Art and education go hand in hand as our partners work with Russian youth to create salmon-themed murals and a primer.

As part of an ongoing effort by WSC and partners to promote salmon education and reinforce the ethnic and environmental significance of the species, several projects were launched last year in the Russian Far East.

A Salmon Primer (or “Azbuka”) by children and for children was published by our partners in Sovetskaya Gavan, Russia. See the translations of the letters and corresponding words below. The primer was developed by local teacher Yelena Kuznichikhina and edited for scientific accuracy by Dr. Sergei Zolotukhin. Kids contributed the art for each alphabet letter. Funding was provided by Wild Salmon Center and our partner Khabarovsk Wildlife Foundation. 

The Primer, or “Salmon ABC”, made its first appearance at the annual First Salmon Celebration — a traditional ethnic event held near the Koppi River in Khabarovsk. Alexander Kulikov (founder of the Khabarovsk Wildlife Foundation) awarded copies to children as part of the “Our friend is salmon” contest.

Students also participated in mural projects for two prominent locations in Sovetskaya Gavan: a children’s art school and another at a local history museum (pictured above). The mosaics were comprised of thousands of pieces and took many hours to complete. Yelena Kuznechikhina, teacher and lead on the project noted, “It was complex and painstaking work but so rewarding when it was all done!”

Salmon Alphabet translation

For more educational materials, check out our Salmon School!

Ареал – Range
Браконьерство – Poaching
Внешнее строение – external structure
Внутреннее строение – internal structure
Горбуша – Pink salmon
Дрифтерный лов – Drift net fishing
Еда – Food
Ё – ornament
Жировой плавник – adipose fin
Заповедник – Reserve
Икра – fish eggs
Й – ornament
Кета  – Chum salmon
Кижуч – Coho salmon
Личинка – larva
Лососи – Salmon
Малёк – fry
Миграция – migration
Нерест – spawning
Нерпа – seal
Нерка – sockeye
Онкоринхс – Oncorhynuchus
O – ornament
Пестрянка – par
Порса – porsa(?)
Рыболовство – Commercial fishing
Рыло – mouth
Сима – cherry salmon
Смолт – Smolt
Таймень Сахалинский – Сахалин таймень
Укрытие – hiding place
Факторы – factors
Хоминг – homing
Ценности тихоокеанских лососей – value of pacific salmon
Цикл жизненный – life cycle
Чавыча – Chinook salmon
Чешуя – scales
Шаманский обряд – Shamanic ritual
Нерестилище – spawning bed
Б – ornament
Рыбья кожа – fish skin
Ь – ornament
Эмбрион – embryo
Юукола – fishmeal
Ястык – roe