Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
May 2011

Alaska Black Bears and the Ice Age
Newcomers to the Interior but Long in Southeast

By Riley Woodford

Southeast Alaska is home to some of the densest populations of bears in the world. But the distribution is peculiar – some islands have only brown bears, some only black bears, and some areas of the mainland have both. Biologists studying genetics and the relationships between different bear populations are developing a picture of how bears may have colonized the region and thrived after the ice age.

“What these studies have done is paint a history of Southeast Alaska, a description of ...   Black Bears ArticleContinued

Trail Camera Gallery
Features Remarkable Candid Wildlife Photos

By Riley Woodford

Pictures of hungry brown bears, curious marten and playful coyote puppies are just a few mouse clicks away on the Fish and Game website.

Dozens of candid wildlife images are featured in the department's new trail camera gallery on the ADF&G Wildlife Viewing website. The images were all taken by remote, motion-triggered cameras. Many of the images have been contributed by scientists, others by members of the public.

“This seems like a natural for the wildlife viewing site,” said ...   Trail Camera Gallery ArticleContinued

Managing Alaska’s King Salmon

By Ed Jones and Bob Chadwick

King salmon are the most highly preferred species of fish sought after by sport anglers fishing in Southeast Alaska (SEAK), and are equally valued by the commercial fishing industry. Fisheries management for this salmon species is complex, and involves regulatory processes in both international and domestic venues. Each year Alaska's king salmon all-gear harvest quota is established according to guidelines contained in the U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST), which was recently renegotiated ...   King Salmon ArticleContinued

Bear-Proofing Cabins
Prevents Bear Break-ins

By Elizabeth Manning

Gayle Nienhueser and his family have owned a cabin off the road system near Trapper Creek for 30 years. Bears would sometimes make their presence known by rubbing against a cabin corner or chewing on something like a snowmachine seat. But in all the time they have had the property, bears never broke into the main cabin or caused significant damage, Nienhueser said.

Then, between last August and early winter, bears broke in to the main cabin twice. Both times they left behind such a mess ...   Bear-Proofing Cabins ArticleContinued