Museum Highlights; Highly recommended spots on August

※外国人のお客様むけに今時期のサーモン科学館の見どころを紹介しています。

Here, I introduce you the highlights of Shibetsu Salmon Museum on August.

Shibetsu Salmon Museum is unique aquarium, located in Shibetsu town (at the lower part of Shiretoko peninsula), and  has the largest collection of Salmonid species in Japan:  over 18 salmonid species.  The museum is also well known as the best shiretoko sightseeing spots for  rainy days.

                                                         

                                                           LARGE DISPLAY TANK

At present, visitors can see a magnificent view of five salmonid species swimming... shoals of chum, pink, and masu salmon, huge white-spotted charr (about 80cm in total length), endangered salmonid (Sakhalin taimen)... are on display.

                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                          (K.N)

The large display tank

Shoals of pink and chum salmon

White-spotted charr (sea- run type is very popular among anglers) 

                          The huge charr is shining with brilliant natural lights from upper direction.....

Mottled skate swimming

Pink and chum salmon probably have a great impact on ecosystems of the "Shiretoko" Peninsula
(listed "the World Natural Heritage List" in 2005). Salmon migrating upstream in order to spawn become a food source for numerous aquatic and terrestrial species, such as the bear and eagle. Salmon die after spawning and are decomposed by aquatic and terrestrial organisms, returning nutrients to forests and rivers. Except for Sakhalin taimen, almost fish were captured in coastal waters of the Nemuro straits.

RIVER SQUARE
Visitors can have a pleasant experience.
Feeding the fish such as endangered taimen, many kind of salmonids (ex. rainbow trout) and sturgeon. Be careful of splash caused by fish jumping!!

Visitors feed fish

River Square

---TAIMEN CORNER---
Sakhalin taimen is one of the largest (reaching up to 1.5m in tortal length and 40kg in body weight)
and most ancient salmonid species in the world. They are distriuted only in Russian Far East, Kunashiri(part of the Northern territories), and Hokkaido.  They have been rapidly dimished in the last few decades, and listed under "Critically Endangered" in the IUCN red list.

---STURGEON CORNER---
Here, visitors can have a valuable experince.
Sturgeon bites at your finger.
It is not dangerous because they have no teeth.
 A must-try!!    

Sturgeon bites at vistor's finger