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[Updated February 17, 2020]
My first come across with Alaskan animals twenty years ago was arguably my near memorable.
We were stopped at a light on the vi-lane highway leaving Anchorage when we saw a mama Moose crossing the road, with an upset calf who conspicuously had no interest in doing and so. Traffic came to a standstill every bit the drama played out, and we cheered when the youngster finally followed.
Information technology was the first of many incredible sightings of Alaska wildlife, which includes approximately 112 mammal species, 525 bird species, 14 species of whales and porpoises, and 3700+ other species of marine life.
From Alaskan tundra animals (including Caribou, Wolves, and Chill Foxes) and Alaskan bears (Black, Chocolate-brown, and Polar) to endangered species such equally Steller'due south Ocean Lions and Humpback Whales, the wildlife of Alaska is thrillingly various.
As influential as my beginning trip to Denali National Park was on the work we do at present with Green Global Travel, our recent modest ship Alaskan cruises with AdventureSmith Explorations were as impressive in terms of animal sightings.
Exploring the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Fjords National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, and the Within Passage, we saw more fifty different animals that live in Alaska.
So here's a guide to some of the most intriguing Alaskan animal species, including many of our favorite wildlife images from our latest trip.
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ALASKAN ANIMALS GUIDE
- Alaskan Birds
- Alaskan Bears
- Other Land-Based Alaskan Animals
- Alaskan Whales & Porpoises
- Other Alaskan Marine Animals
ALASKAN BIRDS
one. AMERICAN Baldheaded Hawkeye
Latin Proper name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Habitat: Wetlands,coasts, and marshes across North America
Size: Length: 28 to forty in; Weight: vi.half dozen to 14 pounds
Nutrition: Fish, waterfowl, small-scale mammals
Conservation Status: Least Concern, population increasing
Though the United States national bird may exist a rare sighting in the lower 48, Alaskan Bald Eagles are fairly ubiquitous.
They're found in the state'due south southern coastal areas all year-round, and along inland lakes and forests in summer.
We saw four of these beautiful birds of prey (which tin grow up to 40 inches long) during a three-hr raft float downwardly the Kenai River, and endless others in Kenai Fjords and Glacier Bay National Park.
The mostly brown juveniles are easily confused with Golden Eagles, as they don't get their distinctive white caput and tail feathers for iv to 5 years.
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2. BARROW'Due south GOLDENEYE
Latin Name: Bucephala islandica
Habitat: Shallow freshwater lakes, ponds, marine coastlines
Size: Length: 16.9 to 19.i in; Weight: ii.4 to three pounds
Nutrition: Aquatic insects, crustaceans, mollusks, pondweeds
Conservation Status: Least Concern, population increasing
One of more than a dozen unlike species of Alaskan ducks plant in the country's many lakes and rivers, the Barrow's Goldeneye rivals the Harlequin Duck among our favorite Alaskan birds.
Where the male person Mutual Goldeneye has a jewel-tone dark-green caput, the Barrow'due south Goldeneye is a gorgeous royal purple, with a white crescent below its yellow eye and a blackness-and-white dorsum.
Females of both species are mottled gray, with tawny brown heads. Nosotros saw this mating pair near the Pedersen Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park.
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3. BLACK OYSTERCATCHER
Latin Name: Haematopus bachmani
Habitat: Rocky coasts and shorelines stretching along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Baja California
Size: Length: 16.5 to xviii.5 in; Weight: ane.1 to 1.v pounds
Diet: Mussels, limpets, shellfish, crabs
Conservation Status: Near Threatened, population increasing
One of Alaska's most striking shorebirds, the Blackness Oystercatcher has an all-blackness body with a long ruddy bill, ruddy-ringed yellow heart, and pink legs.
You'll typically find them wandering along the state's rocky seashores, where they utilize their thick beak to pry and break open up the shellfish they dear to consume.
They can grow up to 18 inches tall, and accept a loud, piercing whistle-like telephone call. We saw this adjacent to the lagoon in front of the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge.
