- The threespine stickleback gets its name from the three spines located just in front of its dorsal fin.
- Two forms of threespine stickleback occur in Alaska–marine and freshwater.
- The marine form lives in the sea for most of its life, migrating into fresh water or estuaries in spring to breed.
- Large numbers of the marine form have been caught up to 496 miles from shore in the Gulf of Alaska.
- The freshwater form remains in streams, lakes, and ponds throughout its life.
- The nesting habits of sticklebacks are fascinating — try to learn about it.
- Many creatures feed on stickleback — such as cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, arctic terns, mergansers, great blue herons, kingfishers and river otters.
- When caught by a predator what does the stickleback do in hopes of not being swallowed?
- It erects and locks its spines in place, which sometimes prevents it from being swallowed.
