One day a man called Mr. Vasey came to our class to talk about salmon.

He bought us some salmon eggs in a cool box. We need to check the temperature of the water (it needs to be kept at around 8 degrees c) and make sure the water is clean.  We are looking after them until the Easter holidays, when mr Vasey will take them back to the hatchery. We are hoping we can help to release them back into the Deveron when they are big enough.

We found out that female salmon can lay up to 10,000 eggs if they are healthy and can produce healthy eggs.  However the eggs can get a fungus that can make them die. The males fertilise (3 or 4 males may try to fertilise the eggs at once) the eggs to keep them healthy when they hatch. We have seen the eggs hatch in our classroom!

Predators

We have found out that some animals in this country are predators like these: Mink,Otter,Heron,Osprey and Peregrine Falcon. Salmon have to be aware of these predators and the salmon will have to hide under the rocks in the river.

Life Cycle

There are five stages of the salmon life cycle. First they are salmon eggs,the eggs are orange with a black dot in the centre. If they are white instead of orange then they are dead. Then they turn into tiny fish with their yolk sacks stuck to their tummies,so they can feed on it.These are called Alevin. Next they grow into slightly bigger fish called fry. After they turn completely silver and get ready to head out to sea.; these are called smolt.  Finally they have turned into adults- the males are more colourful to attract females. Then they go out to sea to search for food. Then the life cycle starts all over again.

When they hatch the temperature must be below ten degrees. The adult salmon eats sea snails,pond skaters,water beetles and other insects that fall in the water. The salmon can’t live in polluted water. Salmon can live in the sea for about four years.

The salmon like clear, fresh and cold water. And we would like to keep the Salmon safe in the UK.

SO KEEP THE SALMON SAFE!

Find out more about the project here

http://www.snh.org.uk/salmonintheclassroom/salmon_lifecycle.shtml”>>

By Clover and Charis, P4B