NATURAL PREDATORS

Many different animals enjoy eating salmon.

Young salmon are excellent food sources for a large variety of animals. Many species of fish, such as cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, and other salmonids are important consumers of juvenile coho.

In some areas, garter snakes capture coho fry, especially in pools whose waters are drying up. Other terrestrial predators include mink and raccoons. Larger animals such as black bears will also indulge in a salmon feast, however due to a bear's high protein requirements, many adult salmon must be consumed in order for it to be satisfied.

Large numbers of fry and fingerlings are also eaten by birds such as mergansers, herons, crows and robins to name a few.

Even more animals try to eat salmon in the ocean.

Once in the ocean added pressure from new predators such as dogfish, lamprey, sea-gulls, loons, eagles, seals, sea lions, and a few whales challenge the young smolts.

The susceptibility of salmon varies depending on the season, water temperatures, their size, water levels, and the amount of available cover and the natural populations of predators that exist in the area.