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four. Common MURRE
Latin Name: Uria aalge
Habitat: Northern oceans, large bays almost the coast
Size: Length: fifteen to xvi.9 in; Weight: 1.7 to 2.5 pounds
Nutrition: Fish, squid, crustaceans
Conservation Status: Least Concern, population increasing
This species' biggest merits to fame is that information technology is often mistaken for a Penguin due to its similar, tuxedo-like coloration.
The Mutual Murre, which grows up to 17 inches long, is actually shaped more similar a duck, but with a longer more slender neb.
During our time in Alaska we but saw them in the open up water, normally in large groups swimming in a line or five-formation. We saw this group while cruising Alaska's Inside Passage.
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5. Mutual RAVEN
Latin Name: Corvus corax
Habitat: Open forests and coastal cliffs across western and northern Northward America
Size: Length: 22.1 to 27.ii inches; Weight: one.5 to 3.6 pounds
Diet: Animal matter, beetles, caterpillars, rodents, lizards
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree Concern, population increasing
Held as sacred among the indigenous Tlingit people, these humongous birds are annihilation but mutual when seen up close.
Frequently sighted along the coast (we saw quite a few of them while walking the streets of Juneau), they can abound up to 27 inches long. They boast a low, merely loud croaking call that will definitely become your attention.
With its uniformly black feathers, shaggy head, and prominent neb, it'south easy to see why the Raven inspired [easyazon_link identifier="0785814531″ locale="US" tag="ggt2018-20″]Edgar Allen Poe[/easyazon_link]'s famous gothic poem.
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6. PELAGIC CORMORANT
Latin Name:Urile pelagicus
Habitat: Coasts, rocky bays forth western North America
Size: Length: twenty.i to 29.9 in; Weight: 3 to 5.38 pounds
Nutrition: Fish, crustaceans, small fish, amphipods
Conservation Condition: Least Concern, population decreasing
Ane of the more common Alaskan birds, this is ane of 3 cormorant species found in the land. You lot'll often see their nesting colonies on the rocky ledges of coastal cliffs.
Growing upwards to iii anxiety, the Pelagic Cormorants' crests are subtle, but tin can be identified by their orange pharynx patch, slender neck, and hooked bill.
You may also meet them with their wings spread wide equally they dry out in the lord's day. We spotted these nesting in Glacier Bay National Park.
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7. GULLS
Latin Name:Larus glaucescens
Habitat: Northern Pacific Coast
Size: Length: xx to 27 in; Weight: one.61 to three.73 pounds
Diet:Fish, chitons, clams, mussels, sea urchins
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree Concern, population increasing
There are at least 4 different Gull species commonly spotted in Alaska. The most unique of these is the Bonaparte's Gull, which is small and has a black head, thin pecker, and carmine legs.
The most abundant is the Blackness-legged Kittiwake, which besides has black-tipped wings and which you lot can wait to see every mean solar day.
Others include the Glaucous-winged Dupe (which are common in coastal areas) and the Herring Gull (which are normally seen near inland lakes and rivers).
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8. PINE GROSBEAK
Latin Name: Pinicola enucleator
Habitat: Coniferous forests
Size: Length: 7.9 to 9.8 in; Weight ane.eight to 2.eight oz
Diet: Seeds, buds, insects
Conservation Condition: Least Concern, population decreasing
This resident species' striking coloration may pb y'all to mistake it for a Central from a distance, only upwardly shut the Pine Grosbeak looks much more than like a Finch.
Growing up to 10 inches long, the male is rosy red with blackness wings, while the female is grey with a greenish caput and rump.
Both accept a black, cone-shaped pecker, and are usually seen at Alaskan bird feeders all throughout the twelvemonth.
Nosotros saw this handsome male feeding aslope a female person on a route within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
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9. PUFFINS
Latin Name: Fratercula artica
Habitat: Northern Atlantic declension during convenance flavour, open body of water otherwise
Size: Length: ten.two to 11.four in; Weight: 10.nine to xix.4 oz
Diet: Fish, crustaceans, mollusks
Conservation Status: Vulnerable, population decreasing
There are two species of Puffins in Alaska, but they're adequately easy to tell apart. The Horned Puffin has a white belly, an orange Parrot-like nib, and a distinctive black, fleshy "horn" in a higher place each eye.
The Tufted Puffin is more often than not blackness, with long tufts of golden feathers that curl back from either side of its caput.
