Thousands of wild salmon found dead as British Columbia's river dries out

Wild salmons have been the latest casualties of British Columbia's month-long droughtwith thousands of their carcasses scattered along the river's banks.

Pink and chum salmon carcasses were stacked up nearby in a video shared online. Biologists said over 70 per cent of the dead fish on the creek bed did not reproduce.

Wild salmon often wait for rainfall as their cue to go up creeks and rivers since it means that the water levels will rise and make it easier to access their natal streams

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In a conversation with The Guardian, William Houston said, "It’s just devastating to see this happen. River levels [are] low everywhere right now—not just in Heiltsuk territory. This drought is coast-wide right now. " He further added, "We see pre-spawn mortality on [an] annual basis. But never to this degree."

The footage was captured last week. Hosuty claims that approximately 10 days ago, a light afternoon shower and a high tide gave the salmon a false signal to start. The creek dried up when there was no water, leaving the fish stranded.

Wild Pacific salmon must always die after travelling up winding creeks and streams. The remains are then redistributed or consumed by scavenger bears, birds, wolves, or any other animals that benefit the jungle.

Recent years have seen a drop in the population and a larger decline in wild salmon.

Since there hasn't been any rain along British Columbia's western shores in the last few weeks, numerous areas there are at level four of the drought, which the province believes will likely have an impact on society and the environment.

(With inputs from agencies)

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