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List of mammals of Alaska

This is a list of all mammals currently found in the U.S. state of Alaska, whether resident or as migrants. With 112 mammal species, Alaska ranks 12th of the 50 U.S. states in mammalian diversity.[1] Not included in this list is the Steller's sea cow, an extinct sirenian that was once native to Alaska's Aleutian Islands before being hunted to extinction in 1768.[2]

This article presents the common and scientific names for each species, along more information about the animal. Where the species is unique to Alaska, this article presents a brief overview of the species. Where the species is not unique to Alaska, this article gives information about the habits and distribution that are characteristic of animals occurring in the state. The range maps that accompany the descriptions vary in their precision according to the sources on which they are based. Readers are advised to click on the maps and examine the source information for more information on the species' ranges.

Eulipotyphlans edit

Eulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals. Alaska shrews have not been studied as much as most of its animals, so many particulars of their distribution, breeding cycles, and population remain unknown. Currently, ten species of shrews have been identified in Alaska, but debate remains over their identity and genetic relationships. All of Alaska's shrew species look alike to lay observers, but experts differentiate them based on their ranges and skull structure. Shrews live throughout the state, even on isolated islands, in habitats from temperate rain forests of the Southeast to Arctic tundra. They generally eat insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates, though they may also eat other vertebrates and plants. Their predators in Alaska include weasels, marten, fox, domestic cats, other shrews, and owls. Shrews may be helpful in agricultural areas by eating insects, but elsewhere they may be pests by eating household meat left uncovered. None of Alaska's shrew populations is threatened, with the possible exception of the Pribilof Island shrew.[3]

Species More information Range
Glacier Bay water shrew
Sorex alaskanus
Glacier Bay water shrews are known from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeast Alaska.[3]  
Common shrew
Sorex cinereus
 
The common shrew is one of the two most widespread species of shrew in Alaska (the other being the dusky shrew). It is found from the Brooks Range to Southeast Alaska.[3]  
Pygmy shrew
Sorex hoyi
Image
The pygmy shrew is found throughout most of the state except the North Slope and the southeast.[3]
Pribilof Island shrew
Sorex hydrodromus
Image 2010-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
The Pribilof Island shrew is found only on the Pribilof Islands.[3][4]  
St. Lawrence Island shrew
Sorex jacksoni
The St. Lawrence Island shrew is found only on St. Lawrence Island.[3][5]  
Dusky shrew
Sorex monticolus
Image
The dusky shrew is one of the two most widespread species of shrew in Alaska (the other being the common shrew). It is found from the Brooks Range to Southeast Alaska.[3]  
Water shrew
Sorex palustris
 
The water shrew is found from Southcentral and Southeast Alaska to the Alaska Range in the north.[3]
Tundra shrew
Sorex tundrensis
 
Tundra shrews are found throughout most of the state except the southeast.[3]
Barrenground shrew
Sorex ugyunak
Image
Barrenground shrews are found on the North Slope.[3]  
Tiny shrew
Sorex yukonicus
Image
The tiny shrew appears to be widespread but uncommon in Alaska.[6]  

Bats edit

Bats are not abundant in Alaska, and are generally found only in Southeast Alaska, some of Southcentral Alaska, and in the Interior as far north as the Yukon River.[7]

Species More information Range
Big brown bat
Eptesicus fuscus
 
Only one big brown bat has ever been confirmed in Alaska.[citation needed] It is the largest bat in Alaska, weighing on average 14g (0.5 oz).[7]
California myotis
Myotis californicus
 
As with other myotis species in Alaska, the California myotis often roosts in abandoned buildings and old mines; they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices.[7] California bats have been observed hibernating in Southeast Alaska.  
Keen's myotis
Myotis keenii
 
As with other myotis species in Alaska, Keen's myotis often roosts in abandoned buildings and old mines; they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices.[7] It is suspected that it hibernates in Southeast Alaska.[7]  
Little brown bat
Myotis lucifugus
 
The little brown bat is the most common and widespread bat in Alaska.[7] As with other myotis species in Alaska, little brown bats often roost in abandoned buildings and old mines; they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices.[7] Little brown bats have been observed hibernating in Southeast Alaska and Kodiak Island.[7]  
Long-legged myotis
Myotis volans
 
As with other myotis species in Alaska, the long-legged myotix often roosts in abandoned buildings and old mines; they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices.[7] It is suspected that it hibernates in Southeast Alaska.[7]  
Silver-haired bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
 
After the big brown bat, the silver-haired bats is the largest bat in Alaska.[7] It is only found in Southeast Alaska, and only during winter.[7] It roosts alone in trees.[7]  

Carnivorans edit

Felids edit

Species More information Range map
Canadian lynx
Lynx canadensis
 
Lynx live in a wide range in Alaska, but due to being mostly nocturnal and instinctively secretive predators they are rarely seen by humans. They share a "boom and bust" symbiotic life cycle with the snowshoe hare, the main animal they prey on. In times of booming hare population lynx are spotted more frequently as their numbers rise as well. After the lynx and other predators have decimated the hare population their numbers go down in the following years.[8]  
Cougar
Puma concolor
 
It is unlikely that there is a breeding population of cougars in Alaska, but periodic sightings indicate that some cougars venture into the state. Generally the state receives two or three reports of cougar sightings per year. Reports have come from as far northwest as Homer,[9] but the most credible reports come from the Southeast, which is relatively near an established population of cougars in British Columbia. Populations of mountain lions have been increasing in the American West and in Canada, and biologists have speculated that within fifty years Alaska could have a breeding population of its own.[10]  

Canids edit

Species More information Range
Coyote
Canis latrans
 
Coyotes have only been seen in Alaska since the early 20th century; they were originally reported in Southeast Alaska, but have expanded across the state. The state's coyote population peaked in the 1940s and has declined in many areas since. Coyotes are most common in the Kenai Peninsula, the Mat-Su Valley, and the Copper River Valley and are rare north of the Yukon River. In Alaska, coyotes' diets consist primarily of snowshoe hares, rodents, and carrion; predators of the young include great horned owls, bald eagles, and golden eagles; adults are preyed upon by wolves, bears and cougars. The state offered bounties for killing coyotes in the early 20th century (as did other states); the bounty program ended in 1969, and today a small number of coyotes are trapped in Alaska each year. Because coyotes are very secretive, they are rarely seen by Alaska residents.[11]
Gray wolf
Canis lupus
 
There are five subspecies of wolves in Alaska;[12] the northwestern wolf, Interior Alaskan wolf, Alaskan tundra wolf, Alexander Archipelago wolf and Arctic wolf. Wolves in the southeast are darker and smaller than those in northern regions. Wolves are found on the mainland of Alaska, Unimak Island, and on most major islands in the southeast.[12] There is approximately one wolf per 25 square miles (65 km2) in Alaska. In recent years, efforts to control wolf population through aerial hunting have been a source of controversy in the state. The Arctic subspecies is also found in northern Canada.[13]  
Arctic fox
Vulpes lagopus
 