Both are commonly seen in coastal waters, where they can "fly" underwater to feed on fish. We saw them fairly often throughout our Alaskan cruises in both Kenai Fjords National Park and the Inside Passage.
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x. Cherry-red-THROATED LOON
Latin Name: Gavia stellata
Habitat: Arctic in tundra and taiga lakes and along marine coasts
Size: Length: 25.2 to 26.8 in; Weight: 2.75 to 5.4 pounds
Nutrition: Fish, shrimps, mussels, frogs, insects
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree concern, decreasing
Of the five species of loons in Alaska, the Cherry-red-throated Loon is arguably the most attractive.
Its head is medium gray, with a white-flecked black dorsum, vertical blackness-and-white stripes on its nape, and a rusty red pharynx patch.
Like other loons, they can swoop up to 250 feet to chase for fish. They typically inhabit lakes and the Chill coast in summertime, and the southern Alaska coast in winter.
Nosotros saw this mating pair in a lagoon near the Pederson Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park.
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11. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
Latin Name: Selasphorus rufus
Habitat: Forest edges and clearings, mountain meadows
Size: Length: ii.8 to 3.5 in; Weight 0.1 to 0.2 oz
Diet: Nectar and insects
Conservation Status: Least Business concern, population decreasing
The only usually-seen species of hummingbird in Alaska, these tiny beauties nest in the southern part of the country, migrating to Mexico in wintertime.
Growing just 3.v inches long, the females are greenish on top and reddish-chocolate-brown below, with a vibrant red throat patch.
You tin find them in urban areas and around flowers in alpine meadows, but nosotros had one come up right by the boat during our small-scale send cruise of the Inside Passage.
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12. SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER
Latin Name: Charadrius semipalmatus
Habitat: Sandy beaches, lake shores and marshes in northern N America
Size: Length: 6.7 to seven.five in; Weight: i.6 to 1.8 oz
Diet: Insects, worms, crustaceans
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree Business organization, population stable
Typically establish along Alaska's southern coastal areas, the Semi-palmated Plover is a beautiful brown shorebird.
They frequently nest along beaches, and volition get persistently vocal if y'all go too close to their nesting area.
They're identified past their white throat and breast, a blackness band around its neck, and a black-tipped orangish pecker. They use the latter to probe in mud and sand in search for the invertebrates on which they feed.
Nosotros saw this one scrounging on the beach almost the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge.
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13. SNOWY OWL
Latin Proper noun: Bubo scandiacus
Habitat: Arctic tundra in Eurasia and Due north America
Size: Length xx.5 to 27.ix in; Weight iii.five to 5.6 pounds
Diet: Lemmings, ptarmigan, waterfowl, small rodents
Conservation Status: Vulnerable, population decreasing
Now ordinarily associated with [easyazon_link identifier="B07171L4FT" locale="US" tag="ggt2018-20″]Harry Potter[/easyazon_link], the Snowy Owl by and large prefers marshes and tundra in the Alaskan Chill and sub-Arctic regions.
Just they're increasingly migrating further south in winter, when their food sources tend to get more scarce.
Growing upwards to 27 inches long, these big, beautiful birds are mostly white, but with head, chest, and wings spotted with blackness bars. They're one of the few species of Owls y'all may really get to see hunting during the day.
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xiv. TRUMPETER SWAN
Latin Name: Cygnus buccinator
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, rivers, coastal bays
Size: Length: 54.iii to 62.2 in; Weight: sixteen.9 to 28 pounds
Nutrition: Stems, leaves, roots of aquatic plants, insects
Conservation Condition: To the lowest degree Concern, population increasing
One of two species of swans plant in Alaska, the Trumpeter Swan is larger than the Tundra Swan, growing to over v feet from bill-tip to tail.
Both species can be institute in all sorts of water– lakes, marshes, ponds, and rivers– and both are all-white.
Other than size, the only easy way to tell them apart is their bill (the Tundra Swan's is black) and their phone call. The Trumpeter'due south is low and distinctively horn-like, while the Tundra's is high and sounds similar a "whoop."
