“Survive
the Sound,” an online game that involves tracking salmon
migrations in Puget Sound, has thrown open its doors for everyone,
whether you donate money or not.
The idea of buying a salmon character to participate in the game
has been abandoned after two years, and now the fish are free for
the choosing. Long Live the Kings, which sponsors the game, still
welcomes donations, of course, but money is not a prerequisite.
“We wanted to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to
learn more about salmon and steelhead and support the movement to
recover them,” Lucas Hall, project manager for LLTK, told me in an
email. “So, we’ve simplified the sign-up process and eliminated any
fees associated with participation.”
“Survive the Sound,” an online game that features cute little
fish swimming for their lives, is back for a second year with some
new additions, including free participation for students and
teachers in the classroom.
The basics of the game remain as I described them last year. You
pick out a wacky cartoon steelhead and then receive daily reports
as the fish makes its way through a perilous Puget Sound over a
12-day period. The journey starts May 7, and signups are now open.
See
Water Ways, April 29, 2017.
As in real life, many fish will not make it to the ocean because
of the effects of disease and pollution along with the constant
risk of predation. But a few lucky steelhead will survive, and the
winners will be recognized.
Individuals join the game with a $25 donation to Long Live the
Kings, which will use the money to further research, ecosystem
restoration and education. This year, anyone can start a team and
encourage others to participate, sharing the joy or heartbreak of
the salmon migration. Prizes
will be awarded to the winning teams.
This year, teachers can sign up their classrooms for free and
play the game while learning about the Puget Sound ecosystem.
Extensive educational materials have been developed to go along
with the game. Check out “Bring ‘Survive the
Sound’ to your Classroom!”
The game is based on the real-life travels of steelhead, which
have been tracked using implanted acoustic transmitters. Some fish
swim faster than others and some even reverse course. This year,
participants will be able to watch the progress of all of the fish
making the journey, according to Michael Schmidt of Long Live the
Kings.
Last year, more than 1,100 people joined the game, and
organizers hope for even greater participation this year.
If nothing else, you should check out the cartoon fish and the
clever things they have to say by clicking on the individual
steelhead in the “Survive the
Sound” fish list.
