Canada used helicopters to rescue millions of salmon trapped by landslides

Helicopters, heavy machinery and nearly 200 workers are working hard to release millions of salmon trapped by landslides in Western Canada.

Government officials in the area worked tirelessly along the banks of the Fraser River to clean up soil and rock after the landslide, discovered in late June, created an impassable 5m waterfall. .

According to the Guardian, each year, a number of Pacific salmon - sockeye, chinook, pink and coho - swim up the British Columbia Faser River to breed. But the newly formed barrier has prevented fish from reaching important watershed areas for spawning.

Weeks of cleanup have paid off. 12,000 salmon went through carefully built channels. 44,000 salmon - about 3,000 a day - were transported by helicopter.

A bucket of water is used to transport salmon to the Fraser River.(Photo: AP).

The rescue team hopes to continue moving the fish by truck, after the road is rebuilt, as well as developing a fishing ladder.

Rescue teams have relied heavily on indigenous communities and knowledge of salmon reproduction to save tens of thousands of fish.

The muddy flow of water made it difficult for officials to estimate the number of salmon trapped under the landslide. Years ago, millions of salmon went through this river.

Some fish have been equipped with radio tracking collars to give a clearer picture of how many fish have successfully moved upstream.

Recent data show that sockeye salmon has dropped 75% over the past century in Canada. Last week, the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans confirmed an alarming situation by warning that only 600,000 sockeye salmon are expected to breed this year, instead of the normal 5 million. Chinook salmon, stranded on the river, are also under threat.