All animals have their unique features. Some species are endowed with high intelligence, others with remarkable endurance. However, there are also those whose fate is predetermined from the moment of birth.
In fantastic films, there is often a plot where the main character learns the date of their death and the circumstances under which it will occur. Of course, they try to change their fate, and sometimes they succeed. But in real life, we cannot predict the moment of a person's death, while the age at which a salmon dies is quite predictable.
It is known that salmon fish die after spawning, leaving offspring. And this offspring faces the same fate. But why does this happen? There are several reasons. Salmon are born in rivers but then migrate to the sea. When it is time to spawn, they return 'home.' Typically, salmon spawn in cold rivers where food is extremely limited.
For spawning, salmon need to create nests, but first, they must reach the place where they lay their eggs. After spawning, the fish have almost no strength left. One theory suggests that their death is caused by exhaustion, as there is no food around. This behavior can be explained by the fact that the fish leave the sparse vegetation of the spawning rivers for their fry. Thus, the parents effectively sacrifice themselves to ensure the nourishment of their young. Interestingly, all of them die without exception.
Although such a seemingly foolish death may seem strange at first glance, it is actually quite an effective strategy. It helps avoid competition between adult individuals and the young for food, as well as protects the offspring from predators that do not enter the cold and vegetation-poor rivers.
