Alaska Wildlife
Grizzly Bears, Whales and more as you explore the Alaskan Wilderness...
The wildlife of Alaska is one of the major attractions of this vast wilderness and this is growing year on year.
Grizzly Bear, Alaska - the Grizzlies of Alaska are one of the principal reasons for visiting this corner of the world if you are a wildlife enthusiast. With a population of approximately 32 - 43,000, Grizzly Bears are found in most corners of Alaska. Grizzlies (which are the same species as Brown Bears but a different sub-species!) are often slightly larger than brown bears and stick to the inland areas, whereas brown bears are often found more in the coastal regions. The popular Bear destination of Kodiak even has its own bears which are either called Kodiak Brown Bears or Kodiak Grizzlies; these are the largest in the world reaching a height of 10ft tall when standing! To view these Grizzlies in the wild join one of our Kodiak Bear Tours which leave regularly between the end of June and the middle of August each year.
Black Bear - the most common bear in Alaska with populations of between 100 - 200,000. Much smaller than their giant Grizzly Bear cousins and are often black, brown or even white (on Kermode Island). Black Bears are often opportunistic feeders and are happy to feed on pretty much anything that comes their way!
Polar Bear - actually considered a marine mammal, the polar bear differs from its cousins (the Grizzly and Black Bear), as they are carnivorous whereas their cousins are omnivorous. Not regularly found in the majority of Alaska but ranges throughout the North and North Western territories. Ranging over sea, ice and land, the polar bear is surprisingly only the second largest bear, coming second to the indomitable Kodiak Grizzly. With an estimated population of 28,000 Polar Bears worldwide, they are the species that is most threatened by global warming as their hunting heartland of the polar ice cap begins to melt and their hunting grounds become smaller and smaller.
Wolves - also resident in Alaska form a population of approximately 7,000. Found throughout the country they are highly social creatures and you may often see them on either our Kodiak Bear trip.
Whales - a great highlight of some of our trips to Alaska is whale watching. A variety of different whale species are present including Beluga Whales,
Humpback Whales and Orcas; of these, Humpbacks are probably the most flamboyant. Beluga Whales are often found near Kodiak and the Bering Sea where on occasions they swim upriver; it is on these occasions that polar bears will lie in wait and stalk the unsuspecting Belugas, taking advantage of the shallow waters and catching a meal that they will feast on for weeks.
Aside from some of the larger wildlife listed above, Alaska is also home to a variety of other species including caribou, moose, musk ox, bald eagles and also the golden eagle. With an estimated population of 30,000, bald eagles are found in larger numbers here than anywhere else in the US; they are also the largest bird of prey in Alaska with some wingspans reaching up to 7.5ft.
For a selection of Alaska Grizzly Bear watching and wildlife tours, please feel free to get in touch and we would be happy to help.
