Jack salmon refers to a type of male salmon fish which matures earlier than the other males in its strain, returning from the ocean to spawn a year earlier than the others. Jacks are often smaller than other adult males and females, as they spawn and die before they can grow any further.Like all other salmon, jacks are born in freshwater breeding grounds and swim to the ocean shortly after being born. After spending around two to three years in the ocean, they return to the place of their birth along with other sexually mature salmon, sneakily spawning on the eggs before deteriorating and passing away.Some popular salmon species which produce jacks are the coho salmon, chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Atlantic salmon.To learn more about these salmon, read on! You can also learn about more amazing fish on our kokanee salmon and salmon pages.
Fun Jack Salmon Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Silver, pink, red
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
Jack Salmon Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a jack salmon?Jack salmon refers to young precocious males across all salmon fish species, mostly from the sockeye, Atlantic chinook and coho salmon species.What class of animal does a jack salmon belong to?Jack salmon are fish and belong to the Actinopterygii class of animals.How many jack salmons are there in the world?As jack salmon refers to the young, sexually mature males across all salmon species and are not a species in itself, the exact number of these fish cannot be determined. Coho salmon and chinook salmon are farmed in fisheries, making the sheer number of their population inconceivable.Where does a jack salmon live?Jack salmon fish live with other salmon adults in their native habitat of the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans along with their tributaries. They are anadromous in nature, meaning they can survive in both freshwater and saltwater environments. They are born in freshwater rivers and streams, which they follow into the ocean shortly after hatching. After spending two to seven years in the ocean, they return to their place of birth in order to take part in the breeding process and spawn on the eggs laid by females.What is a jack salmon’s habitat?The typical jack salmon habitat lies in colder temperatures, and they can be found in oceans and lakes all over the world, depending on species to species. Most species such as the Atlantic salmon, chinook salmon and coho salmon are found in oceans, mainly the Pacific and Atlantic. Some species spend their whole lives in rivers, such as the chum salmon, which can be found in America and Canada.Who do jack salmon live with?Jack salmon live in schools with a number of other salmon fish in the ocean.How long does a jack salmon live?Jack salmon refers to males who mature faster than other males of their species. As salmons usually die right after spawning, these fish have a lifespan of only one to three years, up until they return to their breeding grounds.How do they reproduce?Jacks refer to only the male salmons. When they are ready to reproduce, these salmon fish swim back to their place of birth along with all other sexually mature salmon. While adult males are busy fighting each other over territory, these jacks swoop in and sneakily spawn over the jack salmon fish eggs laid by females, earning them the name sneaker males.What is their conservation status?The conservation status of a jack salmon is of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. If we look at salmon as a whole, there is no shortage of these fish with the most popular species (sockeye salmon, coho salmon and chinook salmon) either being unlisted or of least concern.Jack Salmon Fun FactsWhat do jack salmon look like?As jacks become mature enough to reproduce a year earlier than the other males in their species, they are smaller than the average salmon fish, which can be quite large. They look the same as regular salmon, most of them being silvery-blue with the exception of the sockeye salmon, which is red. As they mature, they grow in size and darken in color.Typical salmon have long, speckled bodies and tails along with a number of fins positioned on their top and sides.*Please note that this is an image of a coho salmon, not the jack salmon. If you have an image of the jack salmon please let us know at [email protected]How cute are they?With their silvery, iridescent scales, male jack fish can be quite attractive. Some species of salmon have nice pink and red coloring with dark silver specking, which make them look quite fetching.How do they communicate?Jack salmon are known to communicate by releasing chemical signals, which can be picked up by other salmon and interpreted. They also relay various moods by darkening and lightening their skin color, usually as declaration of dominance or submission towards other males.How big is a jack salmon?Jack salmon are typically much smaller than other large adult salmon of their species, with the typical jack salmon range of length being 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm). This makes them similar in length to the rainbow trout, which can measure about 16 in (40.6 cm)How fast can a jack salmon swim?Salmon are extremely