Tlikakila River delta in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska, USA

© Dawn Wilson Photography/Getty Image

A braided river. Tlikakila River delta

This stunning photo shows the braided river delta of the 51-mile long Tlikakila River in Lake Clark National Park, in the US state of Alaska. A braided river includes a network of river channels that split and rejoin again around small islands known as braid bars, aits or eyots, creating this woven or plaited appearance.

In the indigenous Athabaskan languages of North America, Tlikakila literally means 'salmon are there river'. The park is known for its salmon-laden waterways and, as such, the fish is of major importance to the local economy and ecosystem. Local bear populations are drawn to the excess of salmon, and brown bears congregate in large numbers here to feed – serving up world-class bear-viewing opportunities here at Lake Clark. The abundance of salmon has also benefited a wolf pack within the park, the only one in the world known to be solely dependent on salmon.