Spotting Wildlife In Alaska

In Alaska, some say the moose are running the city of Anchorage. Hundreds mill around, feasting on sweet grass and birch shrubs within city limits, weighing as much as 1,600 pounds! Grizzlies, black bears and polar bears mostly keep to themselves, stalking down their prey in the remote parts of the 49th state. There are bald eagles soaring overhead, humpback whales and orcas patrolling the sea, the red fox eats a furry pika on the tundra and there are sea otters playing alongside boats for the entertainment of spectators. If you're captivated by wildlife and want a more up close view, then an Alaskan adventure is a must!

Whale-watching is one of the main tours that people take in the state of Alaska. "The time the cruise ships are up there is when humpbacks and orcas are feeding, so there's a good chance you'll see them," says Robert Blythman, director for Carnival Cruise Lines. He says some excursions, like the Whale Watching and Wildlife Quest in Auke Bay, comes with a money back guarantee. "It's a 100 percent guarantee that you'll see the otters," Blythman added, noting that there are 70,000 of these playful critters swimming in Alaskan waters.

He personally recommends the Sea Otter Quest from the town of Sitka. Humpback whales and killer whales can be seen surfacing and breeching the Inside Passage, which is a popular Alaskan cruise route, or in Prince William Sound, the Kodiak archipelago, Glacier Bay National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park. Humpbacks sometimes disappear for thirty minutes at a time, but the orcas usually move in pods with the ships.

Beluga whales are most easily seen in Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm, near Anchorage. Many drivers pull over between Beluga Point (Mile 110) and Bird Point Scenic Overlook (Mile 96) for a magnificent view of these endangered whales. Bowhead whales, the state marine mammal of Alaska, can be seen in the Arctic Ocean and the Northern Bering Sea.

No one ever forgets the first time seeing a bald eagle in Alaska. There are 30,000 of these endangered birds of prey, which can be seen along the coast and just inland. Thousands of eagles, with 7-foot wing spans line the Stikine River, which is near Wrangell and Petersburg in the Inside Passage. In the fall, you will see them snagging chum salmon from the Chilkat River in Haines. Haines is also home to the annual Bald Eagle Festival in Mid-November, where you'll see 3,000 bald eagles swooping down to feed. Golden eagles can be spotted in the Alaska Range and at Denali National Park. Steller's Sea Eagles have been seen near Manokotak and Bristol Bay in southwestern part of the state.

To improve your wildlife viewing while in Alaska, you should bring binoculars and remain quiet on the trails. At Denali National Park, the Tundra tours have high-powered video cameras to show you a more close-up image of the animals outside, yet you will have the option of purchasing the DVD after the trip. Early morning and dusk are the best times to spot wildlife, unless you're at the Anchorage Zoo.

Even though a bear tour is offered at 11am, it's best to hit the 7am tour if you want to see anything worthwhile. Additionally, choosing the right season is crucial to your Alaskan wildlife viewing experience. For instance, the best time to see bears at Denali National Park is May to September or July through August at the Anan Wildlife Observatory in the Tongass National Forest. October is the best season for bald eagles in Haines.

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