Arctic foxes are found in treeless coastal areas in the Aleutian Islands and on the state's west and north coasts. Two color morphs occur in the state: white-morph foxes are white in the winter and brown in the summer, while blue-morph foxes are charcoal-colored in summer and a somewhat lighter gray in winter. During the summer, Arctic foxes feed mainly on small animals, but during the winter foxes often venture onto sea ice to eat seal carcasses left by polar bears. Arctic foxes are sometimes trapped for fur; the fur trade is important to many coastal Native villages, though demand for Arctic fox fur has decreased in recent years.[14] This subspecies is also found in Northern Canada.[15]  
Red fox
Vulpes vulpes
 
Red foxes are found throughout Alaska, except for the Western Aleutians, some islands in Southeast Alaska, and Prince William Sound. It is an introduced animal on many of the state's islands due to turn of the 20th century fox farming. Red foxes, which are most common south of the Arctic tundra, prefer low marshes, hilly areas, and broken country. Where the red fox's range overlaps with that of the Arctic fox, the red fox dominates. In Alaska, most red foxes are of the characteristic red color phase, but other color phases—which comprise up to 2% of foxes in certain northern areas—include "cross", silver, and black. Predators of red foxes include wolves, lynx, coyotes, wolverines, humans (primarily as trappers), and perhaps bears.[16]  

Bears edit

Species More information Range
Black bear
Ursus americanus
 
Black bears, which are much smaller than the state's brown bears, are found in larger numbers on the mainland of Alaska, but are not found on the islands off of the Gulf of Alaska and the Seward Peninsula.[17] Black bears have been seen in Alaska in a few different shades of colors such as black, brown, cinnamon, and even a rare blue shade.[17] They are widely scattered over Alaska, and pose more of a problem to humans because they come in close contact with them on a regular basis. They are considered a nuisance because they frequently stroll through local towns, camps, backyards, and streets because of their curiosity and easy food sources such as garbage. Black bears didn't live in Alaska until the end of the last ice age.[17]  
Grizzly bear/Kodiak bear
Ursus arctos ssp.
 
Alaska contains about 98% of the U.S. brown bear population and 70% of the total North American population.[18] Brown bears can be found throughout the state, with the exclusion of some outlying islands.[18] Most brown bears in Alaska are grizzly bears (the subspecies of brown bear found throughout North America), but Kodiak Island is home to Kodiak bears, another subspecies of brown bear that is the largest subspecies and second only to the polar bear in size.[18] The density of brown bear populations in Alaska varies according to the availability of food, and in some places is as high as one bear per square mile.[18]More information...  
Polar bear
Ursus maritimus
 
Alaska's polar bear populations are concentrated along its Arctic coastlines. In the winter, they are most common in the Kuskokwim Delta, St. Matthew Island, and at the southernmost portion of St. Lawrence Island. During the summer months, they migrate to the coastlines of the Arctic Ocean and the Chukchi Sea.[19] Conservation efforts, including the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, have limited polar bear hunts,[19] though polar bear populations may be threatened by oil development and global warming.[19][20] More information...  

Pinnipeds edit

Species More information Range
Hooded seal
Cystophora cristata
 
Hooded seals generally are found in the Atlantic Ocean, but occasionally individuals wander as far west as Alaska.[21]
Bearded seal
Erignathus barbatus
 
Bearded seals are found in the parts of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas where sea ice forms in the winter. Often weighing more than 750 pounds in the winter, they are the largest true seals found in Alaska waters. However, seasonal weight fluctuations typically result in adults weighing approximately 500 pounds during summer months. Bearded seals are generally solitary and migrate seasonally to follow moving sea ice. When sea ice recedes in summer, bearded seals are densely concentrated, but when sea ice occupies much of the northern seas during winter, bearded seals are much less densely populated. In the Bering and Chukchi seas, bearded seals generally eat crabs, shrimp, clams, snails, and some fishes. During breeding season, males fight frequently and "sing" underwater with a whistle that is partly audible to humans. Alaska Natives living in western coastal villages depend on bearded seals for hides and subsistence.[22]
Ribbon seal
Histriophoca fasciata
 
[23]  
Elephant seal
Mirounga angustirostris
 
 
Harp seal
Pagophilus groenlandicus
 
Spotted seal
Phoca largha
 
[24]  
Harbor seal
Phoca vitulina
 
[25]  
Ringed seal
Pusa hispida
 
[26]
Northern fur seal
Callorhinus ursinus
 
[[27]  
Steller's sea lion
Eumetopias jubatus
 
[28]  
California sea lion
Zalophus californianus
 
Between 1974 and 2004, 54 California sea lions were reported in Alaska.[29]
Walrus
Odobenus rosmarus
 
[30]  

Mustelids edit

Species More information Range
Sea otter
Enhydra lutris
 
Early Russian settlement of Alaska can largely be credited to the sea otter industry; sea otter fur is perhaps the finest in the world. Sea otters were hunted nearly to extinction in the late 19th century. In 1911, when sea otters were so scarce that hunting was no longer profitable, they were protected under the international Fur Seal Treaty, and after further conservation measures the sea otter population increased from 2,000 to between 110,000 and 160,000 from 1911 to the mid-1970s. Today, most of the species' original habitat in Alaska has been repopulated, except for some areas of the Southeast. In Southeast Alaska, where sea otters were reintroduced in the 1960s,[31] sea otters continue to expand.[32]  
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
 
Wolverines are found primarily in the more remote areas of mainland Alaska and on some islands in Southeast Alaska. Because wolverines require large amounts of wilderness (the home range of a male may be up to 240 sq. mi.), they are sparsely distributed throughout their range. Wolverines are solitary, except during the May–August breeding season. Wolverines are better adapted for scavenging than for hunting and are opportunistic eaters. During winter, they primarily eat the carcasses of animals that have died of natural causes and the carcasses of moose and caribou left by wolves and hunters. The rest of the year their diet consists of smaller animals, such as voles, squirrels, snowshoe hares, and birds. On rare occasions, wolverines may kill moose or caribou.[33]
North American river otter
Lontra canadensis
 
River otters are found throughout Alaska except the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea offshore islands, and the Arctic coast east of Point Lay.[34]
American marten
Martes americana
 
American marten are found from Southeast Alaska to the start of treeless tundra in Alaska's north and west. They are abundant in Alaska, being most common in the bogs and black spruce forests of Interior Alaska. In much of their range, especially in less optimal habitat, meadow voles and red-backed voles are American martens' primary food source. Other important food sources include berries, small birds, eggs, plants, and carrion. Red squirrels, which are a major food source for American martens in other areas, are not generally eaten by American martens in Alaska. American martens are Alaska's most trapped animal, and as of 1994 generated $1–2 million in income in the state. In most areas, overtrapping is not a management problem.[35]
Pacific marten

Martes caurina

 

[36][37]
Beringian ermine
Mustela erminea
 
Found throughout almost all of Alaska aside from some islands in the southeast[38]
Haida ermine

Mustela haidarum

 

Found in the Alexander Archipelago.[39]
Least weasel
Mustela nivalis
 
[38]
American ermine

Mustela richardsonii

 

Found in some parts of southeast Alaska[40]
Mink
Neogale vison
 
Mink are found in every region of Alaska except Kodiak Island, the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea offshore islands, and most of the North Slope. Mink are opportunistic hunters, eating almost anything that they can kill; important food sources include fish, birds, bird eggs, insects, crabs, clams, and small mammals. Wolves, foxes, hawks, owls, lynx, and river otters occasionally prey on mink, but the effects of predation on mink population have been studied relatively little. In Alaska, mink are sometimes trapped for their fur.[41]
Fisher
Pekania pennanti
 

