Discovery Speaker Series: Salmon Talk with Tom Quinn
Tune into the Estuarium’s Facebook Live on December 2nd at 6:30 PM for an eye-opening discussion with Tom Quinn about salmon, their habitat, and their behaviors. Tom Quinn is a Biologist and Professor at UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. His research focus is in salmon behavior and ecology. Tom has done research on migratory behavior, habitat requirements, and spawning behaviors in salmon and trout. Salmon are born in freshwater, migrate out to the sea to live a large majority of their life in salt water, and then return home to the rivers and streams they were born into to spawn and die. This migratory pattern makes them anadromous fish. Tom’s research explores the migratory patterns of these fish populations and the underlying mechanisms that make them possible!
Tom Quinn does additional research on the ecological and evolutionary effects of human activities on fish populations, including selective fishing and artificial propagation in hatcheries. Our ecosystems are interconnected and the actions of humans can have considerable impacts on the lives of other animals that share our estuary environment. Join us to learn more about salmon behavior, their life history, and how we are all connected.
This Discovery Speaker Series event is a great companion talk to our ongoing traveling Orca Exhibit, at the Estuarium facility in downtown Olympia. The exhibit is titled “Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home”, and explores the lives of the Southern Resident orcas that live in the Puget Sound. Chinook salmon are the preferred diet of the Southern Resident Orcas, with one adult orca eating about 300 Chinook salmon a day. The Orca Exhibit is on display now and will be up until mid-January. Come visit the Estuarium on the weekends to learn more about the orcas!
Young ones are invited to join in the virtual talk by following along with coloring pages related to the Discovery Speaker Series topics that will be available for download prior to the event. Coloring pages can also be picked up at the Estuarium during our weekend open hours.