Wildlife Watching
At Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
Though remote, abundant and unique species make wildlife watching on Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge a joy.
Although access is difficult, the birds and mammals are easy to see once you get there. Cliffs swarming with seabirds, rafts of seaducks offshore in winter, otters, sea lions, birds blown in from Asia, and rare and unique species are viewing highlights. Lagoons (like Clam Lagoon on Adak Island) can offer a haven for wildlife like sea otters from predation by orcas.
Most Wanted
Look here for the easiest access on the refuge to some of coastal Alaska's most sought after species:
- Horned puffins - The Chiswell Islands, Barren Islands, the Pribilofs
- Tufted puffins - St. Lazaria near Sitka, and islands near Seward, Homer, Kodiak
- Steller sea lion - Chiswell Islands near Seward
- Otters - Seward, Homer, Kodiak, Sitka waters, Clam Lagoon on Adak Island (full of otters with their squealy pups)
- Eagles - Homer, Seward, Adak, Unalaska, throughout the refuge
- Whales - near Seward, Barren Islands near Homer, near Sitka
- Harbor seals - throughout SE Alaska, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Aleutians including Adak (where you can see seals hauled out on the mudflats or hunting under the bridge across the entrance to the lagoon.
