Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
February 2020

Fish and Wildlife Management in the United States
Article 2: Today’s Management Model

By Rick Merizon

Have you purchased your 2020 fishing or hunting license yet? What are you waiting for? Your purchase of a fishing or hunting license creates amazing power for management, monitoring, and research of your fish and wildlife resources.

Those of you that are regular readers of Alaska Fish and Wildlife News (AFWN) may remember the introduction in January (see ‘Reflecting on Our Shared Resources a Historical Perspective on Wildlife Management’) of a four-part series exploring ...   F&G management Article Continued

Wildlife Viewing in Alaska
McNeil Bears, Round Island Walrus

By Ed Weiss

If you’ve ever wanted to view bears up close in their natural environment, then viewing brown bears at McNeil River State Game Sanctuary could be your next big adventure.

Each summer the incredible brown bears of the Alaskan Peninsula gather at the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary to feast on salmon returning to their natal streams. And the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and some lucky visitors are there to observe the spectacle, up close and personal. The ADF&G ...   Wildlife Viewing Article Continued

Collared Pika
Big Questions about a Little Animal

By Riley Woodford

Bears and whales are part of Alaska’s charismatic megafauna thanks to their size and appeal. Collared pikas, on the other hand, are admittedly smaller but equally charismatic due to their intrepid nature and ability to survive extreme environments. This species is thought to be an important indicator of changing alpine ecosystems.

Cousins to hares and rabbits (lagomorphs) and the size of a large hamster, pikas can be seen deftly scampering across alpine talus slopes, often carrying ...   Collared Pika Article Continued