Alaska Wildlife
Wildlife of the Arctic Refuge
According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arctic Refuge “supports the greatest variety of plant and animal life of any Park or Refuge in the circumpolar arctic.” The Coastal Plain, under threat for development, is known as the Biological Heart of the Arctic Refuge because it is the center for wildlife activity.
Caribou
The Coastal Plain is critically important and irreplaceable calving and nursing habitat for the over 120,000 strong Porcupine Caribou Herd. These caribou travel hundreds of miles in their annual migration to the Coastal Plain, where their gatherings are reminiscent of Africa’s Serengeti and the great herds of buffalo that once populated the Great Plains. Scientist say that protecting the Coastal Plain will help make the Porcupine caribou more resilient in the face of global warming.
Polar Bears
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed designating the polar bear as a threatened species. The Coastal Plain is the most significant on-shore polar bear denning habitat in the United States, a distinction that becomes more important given receding sea ice and the related increasing dependence of polar bears on the terrestrial environment.
Migratory Birds
Millions of birds, representing 194 species, migrate from all 50 states and six continents to the Refuge. One hundred thirty five species are found on the Coastal Plain, which provides nesting, rearing, and feeding habitat.
Other Key Species
The Coastal Plain is also home to grizzly bears, wolves, musk oxen and myriad other animals. Experts say that all of these species are threatened by oil drilling on the Coastal Plain.
