Bears, great carnivores
Those who met him unexpectedly experienced the fear of their lives. Fortunately, accidents are rare. In the last 20 years, 56 people have been killed by a bear (86% by a brown bear). This is a small number compared to the number of annual encounters between humans and bears. The Alaskan lord does not like to be surprised, so he reacts by attacking. To avoid any problems, just make noise, sing, whistle, use a bell to show your presence.
The polar bear is the most difficult to observe. Its population is difficult to quantify since it lives and moves on the North Pole ice cap. The figure of 20,000 to 25,000 in the world, including 900 in Alaska, is put forward by some biologists working in the Arctic. Nevertheless, its population is in dangerous decline: out of 80 cubs, less than a handful survive. This animal can reach 650 kg and measure up to 1.50 m at the withers. It is found on the north and northwest coast of Alaska, but it has lost its title of largest land carnivore to the grizzly. Indeed, on the island of Kodiak lives a subspecies, Ursus arctos middendorffi, whose representatives, when they stand on their hind legs, are 3 m tall and weigh close to 600 kg. The record holder measures 3.63 m and weighs 720 kg!
The grizzly or brown bear. Alaska has about 35,000 of them, spread over the whole territory, except in the extreme north. Their favorite region is the Katmaï National Park and especially Kodiak Island. The archipelago alone counts 3,000 specimens and among the largest. It feeds on 80% of vegetation and completes its diet with salmon, rodents, carrion and more rarely elk or caribou
The black bear is much smaller than its congeners. Its weight is 100 to 150 kg on average for a height of one meter at the withers, the female being always smaller than the male. Its population is estimated at 110 000 in the Alaskan territory. Its distribution area is more centered than that of its cousin. It is not found on Kodiak Island and very few on the Aleutian Peninsula
A multitude of wolves and foxes
The wolf is also one of the large carnivores in the state. The current estimate is between 7,000 and 11,000 wolves distributed in the north on the arctic tundra as well as in the southeastern forests. This inhabitant plays an essential role in maintaining elk or caribou populations by eliminating the weakest subjects. Unfortunately, the species is not considered endangered, which exposes it to the gun of the hunters. This is the only state that allows wolf hunting. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game issues permits for wolf hunting, even inside national parks, for 3, 4 or even 12 wolves... Trophies for fur or just for the "pleasure" of hunting.
The fox can be found just about everywhere and it is not difficult to spot it. When it is near a house, it is easy to approach and sometimes it is even possible to feed it, but be careful because it is strictly forbidden by the American law! The lynx and the wolverine are almost invisible. Their absolute discretion complicates their observation, to see them is a feat
Herbivores dominated by deer
The elk is the largest member of the deer family. With a weight that can reach more than 700 kg in males, its appearance is easily recognizable. Its population is estimated at 150,000 and growing. We meet it very often, and not always in the right
place. Each year, it is involved in about 100 collisions with cars just in Anchorage. It is the most feared animal in Alaska: it never hesitates to charge and the only possible defense is to take refuge behind a tree to block its path. Females do not have antlers and males lose them every fall. When you are in the vicinity of Anchorage where it is almost the only deer present, you can notice its passage, because the willows along the river are eaten by elk in winter.