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15. WILLOW PTARMIGAN
Latin Name: Lagopus lagopus
Habitat: North American tundras
Size: Length: 13.8 to 17.one in; Weight: 1.ii to one.47 pounds
Diet: buds, twigs, seeds, leaves
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree Concern, population decreasing
The official Alaska State Bird, the Willow Ptarmigan is unremarkably referred to every bit a "bush craven," due primarily to the fact that near all Alaskan predators (including humans) like to eat them.
Brusque and stout, with feathers even on their toes, these birds modify colors with the seasons.
Males are reddish brown and white in summer, while females are mottled chocolate-brown, but both plow by and large white in winter to assist them stay camouflaged on the snowy tundra.
I saw this ane (and many others) during my Denali National Park trip back in 1999.
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ALASKAN BEARS
xvi. BLACK Comport
Latin Proper name: Ursus americanus
Habitat: Coniferous and deciduous forests beyond N America
Size: Acme: two to three feet Length: 4.2 to 6.25 anxiety; Weight: 200 to 600 pounds
Diet: Grasses, berries, insects, fish
Conservation Condition: Least concern, population increasing
Though not quite as large as Dark-brown Bears or Polar Bears, Alaskan Black Bears are an intimidating presence in many of the country'due south forested areas.
Our tour guides oft advised usa on rubber procedures in bear state, including always hiking with a buddy, carrying bear spray, talking loudly and so that you don't surprise them, and never running if you see a carry in the woods.
We saw them numerous times during our latest trip to Alaska, including several loners wandering in Kenai Fjords National Park and a mama comport with two adorable cubs forth the Steep Creek Trail at the Mendenhall Glacier.
Despite their name, these omnivores tin really range in color from black and brown to cinnamon and fifty-fifty shades of blueish (for camouflage virtually glaciers).
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17. BROWN (GRIZZLY) Acquit
Latin Name: Ursus arctos
Habitat: North America tundra, alpine meadows, coastlines, woodlands
Size: Summit: 2.3 to 5 feet; Length: v to vii feet; Weight: 300 to 700 pounds
Diet: Grass, berries, nuts moose, elk, reptiles, honey
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree Concern, population stable
My personal favorite Alaskan animal, Brown Bears are noted for their size (upwards to seven feet), humped shoulders, and massive feet with razor-sharp claws.
There are iii subspecies in Brown Bears in Alaska: One inhabits coastal areas and feeds more often than not on salmon, while Grizzly Bears are institute inland and further northward (peculiarly Denali National Park) and are smaller due to a more than plant-based nutrition.
The more isolated Kodiak Island Carry subspecies is the largest terrestrial carnivore in the world.
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18. POLAR Behave
Latin Name: Ursus maritimus
Habitat:Arctic coastal areas
Size:Height: four.4 to 7.9 anxiety; Length v.ix to ix.8 anxiety; Weight 900 to i,600 pounds
Diet:Seals, whale carcasses, walruses, narwhals
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Polar Bears are technically classified as marine mammals considering they spend most of their lives floating on sea ice, from which they hunt for Seals and other prey.
Pregnant females create dens and hide from November through March, just males are active all yr-round.
They're most often seen on Arctic and sub-Chill shores in October and early on November, when they're in a country of waking slumber.
Polar Bear fights during this time are frequent and rarely draw blood, but assist to plant a hierarchy for feeding and mating rights.
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OTHER Land-BASED ALASKAN ANIMALS
19. AMERICAN BEAVER
Latin Name: Castor canadensis
Habitat: Ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams in the continental United States
Size: Length: 2.iv to 3 feet; Weight: 24 to 71 pounds
Diet: Tree bark, roots, leaves, wetlands plants
Conservation Status: Least Concern, population stable
While yous may not actually spot an Alaskan Beaver during your visit, you'll almost certainly come across their handiwork if you go rafting, canoeing, or kayaking down any major river or stream.
These large (up to four feet long), brown rodents employ their remarkable teeth to fell copse into the water, gradually building elaborate dams.
They're most active at dawn and dusk, when they emerge to feed on aquatic plants, bark, and grass, slapping their tails on the water every bit a alert if danger is imminent.
