# Chinook Salmon (*Oncorhynchus tshawytscha*) The Chinook Salmon is the largest species of salmon! They are known for their rich flavor and can grow quite big. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Ocean and freshwater rivers - **Also known as:** King Salmon, Spring Salmon, Tyee Salmon ![Chinook Salmon](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426632/objects/4661.jpg) ## Appearance The Chinook Salmon has a sleek, torpedo-shaped body with silvery sides and a dark, often bluish-green back. It is distinct for its irregular black spots on its back and both lobes of its tail fin, along with its dark mouth lining. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Salmoniformes - **Family:** Salmonidae - **Genus:** Oncorhynchus ## Interesting facts - Chinook Salmon can jump over waterfalls as tall as a person! - Chinook Salmon only eat once on their journey home, then die! - Their amazing journey to spawn can span over 3,000 miles! - They are the biggest species of Pacific salmon! ## Special abilities - **Migration Master:** Chinook Salmon can navigate thousands of miles back to their birth rivers to spawn, using their incredible sense of smell. - **Burst Swimmer:** Chinook Salmon has powerful muscles that help them leap over obstacles and swim against strong river currents during their journeys. - **Color Changer:** Chinook Salmon can change their body color from silvery-blue to darker, reddish-brown hues to blend in during spawning. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 70-150 cm - **Weight:** 4.5-50 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Swim Speed:** 32 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 200 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding Young salmon eat insects, while adults are predators, feasting on smaller fish and squid in the ocean. - **Age differences:** Young salmon start with insects and crustaceans, transitioning to a fish-heavy diet as they mature in the ocean. - **Primary Foods:** herring, anchovies, squid, krill, small crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Grizzly Bear](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grizzly-bear) (*Ursus arctos*) — Bears catch migrating salmon in rivers. - **Eats:** [Orca](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orca) (*Orcinus orca*) — Orcas hunt salmon in the ocean. - **Eats:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Eagles snatch salmon from rivers. - **Hunts:** [Pacific Herring](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-herring) (*Clupea pallasii*) — Adult salmon feed on herring in the ocean. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chinook Salmon? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Chinook Salmon? 70-150 cm ### How much does Chinook Salmon weigh? 4.5-50 kg ### How long does Chinook Salmon live? 3-7 years ### What does Chinook Salmon eat? Young salmon eat insects, while adults are predators, feasting on smaller fish and squid in the ocean. ### How fast can Chinook Salmon swim? 32 km/h ### Where is Chinook Salmon usually found? Ocean and freshwater rivers ### How does Chinook Salmon hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Knights Ferry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knights-ferry) — California, US · Historic Site - [Selleck](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/selleck) — Washington, US · Historic District ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Chinook Salmon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chinook-salmon)