# Pink Salmon (*Oncorhynchus gorbuscha*) The Pink Salmon is the smallest salmon species and is known for its light pink flesh! They are very abundant and easy to catch. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Ocean and freshwater rivers - **Also known as:** Humpback Salmon, Oncorhynchus Salmon ![Pink Salmon](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426675/objects/4663.jpg) ## Appearance The Pink Salmon is silver in the ocean with tiny scales and large oval spots on its back and tail. During spawning, males develop a distinctive, very large hump on their back and a hooked jaw, changing to an olive-green and brown hue. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Salmoniformes - **Family:** Salmonidae - **Genus:** Oncorhynchus ## Interesting facts - Baby pink salmon, called fry, rush to the ocean almost immediately! - Males grow a striking hook-jaw and hump for spawning! - Pink Salmon are the most numerous Pacific salmon species! - They have a super short two-year lifespan, then they're done! ## Special abilities - **Salt-to-Fresh Adapter:** Pink Salmon can survive in both fresh and saltwater by adapting their bodies because of their anadromous life cycle. - **Spawning Hump Growth:** Male Pink Salmon develop a large dorsal hump during spawning to display dominance and intimidate rivals for mates. - **Homing Instinct:** Pink Salmon can find their way back to their exact birth river using their amazing sense of smell. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-60 cm - **Weight:** 1-2.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 2 years - **Swim Speed:** 12 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 250 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding Pink Salmon eat tiny ocean creatures like plankton and small fish, growing bigger in the sea! - **Age differences:** Young salmon eat zooplankton and insects in estuaries; adults primarily eat small fish, krill, and squid in the ocean. - **Primary Foods:** copepods, krill, small squid, small fish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Grizzly Bear](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grizzly-bear) (*Ursus arctos*) — Spawning salmon are a vital food source. - **Eats:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Eagles snatch salmon from rivers during migrations. - **Eats:** [Harbor Seal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/harbor-seal) (*Phoca vitulina*) — Seals prey on salmon in coastal waters. - **Eaten by:** Pacific Krill (*Euphausia pacifica*) — Krill are a primary food source for adults. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [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 Pink 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 Pink Salmon? 30-60 cm ### How much does Pink Salmon weigh? 1-2.5 kg ### How long does Pink Salmon live? 2 years ### What does Pink Salmon eat? Pink Salmon eat tiny ocean creatures like plankton and small fish, growing bigger in the sea! ### How fast can Pink Salmon swim? 12 km/h ### Where is Pink Salmon usually found? Ocean and freshwater rivers ### How does Pink Salmon hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alaska-wildlife-conservation-center) — Alaska, US · Zoo ## 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: [Pink Salmon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pink-salmon)