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20. Arctic Trick
Latin Name: Vulpes lagopus
Habitat: Chill and tall tundra
Size: Meridian 9.8 to 12 in; Length 2.3 to 3.vi feet; Weight: 3.ane to 21 pounds
Nutrition: Lemmings, rodents, fish, birds, eggs, seaweed
Conservation Status: Least Business organisation, population stable
Smaller than their cerise cousins, Arctic Foxes are perfectly adjusted to their frigid habitat (which ranges from Alaska and Chill Canada to Russia and Scandinavia ).
They have stout little bodies, stubby appendages, and remarkably thick fur.
They also avowal forward-facing ears that assist them hunt past hearing prey (including birds, hares, lemmings, and squirrels) under the snow.
When they leap high in the air and pounce through the snow, it'southward an artfully acrobatic feat you'll never forget.
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21. BISON
Latin Name: Bison bison
Habitat: River valleys, prairies, grasslands
Size: Height: five.five to half dozen.5 feet; Length: 9 to 12.5 feet; Weight; one,800 to two,400 pounds
Nutrition: Grasses, flowering plants, lichens, woody institute leaves
Conservation Status: Near threatened
Well-nigh people associate Bison (which are confused with, but technically not a species of Buffalo) with Yellowstone National Park and parts of Canada.
But the species was introduced to Alaska back in 1928, and there are now several different herds in the state that number in the hundreds.
The globe's largest terrestrial mammal, male Bison in Alaska tin can weigh more than a ton. They're typically seen grazing in meadows, open up woodlands, and river valleys.
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22. CARIBOU
Latin Name: Rangifer tarandus
Habitat: Arctic tundra and boreal forests
Size: Height: two.8 to iv.9 feet; Length 5.3 to 7 feet; Weight 180 to 400 pounds
Nutrition: Lichen, mosses, herbs, ferns, grasses
Conservation Status: Vulnerable, population decreasing
Caribou in Alaska, which are as well known as Reindeer , are easily identified by their big antlers (which grow on both sexes), shaggy neck fur, and light rump patches.
They were originally introduced to the area as a food source during the 19th century gold blitz. Now they're found in the state's forests and tundra, where their huge hooves help them observe solid footing on ice and snow.
In that location are more than a million Reindeer in Alaska, where herds numbering upwards to 350,000 animals migrate 900+ miles from where they calve in summertime to warmer areas in wintertime.
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23. DALL SHEEP
Latin Name:Ovis dalli
Habitat: Meadows, steep slopes, alpine areas in the subarctic mountain ranges of Alaska
Size: Length: iii.five to four.half dozen anxiety; Weight: up to 300 pounds
Nutrition: Grasses, broad-leaved plants, sedges, willows
Conservation Condition: To the lowest degree Concern, population stable
As with the Caribou, both male and female Dall Sheep have horns. But the male's are considerably more than massive and coiled.
They often implement them for intense head-butting competitions, which are used to found a bureaucracy of dominance for mating purposes.
Dall Sheep in Alaska are typically seen on cliff edges in mountainous regions, where their white coats stand out in striking contrast to the dynamic green and gray landscapes.
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24. GRAY WOLF
Latin Proper noun: Canis lupus
Habitat: Tundra, forests, grasslands
Size: Height: 2.2 to two.7 feet; Length: three.9 to 6.6 anxiety; Weight 51 to 180 pounds
Diet: Deer, elk, bison, moose, beavers, rabbits
Conservation Status: Least Business organization, population stable
Easily the largest of Alaska's canine species, the Gray Wolf can grow to six anxiety and comes in colors ranging from white to blackness and all shades in betwixt.
They're found in approximately 85% of the state's wilderness areas, living in packs of two to 30 animals.
The Wolf is 1 of the most difficult species of wildlife in Alaska to see, simply I lucked into having one emerge from the wood right by our shuttle bus through Denali National Park. It was a magical, simply VERY cursory, feel!
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25. MOOSE
Latin Name: Alces alces
Habitat: Northern regions of the United States, forested areas with streams and ponds
Size: Summit: 4.6 to 6.9 feet; Length: seven.9 to x feet; Weight: 440 to 790 pounds
Diet: Leaves, twigs, shrubs, bark
Conservation Status: Least Business, population increasing
I call the Alaskan Moose "the Camels of the tundra," because they tend to be of a similar size (upward to 9 anxiety tall), trunk type (huge, with long, thin legs and a pendulous snout), and disposition (ornery and unpredictable).