Even-toed ungulates edit

Species More information Range
Moose
Alces alces
 
The Alaska subspecies of moose (Alces alces gigas) is the largest in the world; adult males weigh 1,200 to 1,600 pounds (542–725 kg), and adult females weigh 800 to 1,300 pounds (364–591 kg)[42] Alaska's substantial moose population is controlled by predators such as bears and wolves, which prey mainly on vulnerable calves, as well as by hunters.[42] Moose are often hunted for subsistence and recreation.[42] More information...  
Wood bison
Bison bison athabascae
 
The American bison (Bison bison) was reintroduced to Alaska in 1928.[43] In 2003, there were approximately 900 wild American bison in Alaska.[44] Their numbers are controlled by managed sport hunting, as predation is not common. Bison can occasionally be seen on their summer range from the Richardson Highway south of Delta Junction, on the Delta Junction Bison range and on the Delta Agricultural Project. Another sub-species of bison, the wood bison (b. b. athabascae) are being reintroduced to the wild in Shageluk, Alaska. As of March 23, 2015, 70 of 100 wood bison have been released.[45][46]  
Elk
Cervus canadensis
 
Elk are not native to the state and are introduced; individuals in Alaska are of the Roosevelt elk subspecies (C. c. roosevelti).[47] Found in the southern tip of Alaska.  
Sitka deer
Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis
 
 
Caribou
Rangifer tarandus
 
Alaska is home to the Rangifer tarandus granti subspecies of caribou.[48] Caribou in Alaska generally are found in tundra and mountain regions, where there are few trees. However, many herds spend the winter months in the boreal forest areas.[48] Caribou in Alaska are abundant; currently there are an estimated 950,000 in the state.[48] The populations of caribou are controlled by predators and hunters (who shoot about 22,000 caribou a year).[48] More information...  
Mountain goat
Oreamnos americanus
 
Mountain goats are found in the rough and rocky mountain regions of Alaska, throughout the Southeast and along the Coastal Mountains of the Cook Inlet.[49] Populations are generally confined in the areas of the Chugach and Wrangell Mountains. Mountain goats have been transplanted to the islands of Baranof and Kodiak, where they have maintained a steady population.[49] The mountain goat is the only representation in North America of the goat-like ungulates.[49] Very little was known about mountain goats up until 1900.[49] They constantly migrate to different areas from the alpine ridges in the summer, and to the tree-line in the winter.  
Muskox
Ovibos moschatus
 
Reintroduced; spread from Alaska refugium after the Pleistocene era, then died out in the state. Their current population is in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, Gates of the Arctic National Park, and a local conservational farm in Palmer.[50] They have also been reintroduced to Yukon.[51]  
Dall sheep
Ovis dalli
 
Dall sheep live in the mountain regions of Alaska where there is rocky terrain and steep, inclined land.[52] The mountain setting is an ideal place for them to rest and feed.[52] They are occasionally seen below their usual high elevation only when food is scarce. Alaska contains a good size population of thinhorn sheep. In their rocky environment, they are able to avoid predators and human activities.  

Cetaceans edit

Species More information Range
Bowhead whale
Balaena mysticetus
The Bering Sea stock of bowhead whales is the species' only population that exists in significant numbers, due to previous commercial whaling. While there were 18,000 Bering Sea bowheads before the introduction of commercial whaling, as of 1992 their population was only between 6,400 and 9,200. Bering Sea bowheads follow a 3,600-mile (5800 km) migration route, wintering in the Bering Sea, then moving through the Bering Strait, across the Chuckchi Sea, and into the Canadian Beaufort Sea for the summer. To Alaskan Inuit, bowhead whales are the most important subsistence animal, both culturally and nutritionally. Subsistence whale hunts are managed in accordance with the International Whaling Commission; 41 whales were taken in 1993.[53]  
 
Minke whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
 
 
Sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis
 
 
Blue whale
Balaenoptera musculus
Blue whales, which can be found in all the world's oceans, are rare north of the Bering Sea. Blue whales, which are migratory, may be seen in Alaska during the summer; historically, they have been sighted in the eastern Gulf of Alaska, the eastern Aleutians, and the far western Aleutians. Blue whales are rarely seen in near-shore Alaska waters, preferring to spend time along the edges of continental shelves. There have been few recent sightings of blue whales in Alaska; the total north Pacific population of blue whales was approximately 1,200 to 1,700 as of 1994, down from 4,900 to 6,000 before the advent of whaling. In the north Pacific, blue whales primarily eat the krill species Euphausia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinifera.[54]  
 
Fin whale
Balaenoptera physalus
 
 
Beluga whale
Delphinapterus leucas
During the summer, belugas eat a variety of fish, occasionally supplemented by other small marine life. Belugas' winter feeding habits are virtually unknown. Belugas are generally found in the ocean, but they may also ascend large rivers such as the Yukon on occasion and do not appear to be affected by the salinity change. There are two populations of belugas in Alaska. The Cook Inlet population is found in the inlet and Shelikof Strait region, and numbers approximately 400 to 500 animals. The larger Bering Sea population ranges throughout the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas; this group comprises perhaps 25,000 animals. Alaska natives harvest small numbers of belugas for food and oil.[55]  
 
Gray whale
Eschrichtius robustus
[56]  
 
North Pacific right whale
Eubalaena japonica
 
 
Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
 
 
Risso's dolphin
Grampus griseus
 
 
Northern right-whale dolphin
Lissodelphis borealis
 
Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Humpback whales are most commonly seen in Alaska during the summer; most of Alaska's humpbacks winter in Hawaii. While in Alaska, humpbacks frequent Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound, the area near Kodiak and the Barren Islands, the area between the Semidi and Shumagin Islands, and the eastern Aleutian Islands and southern Bering Sea. Studies in the early 1990s showed that over 500 humpbacks summered in Southeast Alaska and over 100 summered in Prince William Sound. In Alaska, humpback whales' primary sources of food are herring, other small schooling fish, and krill; their primary predators are killer whales and humans.[57]  
 
Stejneger's beaked whale
Mesoplodon stejnegeri
 
Narwhal
Monodon monoceros
Occurs casually in Alaska waters.[58]  
 
Killer whale
Orcinus orca
The killer whale is also known as the orca whale because it has been known to attack and eat other whales, and large prey animals such as seals and sea lions.[59] Orcas are scattered among the Continental Shelf from southeast Alaska through the Aleutian Islands. They can also be seen in the waters of Prince William Sound.[59]  
 
Harbor porpoise
Phocoena phocoena
 
 
Dall's porpoise
Phocoenoides dalli
 
 
Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
 
 
Pacific white-sided dolphin
Sagmatias obliquidens
 
 
Cuvier's beaked whale
Ziphius cavirostris
 
 

Lagomorphs edit

Species More information Range
Snowshoe hare
Lepus americanus
 
The snowshoe hare is the most common and widespread hare in Alaska, found everywhere in the state except the lower Kuskokwim Delta, the Alaska Peninsula, and the area north of the Brooks Range.[60] They generally live in brush, mixed spruce forests, and wooded swamps.[60] Snowshoe hare populations are dramatically cyclical, and in peak years there may be up to 600 snowshoe hares per square mi (230/km2) of the animals' range.[60] The hares are a key food source for Alaska's furbearers, especially lynx, and are also important for human subsistence and recreational hunting.[60]  
Tundra hare
Lepus othus
 