fast swimmers, with their speed depending on the water current.How much does a jack salmon weigh?The exact weight of male jacks is unknown. However, the typical salmon is known to weigh 7.9-30.8 lb (3.5-14 kg), so we do know that jack salmon male weighs way less than this as they are much smaller.What are the male and female names of the species?Jacks can only be male. Young male salmons which return to their breeding grounds a year earlier than the other males of their brood are called as jack salmon.Similarly, female salmon, which mature earlier than typical salmon, are called jills.What would you call a baby jack salmon?Baby salmon are called as fry.What do they eat?Like all other salmon, jacks fish are omnivorous. They often hunt and eat smaller fish and crustaceans, and are fond of krill. They also feed on aquatic insects and worms, and the occasional small squid. They eat algae and a number of other aquatic plants as well.Are they poisonous?No, small jack salmon are not poisonous. In fact, they are a well sought after delicacy all over the world, being eaten alongside regular salmon. They are often the easies fish to catch, as they are very susceptible to falling for bait and fly.Would they make a good pet?As salmon undergo a complicated lifecycle, it would be difficult to keep them as pets. They are anadromous, meaning they are born in a freshwater environment and migrate to the ocean after hatching, spending the majority of their lifespan there before to their breeding grounds to lay eggs and spawn before rapidly deteriorating and dying. Also, since salmon are mostly bred in fisheries and are present in lakes as fishing game, it is illegal to keep as pets in many states without a permit. Did you know…Salmon are a very popular choice for fishing, with jack salmon being the easiest to catch due to their willingness to bite any type of bait.Many salmon have been introduced into the Great Lakes of America, some of these being Lake Superior, Lake Winnipeg and Lake Ontario, which are not their native environments. Salmon can also be found inland in many rivers and lakes in cities such as Sacramento and Missouri.Jack fish are actually useful to help strengthen the genes of salmon by mixing the genes of different strains of salmon with its genes. This could help to save vulnerable strains of salmon which are recovering from overfishing.The jack salmon whiting is the jack of the Pacific whiting salmon species, which is found in the North Atlantic Ocean. Similarly, the jack king salmon refers to the precocious makes of the king salmon or chinook salmon species.What kind of fish is jack salmon?Jack salmon are anadromous, meaning they spend their lives in both freshwater and marine environments.What is coho salmon vs Atlantic salmon?The coho salmon and Atlantic salmon are both different species of salmon, belonging to the family Salmonidae. However, they belong to different genera, with the Atlantic salmon belonging to the genus Salmo and the coho salmon being part of the Oncorhynchus genus.The coho salmon is typically found in the Pacific Ocean, whereas the Atlantic salmon, true to its name, is found in the North Atlantic. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these king salmon facts and Atlantic salmon facts for kids.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable jack salmon coloring pages.*Please note that this is an image of a coho salmon, not the jack salmon. If you have an image of the jack salmon please let us know at [email protected]
What type of animal is a jack salmon?
Jack salmon refers to young precocious males across all salmon fish species, mostly from the sockeye, Atlantic chinook and coho salmon species.
Fun Jack Salmon Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Silver, pink, red
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
Fun Jack Salmon Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Silver, pink, red
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
Fun Jack Salmon Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Silver, pink, red
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
Fun Jack Salmon Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Silver, pink, red
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
What do they prey on? Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Silver, pink, red
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
What do they prey on? Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Silver, pink, red
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
What do they prey on?
Small fish, worms, krill, crustaceans
What do they eat?
Omnivore
Average litter size?
10,000- 17,000 eggs
How much do they weigh?
N/A
How long are they?
11.8-19.6 in (30-50 cm)
How tall are they?
What do they look like?
Silver, pink, red
Skin Type
Scales
What were their main threats?
Humans
What is their conservation status?
Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
Where you’ll find them?
Pacific Ocean, Great Lakes, North Atlantic Ocean
Locations
Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, North And South America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Merluccius
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Merluccius
Class Actinopterygii
Family Merlucciidae