The caribou is the great lord of the tundra even if some of them have chosen to live on the Kenai Peninsula. They live in herds (thirty-two counted) and migrate most often between winter and summer. This gives rise, as in Africa with the wildebeest, to real columns of animals crossing immense areas in search of abundant food. Indeed, some herds travel more than 600 km during these movements. With an average weight of 160 kg for males and 100 kg for females, the caribou has always been an important source of food for the Alaskan Indians and Inuit. The caribou population is estimated at 950,000 including some herds living between Alaska and Canada
The Dall sheep and the Rocky Mountain goat are also very present in Alaska. Living in the high mountains, these two representatives of the bovid family are easily discernible in the summer when the white color of their coat stands out from the rocky walls. Nevertheless, without good binoculars, it is common to confuse them
Sitka deer are native to the west coast of Alaska and British Columbia. It is found in the Southeast and was introduced on Kodiak and Afognak Island where it is hunted by brown bears. Its population is very fluctuating because this mammal is relatively sensitive to the rigors of the climate. Thus, after a difficult winter, its population decreases. Fortunately, its high reproductive power allows the herd to regenerate quickly, but it must face another much more serious problem. Massive deforestation threatens its habitat and compromises its survival even if it is not yet in real danger
The muskox, exterminated in the middle of the 19th century, was reintroduced in 1930 in Alaska. Thirty-four animals captured in Greenland were placed in semi-captivity for five years; the survivors left for Nunivak Island. Today there are about 600 of them on this island. This strain allowed the reintroduction of the species in different places in Alaska. Today the total population of muskoxen is estimated at 2,400
Whales, orcas and marine mammals galore
The orca is certainly the most emblematic of Alaska's marine mammals. Adored by some Indian tribes, this master of the oceans lives all around the state, from the Bering Sea to the Southeast. Its (partial) census reports 750 individuals divided into several dozen groups, the majority staying in Prince William Sound and in the Southeast. It fears no predator except man and feeds, in Alaska, mainly on fish. Seals, sea lions and sea otters can be part of its diet, but less regularly.
Humpback whales are present from the Southeast to Prince William Sound. Their population is estimated at about 650 in summer. Indeed, with their calves born during the winter in the warm waters of Hawaii and Mexico, they join during the warm season the waters of Alaska to find food. Their average size is about 12.50 m
Grey whales are also very present and come to the Bering and Chukchi Seas, after giving birth in Baja California. This journey makes them travel about 16,000 km per year. With a size of up to 15 m and a weight of 41 tons, the gray whale finds in Alaska a choice food consisting of crustaceans living in the mud that it filters with its baleen. The average consumption of a gray whale per day is 1,200 kg of crustaceans, which represents a consumption of 18 tons per whale during its passage in Alaska.
The walrus also migrates, but remains between the Russian and American coasts in the Bering and Chukchi Seas. Its current population is about 20 000 individuals. But scientists have been particularly worried for the last ten years because births are low. No explanation has been given for the moment. The male weighs 1,500 kg and can reach a height of 3.50 m, whereas the female rarely exceeds 3 m and weighs 1,300 kg. The sea calf, the fur seal, the bearded seal, the ribbon seal, the marbled seal, the dropped seal, the sea lion, the sea otter also live here, in more or less large numbers. It is therefore difficult to miss the marine wildlife when visiting Alaska
Birds. Near the town of Haines, 4,000 eagles gather each fall to catch straggling salmon. It's quite a sight to see them with their 8-foot wings spread. The raven is also very common, especially in the southeast where it is revered by the Indians. But in fact, Alaska has a lot of migratory birds coming to spend the summer in search of abundant food such as geese, ducks, waders..
Numerous biotopes, from the Arctic to the Southeast
Of course the flora in Alaska is rich and varied, with many biotopes from the plains of the North Slope to the rainforest. Alaska has nearly 1,500 species of plants including trees, shrubs, flowers and ferns. The alpine portions are the most diverse and home to rare plants. Here there is no exuberance: this low vegetation fights against wind, cold and snow. The profusion of berries, at the end of summer and in autumn, provokes in the Alaskans a real fever of picking. Blueberries, blackberries, currants, wild strawberries are part of their booty that they transform into jams, cakes... Out of about fifty edible berries, each region is proud to have its own. These fruits are an integral part of the life of the Inuit, for a long time they were the only fruits available. Even today, other fruits are a very expensive luxury because they are imported
In the same register, mushrooms are numerous; the Alaskans make real "bellies" of them. The cep and the chanterelle are the most widespread, but the morel is the most appreciated. Each one has its own corner and obviously keeps it secret
At lower altitudes, irises, lupines and other varieties form fabulous flower carpets in spring. In summer, the stamens of the dandelion, an imported plant, fly away. It is nevertheless a delight for salad lovers. And then, a little bit everywhere, grows theforget-me-not, which since 1949 has become one of the emblems of Alaska. Thefireweed is also a very common plant in Alaska with its purple flowers which, according to the Alaskans, open when the summer ends