The Moose is the official Alaska State creature. But most Alaskans we met were even more wary of Moose than Bears.
They tend to be plant in forests near shallow water sources, just nosotros saw a female in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge right alongside the road, feeding on dandelions.
Females with young calves are extremely aggressive, and should be avoided at all costs.
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26. Mountain Goat
Latin Name: Oreamnos americanus
Habitat: Tall regions of Northward America
Size: Height: upwards to 3.5 anxiety; Length: 4.75 to 5.viii feet; Weight: 100 to 300 pounds
Nutrition: Grasses, lichens, herbs, mosses, ferns
Conservation Status: Least business, population stable
From a distance (which is usually how you'll see them) y'all might fault a Mountain Goat in Alaska for a Dall Sheep, since both are white, grow up to six feet, and adopt mountainous areas.
Simply the goat has longer, shaggier fur and short, straight black horns. They prefer high alpine meadows in summer, only going down towards the tree line in wintertime.
We spotted quite a few in the hills of Kenai Fjords National Park and Glacier Bay National Park'southward Gloomy Knob area, including this mama caprine animal with a baby climbing on her.
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27. MUSKOX
Latin Name: Ovibos moschatus
Habitat: Arctic tundra
Size: Height: four to 5 feet; Length: iv.4 to viii.2 feet; Weight: 500 to 800 pounds
Diet: Mosses, lichens, roots, grasses
Conservation Status: Least Business organization, population stable
Large and stocky, with long pilus and prominent horns, these imposing cow-like creatures grow up to eight anxiety.
Though the native Muskox population in Alaska was hunted to extinction in the 1800s, a herd was introduced from Greenland in the 1930s.
Today in that location are thousands of Muskox in Alaska, including a domesticated subcontract in Palmer, a inquiry projection at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, and wild herds roaming in western areas such equally Bethel and Nome.
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28. RED SQUIRREL
Latin Proper noun: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Habitat: Broadleaf and coniferous forests
Size: Length: xi to 14 in; Weight: seven to 18 oz
Diet: Seeds, nuts, bark, insects, fruits
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree Concern, population stable
A mutual sighting in Alaska's forests, the Red Squirrel is really a rusty olive color with a white belly and a fluffy reddish-orange tail.
Yous'll likely hear their noisy chatter before you see them scurrying quickly through the forest to gather their wintertime supply of berries, nuts, and seeds.
Wait for burrows around the base of trees, where they typically hibernate their enshroud of food.
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29. SITKA Black-TAILED DEER
Latin Name: Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis
Habitat: Moisture coastal rainforests of Southeast Alaska and north-coastal British Colombia
Size: Meridian: 4 to 5 feet; Weight: 80 to 120 pounds
Diet: Leaves, shrubs, stems of woody plants
Conservation Status: Data deficient
Found primarily in the coastal rainforests of southern Alaska, the Sitka Black-tailed Deer is relatively pocket-size, averaging under 5 feet tall.
The species changes in coloration to aid them stay camouflaged, from reddish-brown coats in summertime to gray in winter.
Males shed their antlers annually between January and March.
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ALASKAN WHALES & PORPOISES
30. BELUGA WHALE
Latin Name: Delphinapterus leucas
Habitat: Arctic and subarctic waters
Size: Length 13 to 20 feet; Weight 2,000 to 3,000 pounds
Diet: Fish, crustaceans, worms
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Unremarkably found in coastal waters and shallow bays, this small (effectually thirteen feet long on average) white whale has a pronounced forehead filled with fatty tissue (chosen the melon).
The Beluga Whale is as well known equally the "body of water canary" because of its distinctive high-pitched squeaks, squeals, and whistles, which information technology uses to find prey and communicate with others.
The subpopulation of Alaska'due south Melt Inlet is considered endangered, and is currently protected under the U.South. Endangered Species Act.