The tundra hare is most often found on the western coast of Alaska, including the Alaska Peninsula, and can occasionally be seen on the Arctic coast and the north slope of the Brooks Range.[60] It generally lives on rocky slopes and upland tundra, avoiding lowlands and forests.[60] They are important for subsistence and recreational hunting and for fur trapping.[60]  
Collared pika
Ochotona collaris
 
 
European rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
 
Introduced species, found in and around some urban and suburban locales.[61][62][63][64]

Rodents edit

Name Range More information
Beaver
Castor canadensis
 
[65]
Northern collared lemming
Dicrostonyx groenlandicus
[66]  
Nelson's collared lemming
Dicrostonyx nelsoni
 
[66]
Unalaska collared lemming
Dicrostonyx unalascensis
Porcupine
Erethizon dorsatum
 
Weighing approximately 15 pounds, porcupines are the largest of Alaska's rodents except for beavers. Porcupines are found everywhere in Alaska except the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak, Nunivak, and St. Lawrence islands. In winter, porcupines primarily eat trees' inner bark; in summer, they eat trees' buds and young leaves. Porcupines can cause forest management problems when they eat terminal buds or eating bark all the way around trees, though in most parts of Alaska there are not enough porcupines to cause significant damage. Though porcupine's quills discourage most predators, fishers, lynx, wolves, coyotes, and wolverines have developed methods of killing porcupines safely. Porcupines are also easily killed by hunters because of their plodding gate, but they are generally unpopular among hunters because of their meat's strong taste. Porcupine quills are used by Alaska Natives for decoration of clothing; these are collected by cornering porcupines and tapping them with a styrofoam paddle.[67] The porcupine didn't reached Alaska until the last ice age.
Northern flying squirrel
Glaucomys sabrinus
 
[68]
North American brown lemming
Lemmus trimucronatus
 
[66]
Alaska marmot
Marmota broweri
 
The Alaska marmot is found in the scree slopes of the Brooks Range, which provide protection from predators. They eat grass, flowering plants, berries, roots, moss, and lichen. Alaska marmots have special winter dens with a single entrance that is plugged during the entire winter hibernation period. They are built on exposed ridges that thaw earlier than other areas, and the entire colony stays within the den from September until the plug melts in early May. Most marmots mate before emerging from the winter den. In areas where marmots are hunted, marmots remain quiet when approached by humans; Alaska Natives have traditionally eaten marmot meat and used marmot fur in clothing.[69]  
Hoary marmot
Marmota caligata
 
[69]  
Woodchuck
Marmota monax
 
St. Matthew Island vole
Microtus abbreviatus
There have been relatively few observations of the St. Matthew Island vole, due to the inaccessibility of St. Matthew Island and the adjacent Hall Island, the only locations it has been found.[70] On these Bering Sea islands, St. Matthew Island voles live in damp lowland areas, on the lower slopes of mountains, and on rye grass-covered beaches. They are diurnal and eat plant matter. Birds and Arctic foxes (the only other mammals on the island) prey on the voles.[71]  
Long-tailed vole
Microtus longicaudus
 
Long-tailed voles may be found throughout Southeast Alaska, the Yakutat forelands, and the far eastern Interior.
Singing vole
Microtus miurus
 
The distribution of the singing vole has not yet been well characterized. Specimens have been found on the North Slope, Seward Peninsula, Brooks Range, Alaska Range, south to the Kenai Peninsula and Cook Inlet, and west to Cape Newenham. There appear to be no singing voles in the Interior and Southeast.[72]  
Tundra vole
Microtus oeconomus
 
[72]
Meadow vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus
 
[73]
Yellow-cheeked vole
Microtus xanthognathus
 
[72]
House mouse
Mus musculus
 
Introduced.
Northern red-backed vole
Myodes rutilus
 
Northern red-backed voles are found throughout mainland Alaska. It is also found on Unimak Island and St. Lawrence Island, but not Southeast Alaska, Kodiak, or Nunivak Island.[72]  
Southern red-backed vole
Myodes gapperi
 
[72]  
Bushy-tailed woodrat
Neotoma cinerea
 
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
 
[74]  
Forest deer mouse
Peromyscus keeni
Western deer mouse
Peromyscus sonoriensis
 
Introduced
Western heather vole
Phenacomys intermedius
The first western heather vole specimen in Alaska was identified in 1999 near Hyder, Alaska.[75]  
Norway rat
Rattus norvegicus
 
Introduced.
Arctic ground squirrel
Spermophilus parryii
 
Northern bog lemming
Synaptomys borealis
Image
[66]
Red squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
 
[76]
Meadow jumping mouse
Zapus hudsonius
 
Western jumping mouse
Zapus princeps
 

See also edit

References edit

List completeness checked against .

  1. ^ . 5 January 2008. Archived from the original on 5 January 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ Domning, D. (2016). "Hydrodamalis gigas". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T10303A43792683. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T10303A43792683.en. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j dfg.webmaster@alaska.gov. "Home Page, Alaska Department of Fish and Game".
  4. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-06. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  5. ^ . www.uaf.edu. Archived from the original on 2001-04-23.
  6. ^ Sorex yukonicus - University of Alaska Museum
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m dfg.webmaster@alaska.gov. "Home Page, Alaska Department of Fish and Game".
  8. ^ dfg.webmaster@alaska.gov. "Home Page, Alaska Department of Fish and Game".
  9. ^ Cougar sightings in East Hill neighborhoods continue Chris Eshleman, Homer News, 3/13/05
  10. ^ dfg.webmaster@alaska.gov. "Alaska Wildlife News Online Magazine, Alaska Department of Fish and Game".
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External links edit

