Wildlife

Izembek National Wildlife Refuge surrounds and protects the watershed of several large lagoons, including the 30-mile long by 5-mile wide Izembek Lagoon. These lagoons provide food and shelter for an extraordinary abundance and diversity of avian migrants, as well as other marine and coastal wildlife species. Approximately 130,000 Pacific black brant, 62,000 emperor geese, 50,000 Taverner’s Canada geese, 300,000 ducks, and 80,000 shorebirds stop over in the Izembek area during migration and as many as 50,000 Steller’s eiders winter in the area.

Emperor geese spend winter months along coastal waters of Izembek Refuge.

The Refuge is home to many species of land birds and mammals. Tundra swans, ptarmigan, and bald eagles inhabit the uplands along with snow buntings, gray-crowned rosy finches, Lapland longspurs, and other migratory songbirds. Brown bears are abundant, feeding at streams rich with thousands of spawning sockeye, chum, coho, and pink salmon. Other large mammals on the treeless Arctic-alpine landscape include caribou, wolves, red fox, river otter, mink, and wolverine. Small mammals such as Arctic ground squirrels, voles, and shrews flourish in the tundra. Less common are tundra hares, jumping mice, and lemmings.

Numerous species of seabirds and marine mammals inhabit the surrounding marine environment. Harbor seals and sea otters frequent estuarine and coastal waters and congregate in rookeries along sand and rock beaches. Steller sea lions are seen occasionally in estuaries and use offshore rocky islands for haul-outs and rookeries. Gray, killer, and minke whales migrate along the coastline and make rare visits to bays and lagoons. Seabirds that are observed regularly include common mures, pigeo guillemots, horned puffins, and black-legged kittiwakes.

Last updated: July 18, 2008