T1B40

My dad was wondering why some of the salmon we saw were so vividly red. I thought it was because of spawning.

HAHA! I WAS RIGHT!

Apparently, salmon turn pink during spawning season to indicate to their potential mates that they are of the same species and ready to spawn.

I actually totally didn't know that, I guessed randomly because a lot of species change when it is mating season. 

Also, salmon turn whitish when they die, which is kind of sad, but I saw a whole bunch of dead salmon at the sides of the rivers, and this one person who I think worked there was just picking them out and I was like HOW IS THAT FAIR, that so many salmon die and the strong ones get to spawn and everybody else just stays all sad and lonely and might possibly die because they jumped over the wrong side of the river, ran out of air, and didn't have enough oxygen to make it back.

POOR SALMON THAT DON'T MAKE IT ALL THE WAY...

And I might also mention that during my entire time at watching, I didn't see one single salmon (okay I saw one) make it all the way up to the biggest and last waterfall. :( I saw a whole bunch thrashing when they started slipping and some of the slipped and some of them didn't. During the very first bit when I think the salmon are tested first, there are 5 barriers in a row, and I saw some of the salmon leaping those successfully. I caught a few good pictures of them leaping like ACTUALLY IN MIDAIR, like you see on those salmon watching brochures, except mine are kind of blurry and aren't as bright and attractive looking.