Alaska Wildlife
The entire 23 million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) harbors rich and important wildlife and wild lands. Throughout its history, six special areas within the Reserve have been designated or recognized for their particularly outstanding wildlife resources:
Teshekpuk Lake Special Area
This massive wetlands complex in the Northeast Planning Area contains the core calving and insect relief area for the 45,000-head Teshekpuk Lake Caribou herd. The herd is a key subsistence resource for several North Slope communities.
The area is also one of the most important wetland complexes in the circumpolar Arctic. As many as 60,000 geese gather north of the Lake to molt, including up to 30% of all brant in the Pacific Flyway (37,000) and 6% of the mid-continent population of greater white-fronted geese.
Colville River
The cliffs along the Colville River provide critical nesting sites and adjacent food hunting areas for peregrine and gyrfalcons, golden eagles, and rough-legged hawks; two tributaries, the Kikiakrorak and Kogosukruk Rivers were added to this special area in 1999 because of their outstanding wildlife values.
Utukok River Uplands
This lush area in comprise critical calving areas for the 490,000-head Western Arctic Caribou Herd utilized by 40 villages throughout Western Alaska.
Kasegaluk Lagoon
A unique barrier island ecosystem within and adjacent to NPRA along the Chukchi Sea coast, this area has high marine mammal, fish, waterfowl and other wildlife values. These resources are heavily relied on by local subsistence users. Up to 3,500 belugas gather in the area to feed and bear their young. The area is also used by grizzly and polar bears.
Dease Inlet-Meade River wetlands are key habitats for waterfowl, loons, and shorebirds. Yellow-billed and red-throated loons, brant, white-fronted geese, king eider, and the threatened spectacled eider nest in high densities. Spotted seals have an important haul out area, and polar bears den along the outer shores.
Peard Bay wetlands provide important shorebird and waterfowl habitat including high nesting densities of spectacled eiders. It is also an important polar bear denning area.
