WASHINGTON, Feb 9: Salmon use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate across the ocean as they return to their home rivers to breed, a new study has found.
When migrating, salmon typically swim up to 6437 km into the ocean and then, years later, navigate back to the upstream reaches of the rivers in which they were born to spawn their young.
Scientists, the fishing community and lay people have long wondered how salmon find their way to their home rivers over such epic distances.
A new study, published in the journal Current Biology suggests that salmon find their home rivers by sensing the rivers’ unique magnetic signature.
Researchers used data from more than 56 years of catches in salmon fisheries to identify the routes that salmon had taken from their most northerly destinations, which were probably near Alaska or the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, to the mouth of their home river–the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada.
This data was compared to the intensity of Earth’s magnetic field at pivotal locations in the salmon’s migratory route.
Earth has a magnetic field that weakens with proximity to the equator and distance from the poles and gradually changes on a yearly basis. Therefore, the intensity of the magnetosphere in any particular location is unique and differs slightly from year to year.
Because Vancouver Island is located directly in front of the Fraser River’s mouth, it blocks direct access to the river’s mouth from the Pacific Ocean.
However, salmon may slip behind the island and reach the river’s mouth from the north via the Queen Charlotte Strait or from the south via the Juan De Fuca Strait.
Results showed that the intensity of the magnetic field largely predicted which route the salmon used to detour around Vancouver Island; in any given year, the salmon were more likely to take whichever route had a magnetic signature that most closely matched that of the Fraser River years before, when the salmon initially swam from the river into the Pacific Ocean.
“These results are consistent with the idea that juvenile salmon imprint on (i.E. Learn and remember) the magnetic signature of their home river, and then seek that same magnetic signature during their spawning migration,” said Nathan Putman, researcher at Oregon State University.
It has long been known that some animals use Earth’s magnetic field to generally orient themselves and to follow a straight course.
However, scientists have never before documented an animal’s ability to “learn” the magnetic field rather than to simply inherit information about it or to use the magnetic field to find a specific location.
This study provides the first empirical evidence of magnetic imprinting in animals. (PTI)
Salmon use magnetic map to travel thousands of miles home
Good deeds lead to good memories
Ripu Daman Singh
As old parents, we love to tell our life stories to our children. And we always love to narrate happy, brave, and achievements filled incidents. Afterall, every child loves to see a hero in his/her father. That is possible provided we have filled our young days with good deeds, and not wasted our time in gossips and negativity. We hardly realize this when young, and growing up. Having crossed 58 and just hung up my uniform, I realize it very clearly. Thank God, I do not have to think very hard to recount the happy events of my life.
The other day, I was taking a walk with my daughter and son. They asked me ‘Papa, how do you look at your hey days?’ I was just waiting for this chance, and as an ‘old man’ is never tired of his stories, so I started with my school, first. I was transported to 1964 when I joined K G School, Belgaum , moving from a remote village in Haryana, 2000 Kms away. I recount how I learnt English and GK through reading the daily news papers and the Reader’s Digest from class 6th itself, my opening up from shyness in the morning school assembly, working tirelessly to become an orator, and learning to write through daily diaries and weekly compulsory letter to parents. I emphasize the value of a good teacher and elaborate how our visionary Principal, late RS Mani, took interest and drew the best out of us.
Then I move on to my life in the DAV college, Chandigarh in 1971. I recount to my children the way we enjoyed the various youth leadership training camps under Dr KC Anand of Panjab University , who taught us to be ourselves and do something for the society. That led us to joining the NSS, organizing voluntary blood donation camps, as part of the PGI Blood Bank Society, and collecting help for the blind children. It was also a period of healthy competitions -how we defeated the arch rivals St Stephen’s college, Delhi, in inter –university debates, won laurels for our alma mater, and memorable interactions we had with our contemporaries Sushma Swaraj ( debating), Kapil Dev ( cricket), and Kiron Thakur Singh ( now Kiran Kher) in dramatics, and many more achievers. My daughter, being a lawyer, chips in, “did you pip Sushma Swaraj to a prize, any time? “ I said, ‘yes, only once in 1972 during the Panjab University Youth Festival held in our college, when I got recommended, and she got commended”. Otherwise, she was unbeatable. Thereafter we had tea together with our Professor incharge, C L Dhamija, who was my mentor. It was all in a good spirit. What we got in the DAV college was good education and an opportunity to become men of worth.
After the college, I get into uniform in 1973 at the OTA, Chennai. Now, my son, a young Lieut, perks up. Army did not affect my healthy outlook or upset my positive stories, rather it gave greater opportunities for heroic deeds. I start in the ascending order from my young officer days – the toughest commando course we did where we run 40 Kms with 20 Kgs of load on our back, helping of civilians during floods in Punjab, saving a drowning man in Tenga Chu ( Tawang sector ), while commanding my unit, the self help project of building eight ‘bashas’ ( temporary kachha houses” in Lalgarh Jattan so that more jawans could stay with their families, coaching the JCOs/OR for NDA, and my wife helping the illiterate jawans’ families to read and write, and sharing their emotional issues. A life full of activity and giving in olive greens.
