Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
September 2007

White Black Bears and Blonde Grizzlies
Alaska Bears Wear Coats of Many Colors

By Riley Woodford

State wildlife biologist Kevin White was flying a moose survey north of Juneau when he and the helicopter pilot spotted a group of strange animals.

“I thought, ‘Is that a brown bear with wolves?” White said. “I was thrown off by the color. It was these practically white bear cubs.”

The group of four bears included a sow and three cubs. One cub is distinctly more ‘normal' looking. White guessed the cubs are all about a year old – probably born last spring.

“I don't think ...   White Black Bears ArticleContinued

Protecting Moose Habitat in Homer

By Elizabeth Manning

As Homer grows from a small fishing village to a small Alaska city, undeveloped land becomes more and more valuable. Fortunately, some land is already being set aside to ensure moose will continue to have sufficient habitat both inside and outside Homer city limits.

One group helping to do that is Kachemak Moose Habitat Inc., a forward-thinking nonprofit established in 1996 as mitigation for the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Project which flooded moose habitat.

“The purpose of the ...   Saving Moose Habitat ArticleContinued

Boys Discover New Crab Species in Kachemak Bay
Community Monitoring Provides Bonus Results

By Terry Thompson

It was a typical summer morning in Halibut Cove, a small artisan community tucked into the south side of Kachemak Bay. Brothers Clem and Hunter Tillion were doing what many young boys dream of doing – exploring and looking for “gunnels and crabs” along the beach below their grandparents house.

Suddenly, 9-year-old Hunter yells to his 11-year-old older brother Clem to come look at a couple of crabs he found under a log. Hunter didn't recognize the crabs as anything that he or Clem had seen ...   New Crab Discovered ArticleContinued

Ben Grussendorf: Helping Alaskans Have
A Voice in Wildlife Management

By Scott Crass

When Ben Grussendorf shows up at a meeting of the Alaska Board of Game he could easily be mistaken for a trapper who has come to give his public testimony. Work pants, a flannel shirt and a plug of chew are his attire as he prepares to make decisions which are heard around the world. He speaks with the slow, even tempo of a man who chooses his words carefully.

Ben Grussendorf is a longtime member of the Alaska Board of Game, the state authority that passes regulations regarding Alaska's ...   Ben Grussendorf ArticleContinued

Recipe: Stuffed Moose Heart

By Keri Edwards

Credit for this recipe is due to my mother, Diana Edwards, who taught me how to make this.


Preparing the heart:
When the heart is still fresh, soak it in a bucket of cold sea water or fresh water to flush out the blood. Rinse well. Trim the fat and the tops of the valves off well so that the final product is mostly red and the top is relatively level, with clear access to the chambers of the heart. At this point, the heart can be kept in the freezer if wrapped well in saran wrap ...   Stuffed Moose Heart ArticleContinued