  • Key to small mammals of Alaska

list, mammals, alaska, this, list, mammals, currently, found, state, alaska, whether, resident, migrants, with, mammal, species, alaska, ranks, 12th, states, mammalian, diversity, included, this, list, steller, extinct, sirenian, that, once, native, alaska, al. This is a list of all mammals currently found in the U S state of Alaska whether resident or as migrants With 112 mammal species Alaska ranks 12th of the 50 U S states in mammalian diversity 1 Not included in this list is the Steller s sea cow an extinct sirenian that was once native to Alaska s Aleutian Islands before being hunted to extinction in 1768 2 This article presents the common and scientific names for each species along more information about the animal Where the species is unique to Alaska this article presents a brief overview of the species Where the species is not unique to Alaska this article gives information about the habits and distribution that are characteristic of animals occurring in the state The range maps that accompany the descriptions vary in their precision according to the sources on which they are based Readers are advised to click on the maps and examine the source information for more information on the species ranges Contents 1 Eulipotyphlans 2 Bats 3 Carnivorans 3 1 Felids 3 2 Canids 3 3 Bears 3 4 Pinnipeds 3 5 Mustelids 4 Even toed ungulates 5 Cetaceans 6 Lagomorphs 7 Rodents 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksEulipotyphlans editEulipotyphlans are insectivorous mammals Alaska shrews have not been studied as much as most of its animals so many particulars of their distribution breeding cycles and population remain unknown Currently ten species of shrews have been identified in Alaska but debate remains over their identity and genetic relationships All of Alaska s shrew species look alike to lay observers but experts differentiate them based on their ranges and skull structure Shrews live throughout the state even on isolated islands in habitats from temperate rain forests of the Southeast to Arctic tundra They generally eat insects spiders and other small invertebrates though they may also eat other vertebrates and plants Their predators in Alaska include weasels marten fox domestic cats other shrews and owls Shrews may be helpful in agricultural areas by eating insects but elsewhere they may be pests by eating household meat left uncovered None of Alaska s shrew populations is threatened with the possible exception of the Pribilof Island shrew 3 Species More information RangeGlacier Bay water shrew Sorex alaskanus Glacier Bay water shrews are known from Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeast Alaska 3 nbsp Common shrewSorex cinereus nbsp The common shrew is one of the two most widespread species of shrew in Alaska the other being the dusky shrew It is found from the Brooks Range to Southeast Alaska 3 nbsp Pygmy shrew Sorex hoyi Image The pygmy shrew is found throughout most of the state except the North Slope and the southeast 3 Pribilof Island shrew Sorex hydrodromus Image Archived 2010 06 06 at the Wayback Machine The Pribilof Island shrew is found only on the Pribilof Islands 3 4 nbsp St Lawrence Island shrewSorex jacksoni The St Lawrence Island shrew is found only on St Lawrence Island 3 5 nbsp Dusky shrew Sorex monticolus Image The dusky shrew is one of the two most widespread species of shrew in Alaska the other being the common shrew It is found from the Brooks Range to Southeast Alaska 3 nbsp Water shrewSorex palustris nbsp The water shrew is found from Southcentral and Southeast Alaska to the Alaska Range in the north 3 Tundra shrew Sorex tundrensis nbsp Tundra shrews are found throughout most of the state except the southeast 3 Barrenground shrew Sorex ugyunak Image Barrenground shrews are found on the North Slope 3 nbsp Tiny shrewSorex yukonicus Image The tiny shrew appears to be widespread but uncommon in Alaska 6 nbsp Bats editBats are not abundant in Alaska and are generally found only in Southeast Alaska some of Southcentral Alaska and in the Interior as far north as the Yukon River 7 Species More information RangeBig brown bat Eptesicus fuscus nbsp Only one big brown bat has ever been confirmed in Alaska citation needed It is the largest bat in Alaska weighing on average 14g 0 5 oz 7 California myotis Myotis californicus nbsp As with other myotis species in Alaska the California myotis often roosts in abandoned buildings and old mines they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices 7 California bats have been observed hibernating in Southeast Alaska nbsp Keen s myotis Myotis keenii nbsp As with other myotis species in Alaska Keen s myotis often roosts in abandoned buildings and old mines they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices 7 It is suspected that it hibernates in Southeast Alaska 7 nbsp Little brown bat Myotis lucifugus nbsp The little brown bat is the most common and widespread bat in Alaska 7 As with other myotis species in Alaska little brown bats often roost in abandoned buildings and old mines they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices 7 Little brown bats have been observed hibernating in Southeast Alaska and Kodiak Island 7 nbsp Long legged myotis Myotis volans nbsp As with other myotis species in Alaska the long legged myotix often roosts in abandoned buildings and old mines they may also be found roosting alone in trees or rock crevices 7 It is suspected that it hibernates in Southeast Alaska 7 nbsp Silver haired batLasionycteris noctivagans nbsp After the big brown bat the silver haired bats is the largest bat in Alaska 7 It is only found in Southeast Alaska and only during winter 7 It roosts alone in trees 7 nbsp Carnivorans editFelids edit Species More information Range mapCanadian lynx Lynx canadensis nbsp Lynx live in a wide range in Alaska but due to being mostly nocturnal and instinctively secretive predators they are rarely seen by humans They share a boom and bust symbiotic life cycle with the snowshoe hare the main animal they prey on In times of booming hare population lynx are spotted more frequently as their numbers rise as well After the lynx and other predators have decimated the hare population their numbers go down in the following years 8 nbsp CougarPuma concolor nbsp It is unlikely that there is a breeding population of cougars in Alaska but periodic sightings indicate that some cougars venture into the state Generally the state receives two or three reports of cougar sightings per year Reports have come from as far northwest as Homer 9 but the most credible reports come from the Southeast which is relatively near an established population of cougars in British Columbia Populations of mountain lions have been increasing in the American West and in Canada and biologists have speculated that within fifty years Alaska could have a breeding population of its own 10 nbsp Canids edit Species More information RangeCoyoteCanis latrans nbsp Coyotes have only been seen in Alaska since the early 20th century they were originally reported in Southeast Alaska but have expanded across the state The state s coyote population peaked in the 1940s and has declined in many areas since Coyotes are most common in the Kenai Peninsula the Mat Su Valley and the Copper River Valley and are rare north of the Yukon River In Alaska coyotes diets consist primarily of snowshoe hares rodents and carrion predators of the young include great horned owls bald eagles and golden eagles adults are preyed upon by wolves bears and cougars The state offered bounties for killing coyotes in the early 20th century as did other states the bounty program ended in 1969 and today a small number of coyotes are trapped in Alaska each year Because coyotes are very secretive they are rarely seen by Alaska residents 11 Gray wolfCanis lupus nbsp There are five subspecies of wolves in Alaska 12 the northwestern wolf Interior Alaskan wolf Alaskan tundra wolf Alexander Archipelago wolf and Arctic wolf Wolves in the southeast are darker and smaller than those in northern regions Wolves are found on the mainland of Alaska Unimak Island and on most major islands in the southeast 12 There is approximately one wolf per 25 square miles 65 km2 in Alaska In recent years efforts to control wolf population through aerial hunting have been a source of controversy in the state The Arctic subspecies is also found in northern Canada 13 nbsp Arctic foxVulpes lagopus nbsp Arctic foxes are found in treeless coastal areas in the Aleutian Islands and on the state s west and north coasts Two color morphs occur in the state white morph foxes are white in the winter and brown in the summer while blue morph foxes are charcoal colored in summer and a somewhat lighter gray in winter During the summer Arctic foxes feed mainly on small animals but during the winter foxes often venture onto sea ice to eat seal carcasses left by polar bears Arctic foxes are sometimes trapped for fur the fur trade is important to many coastal Native villages though demand for Arctic fox fur has decreased in recent years 14 This subspecies is also found in Northern