
For more information on Alaskan wildlife and ecosystems, visit the Alaska Nature and Science website or Alaska Park Science.
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- Denali National Park & Preserve
Large Mammals in Denali: How Many Are There?
- Type: Article
- Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve, Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve
The American peregrine falcon is one of the best known raptors in North America. For years, American peregrine populations declined due to problems with egg-shell thinning caused by persistent organic pollutants such as DDT. The American peregrine is one of three peregrine species found throughout North America, from northern Mexico all the way to Alaska.
- Type: Article
- Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Noatak National Preserve, Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve, Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve
Snowshoe hares live in the boreal forests of North America and are active year-round. They gain their curious name from their very large hind feet form a snowshoe, supporting their weight on the surface of the snow. Hares greatly influence the world around them, including the vegetation, predators, and other herbivores and omnivores that live in the same habitats.
- Type: Article
- Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve
Black-capped chickadees and boreal chickadees are tiny but tough songbirds that are year-round residents in many parts of Alaska.
- Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Cruise Ship – Humpback Whale Encounters In and Around Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
- Type: Article
- Locations: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Understanding how the presence of cruise ships may affect humpback whales is a research priority for managers of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. An observer boarded cruise ships in 2008 and 2009 to docu-ment how often and how close ships encountered whales as ships transited the park and adjacent waters.
- Type: Article
- Locations: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Sitka National Historical Park
- Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve
Life and Times of Tundra Plants: How Long Do They Live, and How They Are Responding to Climate Change
- Type: Article
- Locations: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Noatak National Preserve
Because certain lichen species are both abundant and sensitive to changes in the environment, they can serve as useful indicators of ecosystem health. When exposed to even low levels of certain pollutants, particularly sensitive species will decline or die, making lichen community composition a good indicator.
- Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Yellow Cedar on Glacier Bay's Outer Coast
- Type: Article
- Locations: Denali National Park & Preserve, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
Last updated: November 29, 2017