chinook salmon is an amazing fish

[@user-hy4pr3lt9g]

Сёмга?!

[@Кега_о5г]

Чавыча

[@allanmaruhom4453]

👍❤️

[@sparrowseye7895]

Hi Kevin, anyway I could contact you for more information on my project. Instagram pls?

[@omartorralbotoledo5385]

Larga vida al Rey Chinook

[@lexieclaiborne3079]

Why they open there mouth 😂

[@KevinBelcher]

Good question. Both the male and female salmon always seem to open their mouths during the spawning act. All my other videos and others on the internet capture the same thing. Maybe it is because of the exertion of the task and they need more oxygen from the water? Maybe it is the pure pleasure of the act? Regards Kevin.

[@ABDULALIM-fs9cu]

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