Canada 15 nbsp Red foxVulpes vulpes nbsp Red foxes are found throughout Alaska except for the Western Aleutians some islands in Southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound It is an introduced animal on many of the state s islands due to turn of the 20th century fox farming Red foxes which are most common south of the Arctic tundra prefer low marshes hilly areas and broken country Where the red fox s range overlaps with that of the Arctic fox the red fox dominates In Alaska most red foxes are of the characteristic red color phase but other color phases which comprise up to 2 of foxes in certain northern areas include cross silver and black Predators of red foxes include wolves lynx coyotes wolverines humans primarily as trappers and perhaps bears 16 nbsp Bears edit Species More information RangeBlack bearUrsus americanus nbsp Black bears which are much smaller than the state s brown bears are found in larger numbers on the mainland of Alaska but are not found on the islands off of the Gulf of Alaska and the Seward Peninsula 17 Black bears have been seen in Alaska in a few different shades of colors such as black brown cinnamon and even a rare blue shade 17 They are widely scattered over Alaska and pose more of a problem to humans because they come in close contact with them on a regular basis They are considered a nuisance because they frequently stroll through local towns camps backyards and streets because of their curiosity and easy food sources such as garbage Black bears didn t live in Alaska until the end of the last ice age 17 nbsp Grizzly bear Kodiak bearUrsus arctos ssp nbsp Alaska contains about 98 of the U S brown bear population and 70 of the total North American population 18 Brown bears can be found throughout the state with the exclusion of some outlying islands 18 Most brown bears in Alaska are grizzly bears the subspecies of brown bear found throughout North America but Kodiak Island is home to Kodiak bears another subspecies of brown bear that is the largest subspecies and second only to the polar bear in size 18 The density of brown bear populations in Alaska varies according to the availability of food and in some places is as high as one bear per square mile 18 More information nbsp Polar bearUrsus maritimus nbsp Alaska s polar bear populations are concentrated along its Arctic coastlines In the winter they are most common in the Kuskokwim Delta St Matthew Island and at the southernmost portion of St Lawrence Island During the summer months they migrate to the coastlines of the Arctic Ocean and the Chukchi Sea 19 Conservation efforts including the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act have limited polar bear hunts 19 though polar bear populations may be threatened by oil development and global warming 19 20 More information nbsp Pinnipeds edit Species More information RangeHooded sealCystophora cristata nbsp Hooded seals generally are found in the Atlantic Ocean but occasionally individuals wander as far west as Alaska 21 Bearded seal Erignathus barbatus nbsp Bearded seals are found in the parts of the Bering Chukchi and Beaufort seas where sea ice forms in the winter Often weighing more than 750 pounds in the winter they are the largest true seals found in Alaska waters However seasonal weight fluctuations typically result in adults weighing approximately 500 pounds during summer months Bearded seals are generally solitary and migrate seasonally to follow moving sea ice When sea ice recedes in summer bearded seals are densely concentrated but when sea ice occupies much of the northern seas during winter bearded seals are much less densely populated In the Bering and Chukchi seas bearded seals generally eat crabs shrimp clams snails and some fishes During breeding season males fight frequently and sing underwater with a whistle that is partly audible to humans Alaska Natives living in western coastal villages depend on bearded seals for hides and subsistence 22 Ribbon sealHistriophoca fasciata nbsp 23 nbsp Elephant sealMirounga angustirostris nbsp nbsp Harp sealPagophilus groenlandicus nbsp Spotted sealPhoca largha nbsp 24 nbsp Harbor sealPhoca vitulina nbsp 25 nbsp Ringed sealPusa hispida nbsp 26 Northern fur sealCallorhinus ursinus nbsp 27 nbsp Steller s sea lionEumetopias jubatus nbsp 28 nbsp California sea lionZalophus californianus nbsp Between 1974 and 2004 54 California sea lions were reported in Alaska 29 WalrusOdobenus rosmarus nbsp 30 nbsp Mustelids edit Species More information RangeSea otterEnhydra lutris nbsp Early Russian settlement of Alaska can largely be credited to the sea otter industry sea otter fur is perhaps the finest in the world Sea otters were hunted nearly to extinction in the late 19th century In 1911 when sea otters were so scarce that hunting was no longer profitable they were protected under the international Fur Seal Treaty and after further conservation measures the sea otter population increased from 2 000 to between 110 000 and 160 000 from 1911 to the mid 1970s Today most of the species original habitat in Alaska has been repopulated except for some areas of the Southeast In Southeast Alaska where sea otters were reintroduced in the 1960s 31 sea otters continue to expand 32 nbsp WolverineGulo gulo nbsp Wolverines are found primarily in the more remote areas of mainland Alaska and on some islands in Southeast Alaska Because wolverines require large amounts of wilderness the home range of a male may be up to 240 sq mi they are sparsely distributed throughout their range Wolverines are solitary except during the May August breeding season Wolverines are better adapted for scavenging than for hunting and are opportunistic eaters During winter they primarily eat the carcasses of animals that have died of natural causes and the carcasses of moose and caribou left by wolves and hunters The rest of the year their diet consists of smaller animals such as voles squirrels snowshoe hares and birds On rare occasions wolverines may kill moose or caribou 33 North American river otterLontra canadensis nbsp River otters are found throughout Alaska except the Aleutian Islands Bering Sea offshore islands and the Arctic coast east of Point Lay 34 American martenMartes americana nbsp American marten are found from Southeast Alaska to the start of treeless tundra in Alaska s north and west They are abundant in Alaska being most common in the bogs and black spruce forests of Interior Alaska In much of their range especially in less optimal habitat meadow voles and red backed voles are American martens primary food source Other important food sources include berries small birds eggs plants and carrion Red squirrels which are a major food source for American martens in other areas are not generally eaten by American martens in Alaska American martens are Alaska s most trapped animal and as of 1994 generated 1 2 million in income in the state In most areas overtrapping is not a management problem 35 Pacific marten Martes caurina nbsp 36 37 Beringian ermineMustela erminea nbsp Found throughout almost all of Alaska aside from some islands in the southeast 38 Haida ermine Mustela haidarum nbsp Found in the Alexander Archipelago 39 Least weaselMustela nivalis nbsp 38 American ermine Mustela richardsonii nbsp Found in some parts of southeast Alaska 40 MinkNeogale vison nbsp Mink are found in every region of Alaska except Kodiak Island the Aleutian Islands Bering Sea offshore islands and most of the North Slope Mink are opportunistic hunters eating almost anything that they can kill important food sources include fish birds bird eggs insects crabs clams and small mammals Wolves foxes hawks owls lynx and river otters occasionally prey on mink but the effects of predation on mink population have been studied relatively little In Alaska mink are sometimes trapped for their fur 41 FisherPekania pennanti nbsp Even toed ungulates editSpecies More information RangeMoose Alces alces nbsp The Alaska subspecies of moose Alces alces gigas is the largest in the world adult males weigh 1 200 to 1 600 pounds 542 725 kg and adult females weigh 800 to 1 300 pounds 364 591 kg 42 Alaska s substantial moose population is controlled by predators such as bears and wolves which prey mainly on vulnerable calves as well as by hunters 42 Moose are often hunted for subsistence and recreation 42 More information nbsp Wood bison Bison bison athabascae nbsp The American bison Bison bison was reintroduced to Alaska in 1928 43 In 2003 there were approximately 900 wild American bison in Alaska 44 Their numbers are controlled by managed sport hunting as predation is not common Bison can occasionally be seen on their summer range from the Richardson Highway south of Delta Junction on the Delta Junction Bison range and on the Delta Agricultural Project Another sub species of bison the wood bison b b athabascae are being reintroduced to the wild in Shageluk Alaska As of March 23 2015 70 of 100 wood bison have been released 45 46 nbsp ElkCervus canadensis nbsp Elk are not native to the state and are introduced individuals in Alaska are of the Roosevelt elk subspecies C c roosevelti 47 Found in the