Chinook Salmon Swim in Oregon's Chiloquin Basin for the First Time in 100 Years

In one of the most emotional ecological victories of 2025, chinook salmon were spotted swimming in Oregon's Chiloquin Basin for the first time in a century.

For the Klamath Tribes, who have inhabited the region for millennia and consider the salmon a sacred part of their culture and identity, the moment was deeply moving. Tribal leaders and elders gathered along the riverbank to witness the first salmon making their way upstream — a sight that generations had been told they would never see again.

Salmon began migrating to spawning grounds they hadn't reached in 100 years. Biologists set up monitoring stations and were thrilled to document healthy chinook salmon navigating the river channels.

"This proves that rivers can heal," said one biologist involved in the monitoring program. "When we remove the obstacles, nature responds with remarkable speed and resilience."