 Southeast
Alaska Nature & Wildlife
Nature and wildlife abound in this pristine paradise. From Orca
whales to Alaska brown bears, there are few places on earth that
have the abundance of wildlife found in the Southeastern Alaska
wilderness.
The Adventurous crew has a vast knowledge of the nature and wildlife
in this area and will share that as you cruise the Inside Passage.
If you would like to learn more about some of the animals and
natural wonder of Southeast Alaska, we have included some information
and links that may help you get more details. Each link will open
to a new window, so you can easily come back here to choose another.
Brown Bears (Grizzly) - Ursus Arctos
The term "brown bear" is commonly used to refer to the members
of this species found in coastal areas where salmon is the primary food
source. Brown bears found inland and in northern habitats are often called
"grizzlies." In this paper, brown bear is used to refer to all
members of Ursus arctos.
The brown bear resembles its close relative the black bear, Ursus
americanus. The brown bear, however, is usually larger, has a more
prominent shoulder hump, less prominent ears, and longer, straighter
claws. Both the prominent hump and the long claws of the brown
bear are adaptations that are related to feeding behavior. The
long claws are useful in digging for roots or excavating burrows
of small mammals. The musculature and bone structure of the hump
are adaptations for digging and for attaining bursts of speed necessary
for capture of moose or caribou for food. Color is not a reliable
key in differentiating these bears because both species have many
color phases. Black bears, for example, occur in many hues of brown,
and even shades of blue and white. Brown bear colors range from
dark brown through light blond.
Bear weights vary depending on the time of year. Bears weigh the
least in the spring or early summer. They gain weight rapidly during
late summer and fall and are waddling fat just prior to denning.
At this time most mature males weigh between 500 and 900 pounds
(180-410 kg) with extremely large individuals weighing as much
as 1,400 pounds (640 kg). Females weigh half to three-quarters
as much. An extremely large brown bear may have a skull 18 inches
long (46 cm) and 12 inches wide (30 cm). Such a bear, when standing
on its hind feet, is about 9 feet (2.7 m) tall. Inland bears are
usually smaller than coastal bears, probably because they do not
have a readily available supply of protein-rich food, such as salmon,
in their diet.
Brown bears have been known to live 34 years in the wild, though
this is rare. Usually, old males may reach 22 years. Old females
may live to 26. Brown bears have an especially good sense of smell
and under the right conditions may be able to detect odors more
than a mile distant. Their hearing and eyesight are probably equivalent
to that of humans. When bears stand upright, it is not to get ready
to charge but to test the wind and to see better.
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/biggame/brnbear.php
Orca (Killer Whale) -
Orcinus orca
The orca or "killer whale" can be found in all
oceans of the world. Many are found in the Arctic. The orca is
a striking sight, all black with a white underbelly and white
around the eyes. It has many sharp teeth that can be up to 5 inches
long. These help it to catch and eat its prey. The orca feed on
fish, seal, sea otters, walrus and sometimes other small whales.
Orcas are very strong swimmers. Aided by their large flippers,
they can move through the ocean at up to 25 miles per hour. The
orca is quite a social animal. It travels with 5-20 members of
its extended family known as its pod. The family has specific
calls and even hunts together sometimes. Calves are already eight
feet long at birth! Adult males grow to 27 feet and females are
usually slightly smaller. You can spot an orca in the water by
looking for its large dorsal fin. These fins can be six feet tall.
The Tlingit people of Alaska's seacoast create powerful images
of the killer whale in their artwork.
http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/orca.html
Bald Eagle - Haliaeeatus leucocephalus
General description: The Bald Eagle is so named for its conspicuous
white head and tail. The distinctive white adult plumage is
not attained until 5 or more years of age. Immature birds lack
this easily identifiable characteristic and can be confused with
the Golden Eagle. The immature Bald Eagle's unfeathered tarsi (lower
legs) and whitish wing linings on the forward part of the wings,
can be helpful distinctions where the two species coexist.
The Bald Eagle is Alaska's largest resident bird of prey (the Steller's
Sea Eagle is larger) with a wing span up to 7 1/2 feet (2.3
m) long and weights of 8 to 14 pounds (3.6-6.4 kg). Like many raptors,
females are larger than males.
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/bird/eagles.php
|
|
