The incredible life cycle of Northwest salmon

Life is an epic journey for Northwest salmon! Learn about the incredible life cycle of salmon and the wild ride they experience as they migrate to and from the ocean. These fascinating fish are born in freshwater streams and make their way downriver past predatory birds and around hydroelectric dams to the estuary before heading out into the open ocean where they spend the majority of their lives. Sea lions, fishing hooks and warm ocean temperatures, oh my! Adult salmon run a gauntlet in the ocean and as they return upriver. Yet despite these challenges, each year tens of thousands of Northwest salmon make it home to their birth streams to begin the cycle again.