Brown Bear

Brown Bear are yellowish to brown and are distinguishable by a hump above their shoulders. These bears are Omnivorous, and generally solitary, but will congregate along rivers where salmon spawn. It is not unusual to see several bears on such a river. The grizzly is the most unpredictable and dangerous of all bears. Nearly half of all brown bear cubs born are likely to die before they’re a year old. Some die of disease, and others die of starvation. Predators such as wolves, adult male bears—even a cub’s own father—are threats, especially to cubs that are separated from their mothers. But mother brown bears are fiercely protective, so many cubs do survive. They live with their mothers for up to three years, and then they’re usually ready to face life on their own.

Black Bear

The black bear is approximately 4 to 7 feet from nose to tail, and two to three feet high at the withers. It has small eyes, rounded ears, a long snout, a large body, a short tail, and shaggy hair. Black bear occupy a range of 8 to 10 square miles and can be seen any time, day or night. The black bear is a powerful swimmer and can climb trees for both protection and food. This bear is in the family of Carnivora but most of its diet consists of berries, leaves, twigs, bark and newly spouted plants and of course, salmon. This bear is mainly solitary except during mating season and when congregating to feed on salmon streams.

Mt. Goat

The mountain goat is not a true goat, but belongs to a group known as goat-antelopes. The Mt. Goat is active in morning and evening. On warm days the animal will bed down on a patch of snow, in a shady spot, or on a mountain ledge. Weighing an average of 150-300 pounds and reaching heights of 35-45 inches, this animal is sure-footed and agile due to its hooves with cushioned skid-proof pads for grip. This animal feeds on alpine grasses and flowers to almost any tree and shrub.

Wolverine

The "Skunk Bear" is primarily nocturnal but active at anytime. The wolverine is non migratory and does not hibernate. A wolverines eyesight is bad, but its smell and hearing are excellent. Wolverines are mainly terrestrial though they are strong swimmers and excellent tree climbers. It is very powerful for its size and is capable of driving a bear from its kill. Wolverine fur is used by the eskimos to line or trim parka hoods, as the oil in it makes it frost-resistant.

Wolf

The wolf is the largest member of the canine family. On average, wolves stand 26 to 32 inches at the shoulder and weigh 55 to 115 pounds. There are an estimated 7,000 to 9,000 wolves in Alaska. Wolves in Alaska are not listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Wolves live 8 to 12 years. They live in packs, which are complex social structures that include the breeding adult pair (the alpha male and female) and their offspring. Wolves are very timid creatures and are seldom seen by humans in the wild.

Eagle

About half of the world's 70,000 bald eagles live in Alaska. They flourish here impart because of the salmon. Dead or dying fish are an important food source for all bald eagles. The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male. With a wingspan which varies from 79 to 90 inches. Bald eagles weigh from ten to fourteen pounds. Eagles mate for life or until one mate dies, the remaining of the pair won't hesitate to take a new mate.

Sitka Black tailed Deer

Black-tailed deer are smaller than either mule deer or white-tailed deer. Sitka black tails are even smaller. Old-growth forests are important for coastal black tails, as the habitat provides shelter and forage, and also stops buildups of deep, heavy snow. They are very good swimmers. The antlers of the male black-tailed deer grow in forked pairs like a mule deer but lack the number of possible tines that can grow on mule deer.

Humpback Whale

Adult males measure 40-48 ft., adult females measure 45-50 ft. They weigh 25 to 40 tons. Found in all the world's oceans, most populations of humpback whales follow a regular migration route, summering in temperate and polar waters for feeding, and wintering in tropical waters for mating and calving.

Humpback whales are active, acrobatic whales. They can throw themselves completely out of the water (breaching), and swim on their backs with both flippers in the air. Perhaps the most interesting behavior of humpback whales is their "singing." Scientists have discovered that humpback whales sing long, complex "songs."

Orcas (Killer) Whale

The average male or ca grows to 23 feet long and weighs 7 to 10 tons. Females average 21 feet long and weigh 4 to 6 tons. Although they are found in all oceans of the world, orcas are most common in the Arctic and Antarctic and are often spotted off the west coast of the United States and Canada.

Orcas are highly social animals that travel in groups called pods. Pods usually consist of 5 to 30 whales, although some pods may combine to form a group of 100 or more. Orcas establish social hierarchies, and pods are lead by females.

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