The happy stories do not end, as we walk on. We move on to DSSC, Wellington , where I am a DS ( Directing Staff) in the tri service institution. One burnt the mid night oil to ensure that the students always got their corrected work in time, and what a challenge it was to teach the foreign students who did not understand English. But there was plenty to enjoy in the Nilgiris, after a week’s hard work. Then we move to Jammu , where one could look after the welfare and security of over 5000 troops every day passing through the largest Transit Camp of the country, which was also awarded the ISO certificate for excellence. From Jammu , we moved to Leh, and how could I not tell them about the improved facilities in Siachen, and massive relief work the Army did to rebuild Leh after it was devastated by a cloud burst in on 06-07 August 2010.
Now we move on to our village, reminding children of how the roots matter, being grateful to our parents who educated us when there was no electricity, running water, or connectivity to the village. The children have been regularly visiting the village and seen us preparing the young boys for army, sponsoring poor children, and taking the blood donation movement to our people. The motivation was so high that when we as a family gave the lead, the entire village came forward, including women in veil. It was also a matter of honour as the renowned Pandit Jasraj, who belongs to our village ( Pilimandori), was the chief guest. Oh lo, it is already getting dark and the good stories are still flowing. But, we decide to continue the next day.
So, you see, as walked for nearly two hours, one did not narrate even a single ugly incident of my life. The positivity just flowed. Thanks to our parents, and the school, who taught us to have our own identity, and lead a life of purpose. I still follow my parental sanskar ‘Do atleast one good deed a day, and enjoy your blessings”. At 58 plus, I have already started my third innings with a management job – 9 to 5. Happy stories will continue.
(The author is a Colonel)
J&K is Number 1?
TALES OF TRAVESTY
DR. JITENDRA SINGH
So, now , it is official! Jammu and Kashmir stands at number 1…in more ways than one.
If, traditionally, beginning of a new year is the time when those guiding the destiny of the nation at the helm seek to recount achievements of the preceding year, then those at the helm in the State of Jammu and Kashmir have much to pat themselves for.
In the year that just concluded, Jammu and Kashmir was awarded as the state No. 1 for its achievements in Health sector thus living upto its reputation of maintaining high efficiency standards of the earlier year when none less than the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had himself testified that the J&K Chief Minister was the country’s best Chief Minister after he viewed a power point presentation by the latter. In the same year the State of Jammu and Kashmir was also credited for having conducted Panchayat elections after a long gap of three decades and then claiming to have adequately empowered the Panchayats without implementing 73,74 amendments of Indian Constitution originally mooted by Late Rajiv Gandhi for which Rajiv’s son and Congress party’s heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi travelled all the way to Srinagar to deliver a compliment. And yes, very significantly, a certain agency rated Jammu and Kashmir as one of the most “corruption-free” States in the country which is indeed remarkable considering the fact that the State neither has a functional Vigilance Organisation nor a strong Accountability Commission and therefore incorruptibility seems to be born out of a ”royal conviction” setting aside all charges of land grabbing by certain high-ups or allegations of cash for vote or cash for MLC.
The story of Number 1 does not end here. Only last week the Finance Minister disclosed that Jammu and Kashmir is probably the best “tax-collecting State” in the country thus giving a befitting rebuff to press reports about poor tax collection from Kashmir valley or under-rated power tariff paid from VIP premises. And, ofcourse, J&K Bank run by the State is country’s number 1 bank….whatever that means?
Overall, it is a matter of pride for anybody belonging to Jammu and Kashmir! At the end of the day…we are number 1. What if the cynics tend to mock our number 1 status through sarcastic references that Jammu and Kashmir is also Number 1 State in the number of road accidents or that Jammu and Kashmir is also Number 1 State in the misuse or non-official use of State aircraft?
Meanwhile,while the common man in Jammu and Kashmir…distressed and disgruntled…could illude himself into the glory of being a resident or subject, nay State Subject, of India’s Number 1 State, will his “custodians” spare a moment for introspection taking a leaf from Jawaharlal Nehru who had, as Prime Minister, issued directions for circulating among all his cabinet colleagues as well as the then President, Babu Rajendra Prasad a copy of a satirical poem by Josh Millianbadi which obliquely rated the Indian State as Number 1 for seemingly wrong reasons?
And, for the hi-fi Number 1 ruling elite of Jammu and Kashmir, Umapathy pleads a moment of self-evaluation taking cue from famous Ghalib cliche “Sun To Sahi Jahan Mein Hai Tera Fasaana Kya!”