October Wrap Up

On my last trip of the year in the middle Kenai River, I snapped these photos of the various stages of decomposed red salmon.   They may not look pretty but decomposing carcasses contribute food for the entire ecosystem.

 Yuck.

 Double yuck.

Triple yuck.

Not always the greatest thing to look at but if it weren't for over a million salmon dieing in the Kenai River there wouldn't be life.    From feeding trout, salmon smolt, birds and bears, to providing nitrogen/nitrates to the watershed, their role is pivotal in the ecosystem.