The waters of southeastern Alaska (known to residents simply as “Southeast”) are rich with marine mammals and other sea life. On land, Southeast is home to both brown and black bears, as well as moose, wolves, deer, and numerous smaller mammals. Bald eagles soar overhead and nest in trees along the shore.
Whales and Porpoises
Humpback whales return to Southeast in spring after wintering in the warm waters off Mexico or Hawaii. Gray whales, which winter off the coast of Baja California, pass through southeastern Alaska during early summer and late fall on their way to and from their summer waters further north.
Minke whales also migrate through the region, and orcas (killer whales) are regularly seen. Unlike other whales, which are often spotted alone, orcas generally travel in large groups, known as pods.
Similar in coloration to the killer whale but only a third of the size is the Dall porpoise, one of two porpoise species commonly found in Southeast. The other is the harbor porpoise, which is smaller and dark brown or gray in color.
Seals and Sea Lions
Harbor seals are commonly spotted throughout Southeast, as is the Steller’s sea lion. Both seals and sea lions feed on salmon, herring, shellfish, and other fish, but seals have no ears and are unable to rotate their hind flippers, making them awkward on land. Sea lions, in contrast, have tiny but visible ears and are less clumsy on shore since they can rotate their flippers forward.
Black Bear
The black bear, Ursus americanus, is the smallest and most common bear in North America. It weighs up to 200 pounds and may vary greatly in color, from jet black to cinnamon brown. Some glacier bears near Yakutat even exhibit a smoky bluish color, while creamy white Kermode bears are sometimes spotted in parts of British Columbia.
Black bears have straight faces, sharply curved claws, and a keen sense of smell. They number approximately 17,000 in Southeast Alaska and are found throughout the mainland and on most islands, with the exception of the northernmost ones. They prefer open forested areas but may wander anywhere.
Brown Bear
The brown bear, Ursus arctos, is much larger, weighing from 500 up to 1,400 pounds. On its hind legs, it may stand over nine feet tall. In addition to size, it may be distinguished from the black bear by its prominent shoulder hump, large head, dish face, longer claws, and smaller ears.
Alaska has an estimated 30,000 brown bears, more than 98% of all the brown bears in the United States. Perhaps 5,000 of them live in Southeast, where they are found throughout the mainland, as well as on the northernmost islands, particularly the ABC Islands: Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof. Estimates place the concentration of brown bears on Admiralty Island at one bear per square mile.
Once thought to be a separate species, the grizzly bear is actually the same as the brown bear. However, the term grizzly is usually applied to inland bears, which subsist primarily on a vegetarian diet, unlike coastal bears, which have access to protein-rich fish. Grizzly bears tend to be smaller and meaner than other brown bears.
Bald Eagle
The bald eagle exists in southeastern Alaska in greater numbers than anywhere else in the world. Population estimates for Southeast range from 10,000 to 25,000. Bald eagles tend to concentrate in large numbers wherever fish spawn in shallow waters. On the Chilkat River near Haines, over 3,500 eagles gather in late fall after the chum salmon spawning run. Bald eagles in Southeast generally nest in old growth spruce of hemlock trees within 220 yards of salt water.
Moose
Moose are among the largest land mammals in North America, weighing up to 1,600 pounds. Their antlers alone may weigh 50 pounds and span six feet. They are generally found in river valleys on the mainland.
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf is found throughout Southeast, both on the mainland and on the islands, except where brown bears live. The two species are mutually exclusive; where one is found, the other is not. The ABC Islands have brown bear but no wolves; Prince of Wales Islands has wolves but no brown bears. (Black bears do live on Prince of Wales.)
Other Wildlife
Other animals commonly found in Southeast include the mountain goat, Sitka black-tailed deer, beaver, porcupine, wolverine, red fox, mink, ermine, and marten. River otters may be spotted on land or in fresh or salt water, and sea otters are beginning to return to Southeast waters after being hunted almost to extinction.
Birds include the common raven, Steller’s jay, rock ptarmigan, blue grouse, rufous hummingbird, and several species of duck.
All five species of Pacific salmon—king (Chinook), silver (coho), sockeye (red), chum (dog), and humpback (pink)—migrate through Southeast waters. Other species of fish include Dolly Varden, steelhead, rainbow trout, halibut, and herring.
Annika S. Hipple - Annika S. Hipple is a freelance writer and editor based in Seattle, Washington. She has written for a wide range of print and online ...
