Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center- fish

Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center - fish

Opal Creek is not home to a great diversity of fish species. There is a barrier falls farther downstream that blocks access to anadromous salmon (Onchyranchus spp.). The fish that are found here nonetheless support a whole suite of organisms, and fish are essential components of the forest ecosystem. The fish of the Opal Creek watershed prey on the many aquatic invertebrates found in our unpolluted waterways. Because of the steep sloped nature of the drainage, many of the streams are cold and fast-flowing. Fish are food for Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon), Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), and River otter (Lutra canadensis); all found in Opal Creek.