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31. BOWHEAD WHALE
Latin Name: Balaena mysticetus
Habitat: Arctic and subarctic waters
Size: Length 49 to 59 anxiety; Weight: up to 220,500 pounds
Nutrition: Plankton, copepods, euphausiids
Conservation Status: To the lowest degree Concern, population increasing
Although nosotros never saw a Bowhead Whale during our ii weeks in Southeast Alaska, the species deserves special mention as Alaska'due south Land Marine Mammal.
They earned this distinction because they're the only whales in Alaska that spend their entire life in Arctic waters. Bowhead Whales have also historically been an important food source for the indigenous people of Alaska'southward northwestern coastal communities.
Growing up to lx feet long, Bowheads have an unusual arched jaw and a mouth/head that tin can be up to i/three of their total body length.
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32. DALL'Due south PORPOISE
Latin Proper name: Phocoenoides dalli
Habitat: Due north Pacific Ocean
Size: Length: half dozen.five to vii.5 feet; Weight: 230 to 270 pounds
Diet: Small-scale schooling fish, cephalopods, crustaceans
Conservation Status: Least Concern
One of two kinds of porpoise nosotros saw in Alaska (the other beingness the more dull-colored Harbor Porpoise), the Dall'south Porpoise looks a flake like a tiny (vii-pes-long) Killer Whale.
It has a shorter snout and a stockier trunk than a dolphin, with black coloring offset by a big white belly patch.
They usually travel in pods ranging from 2 to xx animals, and are fond of playing in the wake of ships (which is where we saw them during our Inside Passage prowl).
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33. HUMPBACK WHALE
Latin Name: Megaptera novaeangliae
Habitat: All major oceans (except polar seas) in open and shallow coastline waters
Size: Length 48 to 62.5 feet; Weight 80,000 pounds
Diet: Krill, plankton, pocket-sized fish
Conservation Status: Least Concern, population increasing
These gentle giants (which can grow up to 50 feet long) are often seen close to shore along Alaska's southern coast during their summer migration flavour.
You usually only get glimpses of their humped backs and pocket-size dorsal fins as they dive to feed on small schooling fish. But every so often one will evidence y'all their long flippers or tail flukes, which are usually white.
Despite many whale watching tours, I've only ever seen them breach from a distance. Heed for their haunting calls when the h2o is at-home.
READ More than: Whales That Alive in Antarctica
34. Orca (a.k.a. Killer Whale)
Latin Proper name: Orcinus orca
Habitat: All major oceans
Size: Length 23 to 32 anxiety; Weight 12,000 pounds
Nutrition: Fish, penguins, seals, body of water lions, whales
Conservation Condition: Data deficient
Though they're commonly known equally the Killer Whale, Orcas are not actually a whale at all, but a fellow member of the dolphin family.
The "killer" part comes from the fact that pods of up to twoscore Orcas volition hunt large marine animals as a pack, about like "bounding main wolves."
With their long black dorsal fins and white-spotted eyes and bellies, Orcas in Alaska are a fairly common sight in Kenai Fjords National Park, the Within Passage, and other Alaskan waters.
READ MORE:Southern Resident Killer Whales
OTHER ALASKAN MARINE ANIMALS
35. ALASKAN KING CRAB
Latin Name: Paralithodes camtschaticus
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters off of southwestern Alaska
Size: Length: 4.9 five.9 feet; Weight: 6 to x pounds
Diet: Clams, worms, sponges, algae,
Conservation Status: Information Scarce
Second only to Sockeye Salmon among the state's most valuable commercial species, the Alaskan King Crab lives up to its name past growing up to a whopping five feet broad.
Typically establish in waters upward to 200 feet deep, these big red wonders take pointy spikes covering most of their heads, half-dozen legs, and claws.
The correct claw is usually much larger on developed crabs, and oft used as a weapon during fights. Their meat is widely considered a effeminateness , and often sells for $30-$40 per pound.
READ More:60 Weird Animals Around the World
36. HARBOR SEAL
Latin Name: Phoca vitulina
Habitat: Coastal Atlantic and Pacific Waters
Size: Length 4.9 to half-dozen.2 feet; Weight: up to 375 pounds
Nutrition: Fish, shellfish, crustaceans
Conservation Condition: Least Concern
One of the most difficult species of wildlife in Alaska to photograph, Harbor Seals (a.k.a. Leopard Seals, due to their spotted coats) are shy but plentiful.