southern tip of Alaska nbsp Sitka deer Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis nbsp nbsp Caribou Rangifer tarandus nbsp Alaska is home to the Rangifer tarandus granti subspecies of caribou 48 Caribou in Alaska generally are found in tundra and mountain regions where there are few trees However many herds spend the winter months in the boreal forest areas 48 Caribou in Alaska are abundant currently there are an estimated 950 000 in the state 48 The populations of caribou are controlled by predators and hunters who shoot about 22 000 caribou a year 48 More information nbsp Mountain goatOreamnos americanus nbsp Mountain goats are found in the rough and rocky mountain regions of Alaska throughout the Southeast and along the Coastal Mountains of the Cook Inlet 49 Populations are generally confined in the areas of the Chugach and Wrangell Mountains Mountain goats have been transplanted to the islands of Baranof and Kodiak where they have maintained a steady population 49 The mountain goat is the only representation in North America of the goat like ungulates 49 Very little was known about mountain goats up until 1900 49 They constantly migrate to different areas from the alpine ridges in the summer and to the tree line in the winter nbsp MuskoxOvibos moschatus nbsp Reintroduced spread from Alaska refugium after the Pleistocene era then died out in the state Their current population is in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Cape Krusenstern National Monument Selawik National Wildlife Refuge Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge Gates of the Arctic National Park and a local conservational farm in Palmer 50 They have also been reintroduced to Yukon 51 nbsp Dall sheepOvis dalli nbsp Dall sheep live in the mountain regions of Alaska where there is rocky terrain and steep inclined land 52 The mountain setting is an ideal place for them to rest and feed 52 They are occasionally seen below their usual high elevation only when food is scarce Alaska contains a good size population of thinhorn sheep In their rocky environment they are able to avoid predators and human activities nbsp Cetaceans editSpecies More information RangeBowhead whaleBalaena mysticetus The Bering Sea stock of bowhead whales is the species only population that exists in significant numbers due to previous commercial whaling While there were 18 000 Bering Sea bowheads before the introduction of commercial whaling as of 1992 update their population was only between 6 400 and 9 200 Bering Sea bowheads follow a 3 600 mile 5800 km migration route wintering in the Bering Sea then moving through the Bering Strait across the Chuckchi Sea and into the Canadian Beaufort Sea for the summer To Alaskan Inuit bowhead whales are the most important subsistence animal both culturally and nutritionally Subsistence whale hunts are managed in accordance with the International Whaling Commission 41 whales were taken in 1993 53 nbsp nbsp Minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostrata nbsp nbsp Sei whaleBalaenoptera borealis nbsp nbsp Blue whaleBalaenoptera musculus Blue whales which can be found in all the world s oceans are rare north of the Bering Sea Blue whales which are migratory may be seen in Alaska during the summer historically they have been sighted in the eastern Gulf of Alaska the eastern Aleutians and the far western Aleutians Blue whales are rarely seen in near shore Alaska waters preferring to spend time along the edges of continental shelves There have been few recent sightings of blue whales in Alaska the total north Pacific population of blue whales was approximately 1 200 to 1 700 as of 1994 down from 4 900 to 6 000 before the advent of whaling In the north Pacific blue whales primarily eat the krill species Euphausia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinifera 54 nbsp nbsp Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus nbsp nbsp Beluga whaleDelphinapterus leucas During the summer belugas eat a variety of fish occasionally supplemented by other small marine life Belugas winter feeding habits are virtually unknown Belugas are generally found in the ocean but they may also ascend large rivers such as the Yukon on occasion and do not appear to be affected by the salinity change There are two populations of belugas in Alaska The Cook Inlet population is found in the inlet and Shelikof Strait region and numbers approximately 400 to 500 animals The larger Bering Sea population ranges throughout the Bering Chukchi and Beaufort seas this group comprises perhaps 25 000 animals Alaska natives harvest small numbers of belugas for food and oil 55 nbsp nbsp Gray whaleEschrichtius robustus 56 nbsp nbsp North Pacific right whaleEubalaena japonica nbsp nbsp Short finned pilot whaleGlobicephala macrorhynchus nbsp nbsp Risso s dolphinGrampus griseus nbsp nbsp Northern right whale dolphin Lissodelphis borealis nbsp Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliae Humpback whales are most commonly seen in Alaska during the summer most of Alaska s humpbacks winter in Hawaii While in Alaska humpbacks frequent Southeast Alaska Prince William Sound the area near Kodiak and the Barren Islands the area between the Semidi and Shumagin Islands and the eastern Aleutian Islands and southern Bering Sea Studies in the early 1990s showed that over 500 humpbacks summered in Southeast Alaska and over 100 summered in Prince William Sound In Alaska humpback whales primary sources of food are herring other small schooling fish and krill their primary predators are killer whales and humans 57 nbsp nbsp Stejneger s beaked whale Mesoplodon stejnegeri nbsp Narwhal Monodon monoceros Occurs casually in Alaska waters 58 nbsp nbsp Killer whaleOrcinus orca The killer whale is also known as the orca whale because it has been known to attack and eat other whales and large prey animals such as seals and sea lions 59 Orcas are scattered among the Continental Shelf from southeast Alaska through the Aleutian Islands They can also be seen in the waters of Prince William Sound 59 nbsp nbsp Harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena nbsp nbsp Dall s porpoise Phocoenoides dalli nbsp nbsp Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus nbsp nbsp Pacific white sided dolphinSagmatias obliquidens nbsp nbsp Cuvier s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris nbsp nbsp Lagomorphs editSpecies More information RangeSnowshoe hare Lepus americanus nbsp The snowshoe hare is the most common and widespread hare in Alaska found everywhere in the state except the lower Kuskokwim Delta the Alaska Peninsula and the area north of the Brooks Range 60 They generally live in brush mixed spruce forests and wooded swamps 60 Snowshoe hare populations are dramatically cyclical and in peak years there may be up to 600 snowshoe hares per square mi 230 km2 of the animals range 60 The hares are a key food source for Alaska s furbearers especially lynx and are also important for human subsistence and recreational hunting 60 nbsp Tundra hare Lepus othus nbsp The tundra hare is most often found on the western coast of Alaska including the Alaska Peninsula and can occasionally be seen on the Arctic coast and the north slope of the Brooks Range 60 It generally lives on rocky slopes and upland tundra avoiding lowlands and forests 60 They are important for subsistence and recreational hunting and for fur trapping 60 nbsp Collared pika Ochotona collaris nbsp nbsp European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus nbsp Introduced species found in and around some urban and suburban locales 61 62 63 64 Rodents editName Range More informationBeaverCastor canadensis nbsp 65 Northern collared lemmingDicrostonyx groenlandicus 66 nbsp Nelson s collared lemmingDicrostonyx nelsoni nbsp 66 Unalaska collared lemmingDicrostonyx unalascensisPorcupine Erethizon dorsatum nbsp Weighing approximately 15 pounds porcupines are the largest of Alaska s rodents except for beavers Porcupines are found everywhere in Alaska except the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Nunivak and St Lawrence islands In winter porcupines primarily eat trees inner bark in summer they eat trees buds and young leaves Porcupines can cause forest management problems when they eat terminal buds or eating bark all the way around trees though in most parts of Alaska there are not enough porcupines to cause significant damage Though porcupine s quills discourage most predators fishers lynx wolves coyotes and wolverines have developed methods of killing porcupines safely Porcupines are also easily killed by hunters because of their plodding gate but they are generally unpopular among hunters because of their meat s strong taste Porcupine quills are used by Alaska Natives for decoration of clothing these are collected by cornering porcupines and tapping them with a styrofoam paddle 67 The porcupine didn t reached Alaska until the last ice age Northern flying squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus nbsp 68 North American brown lemming Lemmus trimucronatus nbsp 66 Alaska marmot Marmota broweri nbsp The Alaska marmot is found in the scree