Fish · GBIF taxon 5204037
Pink Salmon
Oncorhynchus gorbuschaAlso known as Humpback Salmon, Humpie
Pink salmon are the smallest yet most abundant Pacific salmon, famous for their strict two-year life cycle and dramatic physical transformation during spawning. Breeding males develop a pronounced dorsal hump and hooked jaws as they ascend coastal rivers to deposit eggs in clean gravel beds. After spawning, all adults die, transferring vital marine nutrients to temperate forest ecosystems across the North Pacific.
AnadromousMigratoryAbundant
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Krill
- Amphipods
- Squid
Predators
- Grizzly Bear
- Bald Eagle
- Orca
ThreatsStream habitat degradation, warming ocean waters, and migration barriers
HabitatsOpen Pacific Ocean, coastal estuaries, and clear freshwater streams
Life span2 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilySalmonidae
- SpeciesOncorhynchus gorbuscha
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation Etiquette: Watch migrating adults from riverbanks or bridges without wading into spawning shallow water.
- Polarized Optics: Wear polarized sunglasses to spot silver and humped bodies resting in clear river currents.
- Protect Spawning Beds: Avoid walking on clean riverbed gravel where fish bury fragile egg nests.
Predator (c) Nathan Ruser, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nathan Ruser · cc-by
Predator (c) Thibaud Aronson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Thibaud Aronson · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Cole Wolf, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cole Wolf · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Kevin Brix, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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