Page 83 - Devotion Among Animals Revealing the Work of God

Salmon swimming against the current. Migrating salmon.

Salmon's Arduous Journey to
Reproduce:

These fish spend the first five final leg of their journey consumes al-
years or so of their lives in the open most all their stored energy. Once
oceans. During this time, they de- they have spawned, their strength
velop their muscles, store fat and and endurance are at an end, and the
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grow big and strong. Those that ma- exhausted fish die.
ture toward the end of this five-year For this act of selfless, virtually
period will need every bit of the calo- suicidal behavior by the salmon in
ries stored in their bodies, because in order to reproduce, there is only one
order to reproduce, they need to re- explanation: This fish is obeying the
turn to the fresh-water rivers where rules God made for it. For a salmon
they were hatched. to return to the same river where it
Salmon have a long journey to was spawned, for it to calculate the
reach the place where they will proper time, and never abandon the
spawn their next generation. Once in journey even in the face of hostile
the river, they have to swim against conditions—no fish would do this by
the current and force their way up its own willpower. No fish could
waterfalls. Salmon stop feeding show so much premeditated, noble
when they enter fresh water. The and selfless devotion on its own.

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