slopes of the Brooks Range which provide protection from predators They eat grass flowering plants berries roots moss and lichen Alaska marmots have special winter dens with a single entrance that is plugged during the entire winter hibernation period They are built on exposed ridges that thaw earlier than other areas and the entire colony stays within the den from September until the plug melts in early May Most marmots mate before emerging from the winter den In areas where marmots are hunted marmots remain quiet when approached by humans Alaska Natives have traditionally eaten marmot meat and used marmot fur in clothing 69 nbsp Hoary marmot Marmota caligata nbsp 69 nbsp WoodchuckMarmota monax nbsp St Matthew Island vole Microtus abbreviatus There have been relatively few observations of the St Matthew Island vole due to the inaccessibility of St Matthew Island and the adjacent Hall Island the only locations it has been found 70 On these Bering Sea islands St Matthew Island voles live in damp lowland areas on the lower slopes of mountains and on rye grass covered beaches They are diurnal and eat plant matter Birds and Arctic foxes the only other mammals on the island prey on the voles 71 nbsp Long tailed vole Microtus longicaudus nbsp Long tailed voles may be found throughout Southeast Alaska the Yakutat forelands and the far eastern Interior Singing vole Microtus miurus nbsp The distribution of the singing vole has not yet been well characterized Specimens have been found on the North Slope Seward Peninsula Brooks Range Alaska Range south to the Kenai Peninsula and Cook Inlet and west to Cape Newenham There appear to be no singing voles in the Interior and Southeast 72 nbsp Tundra vole Microtus oeconomus nbsp 72 Meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus nbsp 73 Yellow cheeked vole Microtus xanthognathus nbsp 72 House mouse Mus musculus nbsp Introduced Northern red backed voleMyodes rutilus nbsp Northern red backed voles are found throughout mainland Alaska It is also found on Unimak Island and St Lawrence Island but not Southeast Alaska Kodiak or Nunivak Island 72 nbsp Southern red backed vole Myodes gapperi nbsp 72 nbsp Bushy tailed woodrat Neotoma cinerea nbsp MuskratOndatra zibethicus nbsp 74 nbsp Forest deer mousePeromyscus keeniWestern deer mouse Peromyscus sonoriensis nbsp IntroducedWestern heather volePhenacomys intermedius The first western heather vole specimen in Alaska was identified in 1999 near Hyder Alaska 75 nbsp Norway rat Rattus norvegicus nbsp Introduced Arctic ground squirrelSpermophilus parryii nbsp Northern bog lemming Synaptomys borealis Image 66 Red squirrelTamiasciurus hudsonicus nbsp 76 Meadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius nbsp Western jumping mouseZapus princeps nbsp See also editWildlife of Alaska List of mammals List of regional mammals listsReferences editList completeness checked against https web archive org web 20080105085514 http curator museum uaf edu AKMammals checklist shtml Checklist of Alaska Mammals 5 January 2008 Archived from the original on 5 January 2008 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Domning D 2016 Hydrodamalis gigas IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T10303A43792683 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 2 RLTS T10303A43792683 en Retrieved 24 September 2021 a b c d e f g h i j dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Alaska Center for Conservation Science Fostering research education and collaboration on biological conservation and natural resource management in Alaska and the Arctic PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2010 06 06 Retrieved 2007 12 05 Sorex jacksoni University of Alaska Museum www uaf edu Archived from the original on 2001 04 23 Sorex yukonicus University of Alaska Museum a b c d e f g h i j k l m dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Cougar sightings in East Hill neighborhoods continue Chris Eshleman Homer News 3 13 05 dfg webmaster alaska gov Alaska Wildlife News Online Magazine Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game a b Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Wolf 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 6 2007 Arctic Wolf Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Foxes dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game a b c Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Black Bear 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 6 2007 a b c d Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Brown Bear 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 6 2007 a b c Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Polar Bear 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 8 2007 BBC News Sci Tech Global warming could starve polar bears Hooded Seals Cystophora cristata Archived from the original on 2012 03 06 Retrieved 2007 11 30 dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game IngentaConnect The Occurrence of California Sea Lions Zalophus californianus i dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Coast amp Kayak Magazine online dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Colella Jocelyn P Wilson Robert E Talbot Sandra L Cook Joseph A 2019 04 01 Implications of introgression for wildlife translocations the case of North American martens Conservation Genetics 20 2 153 166 doi 10 1007 s10592 018 1120 5 ISSN 1572 9737 S2CID 85447345 Dawson Natalie G Colella Jocelyn P Small Maureen P Stone Karen D Talbot Sandra L Cook Joseph A 2017 05 29 Historical biogeography sets the foundation for contemporary conservation of martens genus Martes in northwestern North America Journal of Mammalogy 98 3 715 730 doi 10 1093 jmammal gyx047 ISSN 0022 2372 a b dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Colella J P Frederick L M Talbot S L amp Cook J A 2021 Extrinsically reinforced hybrid speciation within Holarctic ermine Mustela spp produces an insular endemic Diversity and Distributions 00 1 16 Accessed at https www mammaldiversity org explore html species id 1006532 Colella J P Frederick L M Talbot S L amp Cook J A 2021 Extrinsically reinforced hybrid speciation within Holarctic ermine Mustela spp produces an insular endemic Diversity and Distributions 00 1 16 Accessed at https www mammaldiversity org explore html species id 1006533 dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game a b c Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Moose 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 6 2007 http www adfg state ak us pubs notebook biggame moose php Alaska Department of Fish amp Game American Bison 1994 Retrieved on September 2 2007 Wildlife Notebook Series American Bison Alaska Department of Fish and Game Archived from the original on 2010 08 24 Retrieved 2011 02 19 Bison Management Report of Survey Inventory Activities 2004 12 Retrieved on September 2 2007 http www wildlife alaska gov pubs techpubs mgt rpts bi04mt pdf 70 wood bison so far have arrived to Shageluk s 65 resident community KTVA 11 dfg webmaster alaska gov Alaska s Species Information Alaska Department of Fish and Game PDF dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game a b c d Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Caribou 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 6 2007 a b c d Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Mountain Goat 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 6 2007 http www adfg state ak us pubs notebook biggame mtn goat php Home muskoxfarm org Muskox 2 July 2019 a b Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Dall Sheep 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 8 2007 dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Monodon monoceros University of Alaska Museum a b Alaska Department of Fish amp Game Orca 2005 5 23 Retrieved on February 8 2007 a b c d e f g dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service PDF dfg webmaster alaska gov Alaska s Species Information Alaska Department of Fish and Game Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge alaskamaritime fws gov Archived from the original on 2005 11 21 O Farrell Thomas P 1 January 1965 The Rabbits of Middleton Island Alaska Journal of Mammalogy 46 3 525 527 doi 10 2307 1377668 JSTOR 1377668 dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game a b c d dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Archived from the original on 2009 04 30 Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game a b dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Microtus abbreviatus University of Alaska Museum www uaf edu Archived from the original on 2002 03 11 North American Mammals Microtus abbreviatus Image Information a b c d e dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game Phenacomys intermedius University of Alaska Museum dfg webmaster alaska gov Home Page Alaska Department of Fish and Game External links editKey to small mammals of Alaska Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of mammals of Alaska amp oldid 1193785690, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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