Izembek Refuge is home to both the Southern Alaska Peninsula Caribou Herd on the peninsula from Herendeen Bay to Isanotski Straight and the Unimak Caribou Herd on Unimak Island. We conduct aerial winter surveys in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to obtain minimum population counts of the two herds. Aerial surveys are the primary management tool for determining population size and composition, so annual efforts are important in ensuring that populations are healthy and to soundly regulate harvest. These herds are an important resource for both subsistence and sport users in the region, as well as the large predators and scavengers that live on the refuge.

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A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
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A sunset over Izembek Lagoon with a cloudy sky reflecting over the water
Izembek National Wildlife Refuge
Alaska's Izembek National Wildlife Refuge lies between the highly productive waters of the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. The heart of the refuge is Izembek Lagoon, a coastal ecosystem that's home to one of the world's largest eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds. Hundreds of thousands of waterfowl,...
National Wildlife Refuge

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