With590,000squaremilesofland,44,000milesofcoastline,morethan3millionlakes
andfiveregionsofdifferingclimate,topographyandplantlife,it’snowonderthatso
manyanimalscallAlaskahome.Fromthetiniesticewormstothelargestbrownbears,
theAlaskaDepartmentofFishandGamehasnarroweddownviewinglocationsandtips
onitswebsitealongwithalistingofeventsandfestivals,linkstotrailcamsforvirtual
viewingandmore.AseriesofwildlifeviewingguidespublishedbytheADF&Gallows
travelerstotakeviewingandsafetytipsontheroad.
Wheretogo
Wildlifeisfoundinallareasofthestate,it’sjustamatterofwhenandwheretolook.
SouthwestAlaskaisbestknownforbearandbirdviewing,hometoKatmaiNational
ParkandPreserveaswellasover240speciesofbirds.Italsocomprisessomeofthe
richestfishingandmarinehabitatintheworld.
AlaskaInsidePassagedeliversextraordinarywildlifeviewing,fromthebearsof
AdmiraltyIslandtothebaldeaglesofHaines.TheAlaskaCoastalWildlifeViewingTrail
wasestablishedbyADF&GtohighlightwildlifeviewingopportunitiesalongtheAlaska
MarineHighwayroutesandcoastalcommunities.Theviewingtrailprojectincludesa
seriesofbrochuresforeachofthemajorcommunitiesrecommendingviewingtours,
events,wildliferefugesandsanctuaries,migratorybirdpatternsandmore.
TheremaynotbetimetoseeallthewildlifeAlaskahastoofferinonetrip,but
AnchorageisagreatplacetostartwhenarrivinginSouthcentralAlaska.Theresident
moosepopulationoffersthechancetoseewildliferightfromyourhotelwindowor
whilestrollingthecity’sTonyKnowlesCoastalTrail.Manymigratorybirdspeciesvisit
theAnchorageareaduringspringandfallmigrationsandnearbyTurnagainArmboasts
whalesightingsrightfromtheroadway.Therugged,200-mile-longKenaiPeninsula
containsalmosteverytypeofAlaskawildlifehabitat,fromriversandlakes,wetlands,
activevolcanoesandaccesstotheGulfofAlaska,awildernesscoastofglaciers,islets,
cliffsandfjords.
InteriorAlaskaisprimehabitatforwildlifeinitsmountainranges,rollingriversandvast
woodlands.Theborealforests,underlainbyfrozengroundsareadaptedtocoldwinters
andlong,summerdayswithlittleprecipitationandprovidehomestomoose,bears,
wolvesandDallsheep.
InAlaska’sFarNorthregion,thelandscapeandclimatearedramatic,resultinginjagged
mountainranges,endlesstundraandtumblingrivers.Springbringsmigratingcaribou,
brownbearsandherdsofmuskoxen.Polarbearsroamthelandscapehuntingforseal
ontheice.
Virtualviewing
Noteveryonewillhavetheexperienceofseeingallthewildlifetheyhadhopedontheir
Alaskavacation.ButduetotrailandwebcamerassetupinAlaska’swildernessareas,
thepubliccanviewamultitudeofwildlifephotosandcanevensubmitphotosoftheir
own.Webcamsgiveviewersawindowintotheworldofwildlife,suchasseabirdson
GullIsland,StellersealionsnearSeward,brownbearsatBrooksFalls,baldeagle
groundsinHainesandtheinsideofabeaverlodgeneartheMendenhallGlacier.
Visitthevirtualviewingpageshere:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.trailcams
WildlifeViewingEventsandFestivals
Interior
April-SpringMigrationCelebration,Fairbanks
www.creamersfield.org
May-UpperTananaMigratoryBirdFestival,Tok
tetlin.fws.gov
August-TananaValleySandhillCraneFestival,Fairbanks
www.creamersfield.org
Southwest
April-WhaleFest,Kodiak
www.whalefestkodiak.com
InsidePassage
April-TheStikineRiverBirdingFestival,Wrangell
stikinebirding.org
April-AlaskaHummingbirdFestival,Ketchikan
www.alaskacenters.gov
May-YakutatTernFestival,Yakutat
www.yakutatternfestival.org
July–BearFest,Wrangell
www.alaskabearfest.org
November-SitkaWhaleFest,Sitka
www.sitkawhalefest.org
November-AlaskaBaldEagleFestival,Haines
baldeaglefestival.org
Southcentral
May-CopperRiverDeltaShorebirdFestival,Cordova
cordovachamber.com
May-KachemakBayShorebirdFestival,Homer
www.homeralaska.org
May-KenaiPeninsulaBirdingFestival,Kenai
www.kenaibirdfest.com
June-PotterMarshDiscoveryDay,Anchorage
www.adfg.alaska.gov
August-WingsOvertheWrangells,CopperCenter
www.nps.gov/wrst
MediaContact
Contact:KristenRomanoff,wildlifeeducation&outreachcoordinator
Phone:907-465-8547
Email:[email protected]
URL:www.adfg.alaska.gov