We saw many of them throughout the Inside Passage, Glacier Bay, and Kenai Fjords, particularly around icebergs and "berglets" (as National Park Ranger Rebekah Weirda liked to phone call them).
They're easiest to see on the ice floes, where they go to balance and carry their young abroad from the watchful optics of predators.
READ More than:30 Antarctic Animals You Can See on an Antarctica Cruise
37. STELLER'S Sea King of beasts
Latin Name: Eumetopias jubatus
Habitat: Littoral waters of the North Pacific Ocean
Size: Length: 7.75 to nine.25 feet; Weight: 1,000 to 2,500 pounds
Diet: Fish, octopus, squids
Conservation Condition: Virtually Threatened, population increasing
Also known as Northern Sea Lions, these pinnipeds can grow to 10.5 feet long and counterbalance yard+ pounds, with males up to three times every bit large as females.
Around 70% of these endangered animals inhabit the waters around Alaska, gathering seasonally to breed and raise pups in rookeries used yr after year.
We saw several Steller'due south Body of water Lions in Kenai Fjords National Park that had been tagged as function of a scientific study on their declining population numbers.
READ More than: Swimming with Sea Lions (Galapagos Islands)
38. SALMON
Latin Name: Oncorhynchus nerka
Habitat: Fresh water streams, lakes and estuaries
Size: Length: 18 to 31 inches; Weight: 4 to fifteen pounds
Diet: Plankton, squid, eels, shrimp
Conservation Status: Least Concern, population stable
Alaskan Salmon is non only the state'due south #1 commercial export, just they're also a huge tourism describe once fishing flavor opens.
We heard tales of the Kenai River existence lined with hundreds of fishermen standing shoulder-to-shoulder during peak season, occasionally competing with the bears for their catch.
In addition to Sockeye (or Red Salmon), Chinook (King Salmon), Coho (Argent Salmon), and Pink (Humpbacked) Alaskan Salmon are also pop.
READ MORE: Fishing Mobile Bay & the Mobile-Tensaw Delta
39. Bounding main OTTER
Latin Proper name: Enhydra lutis
Habitat: Coasts of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia
Size: Length: 3.3 to four.9 feet; Weight: 31 to 99 pounds
Diet: Clams, mussels, body of water urchins, snails
Conservation Status: Endangered, population decreasing
Although they may await cute and small from a altitude, these adorable Alaskan animals can actually grow to reach vi anxiety long and more than lxx pounds.
Different its cousin, the Northern River Otter, the Bounding main Otter only inhabits saltwater (preferably kelp beds shut to rocky coastlines).
Most of the Body of water Otters we spotted were lying on their backs, eating, sleeping, or conveying their immature. They're besides known to use stones to crack open the Ocean Urchins and shellfish on which they feed.
READ MORE: Hairy-Nosed Otter (Endangered Species)
40. Bounding main STARS
Latin Name: Asteroidea
Habitat: Tidepools, coral reefs, and deep sea of all oceans
Size: Length: 5 to 10 inches; Weight: upwardly to 11 pounds
Diet: Mollusks, clams, oysters, mussels
Conservation Status: Data scarce
We learned simply how many unlike types of Sea Stars (a.k.a. Starfish) at that place are in Alaska during a walk along the shore of Kenai Fjords National Park at depression tide.
The Bat Star was my favorite: Growing up to 10 inches, with brusque arms and broad bodies, Bat Stars range in color from white to vibrant orangish and crimson.
My daughter loved the striking patterns of the Ochre Bounding main Stars pictures above, which are a common sight in tide pools and range from yellow and orange to imperial and brown. –Bret Love; photos past Allie Love & Bret Dear unless otherwise noted
Our trip to Alaska was partly hosted by AdventureSmith Explorations. Merely our opinions remain our own, and nosotros will never compromise our integrity to our readers. To learn more almost planning an Alaskan Vacation, contact AdventureSmith Explorations at 877-720-2875 or travel@adventuresmithexplorations.com.
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Source: https://greenglobaltravel.com/alaskan-animals-species/