Salmon and Their Predators

Salmon and Their Predators On the 'shores↗ of A'laska, a spec'tacular / 'annual e'vent / is a'bout↗ to 'take↗ 'place↘. 'Each↗ Ju'ly, 'predators 'gather for the 'biggest 'feast of the 'year, but it will 'only↗ 'last a 'few 'weeks↘. 'Brown 'bears 'come 'down from the 'hills↘. 'Wolves ap'pear 'out of the 'woods↘. And 'seals as'semble in the 'ocean↘. The 'coast is the 'only place↗ / where 'hunters from the ∨sea 'meet those from 'land 'and↗ 'air↘. 'Bears↗ have a 'sense↗ of 'smell / '2,000 times 'better than 'ours / and can 'even↗ de'tect 'prey out at'sea↘. They 'know / the 'salmon / are 'coming↘. They 'also 'know↗ the 'best↗ 'fishing spots / and are pre'pared / to 'fight for them↘. After ∨years' 'feeding out in the Pa∨cific, the 'salmon / are re'turning↗ to 'spawn↘. But be'fore↗ they head up'river, they must 'pause and 'modify their 'bodies to 'function in 'fresh 'water↘. The 'young and over'eager / 'try↗ to catch the salmon↗ / while they’re still in the 'surf↘. 'Those with ex'perience / are more 'patient↘. After 'six months of star'vation / in a'winter ∨den, 'all this food↗ is just 'too 'tempting / for the 'youngster↘. 'Wise 'old 'bears / 'wait for the 'salmon to 'move↗ into the 'river, where they 'know the 'fishing will be 'easier↘. The 'incoming↗ 'tide / 'signals a 'change↘. The ex'perienced bears 'now 'take up their 'prized 'fishing spots / at the 'mouth / of the 'river↘. The 'salmon / are 'finally 'here↘. As the 'fish are 'funnelled into 'shallower 'water, a 'seal gets 'its 'chance↘. The 'wolves will have to 'wait↘. 'Bears 'dominate the 'river-'mouth↘. 'These↗ bears 'rely on the 'salmon 'run / for nearly '90% / of their 'year’s↗ food↘. 'Most↗ of the salmon↗ 'make it up'stream / 'past the bears, but 'now↗ they must 'run↗ the 'gauntlet / of 'wolves↘. The 'salmon will su'stain↗ the 'wolves / through the 'rest of the 'summer↘.