Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA Photograph by John Morrison   Northwestern North America: Western United States (Alaska) Boreal Forests/Taiga   18,500 square miles (47,800 square kilometers) -- about twice the size of Vermont Relatively Stable/Intact

· Bears to Salmon
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
More Photos

Bears to Salmon

Large numbers of bears make their home in this ecoregion, including the largest brown bears on Earth -- the Kodiak brown bears on Kodiak Island. One reason bears thrive here is the area's large salmon runs. Huge concentrations of migrating fish occur in summer and fall as the salmon make their way up the McNeil and other rivers of the region, including those in Katmai National Park.

Special Features

Most of this ecoregion consists of rounded ridges that rise to almost 4,000 feet (1,200 m), punctuated by volcanic peaks that can reach more that twice that height. The climate in this ecoregion is maritime, with lots of rain and moderate temperatures. Precipitation varies greatly, ranging from 24 to 160 inches, (60 to 400 cm) per year. The maritime climate keeps this area generally free of permafrost, but violent winter storms and occasional volcanic eruptions and ash fall on the region. Heavy storms on slopes of loose volcanic ash cause considerable erosion and disturb plant growth.

	Tufted puffins get their name from the two bright yellow clumps of feathers protruding from above their eyes. It takes several years for their distinctive orange bills to develop their full color and massive size.

Wild Side

The ecoregion provides seasonal resting habitat for migrating snow geese and other waterfowl. Exceptionally large seabird colonies exist along the coastlines as well. For example, Unimak Island supports more than 500,000 tufted puffins, and colonies in Stepovak Bay support 200,000 murres and 300,000 puffins. The ecoregion is also home to caribou, moose, ground squirrels, and hares. Dwarf scrub communities of crowberry, arctic willow, and white mountain-avens grow on higher slopes, while low scrub communities grow at lower elevations in areas that are more protected from the elements. Tall scrub communities, which include alder, willow, and sometimes balsam poplar, also grow at lower elevations.

Cause for Concern

Unlike many other ecoregions, this area is almost entirely intact. But that doesn't mean there's no cause for concern. Commercial fishing and processing, and subsistence fishing and hunting all occur within the region, but not yet at threating levels. Over-hunting of brown bears could cause a problem in the future. Gold, silver, lead, and copper have been mined on a small scale, and some coal and petroleum extraction occurs.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.