Wildlife

Mammals

Moose

From 1941-1980, the Kenai National Moose Range (now the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge) was managed primarily "to protect the breeding and feeding ranges of the giant Kenai moose" . Moose populations on the Kenai peninsula were declining in the early to mid 1900's until a large wild fire in 1947 produced excellent habitat that supported high moose numbers in the northern portion of the Kenai NWR. Moose are the largest member of the deer family. While they occur in the lower 48, Alaskan moose are the largest in North America. The biggest bulls can be 7 ½ feet tall at the shoulders, weigh 1800 lbs., and have antlers that span more than6 feet.

Caribou

After a 50 year absence from the Kenai peninsula, caribou were reintroduced into their original range in the mid 1960's. These releases resulted in the establishment of 2 caribou herds, a mountain herd near Hope (now with >400 caribou) and a lowland herd, often seen near Kenai and the Kenai River Flats (>100 caribou). Despite the success of the 1960's reintroduction, much of the central and southern regions of the Refuge were still unoccupied by caribou. In 1985 and 1986, 80 additional caribou were released at four sites in the Tustumena Lake and Caribou Hills area to the South. These reintroductions resulted in the establishment of three new herds on the Kenai Peninsula, designated as Twin Lakes Herd, Killey River Herd, and Fox River Herd. These herds totaled 73, 376, and 81 respectively as of June 1997.

Dall Sheep

The Kenai NWR is one of a few Refuges in the United States (others are the Arctic NWR and Tetlin NWR) which support Dall sheep. There are an estimated 900-1300 sheep in the eastern Kenai Mountains. Dall sheep share their mountainous habitat on the Refuge with an estimated 500-700 mountain goats.

Mountain Goat

The Kenai Mountains are home to the only goat-like ungulate in North America. The mountain goat, as its name implies, occupies rugged, steep mountainous terrain. They can be found from sea level up to 10,000 feet. This habitat provides safety from predators such as bears or wolves. Mountain goats are often confused with Dall Sheep but are distinguished by their longer hair, deeper chest and slender black horns. It is difficult to distinguish males from females unless the female is accompanied by a kid.

Mountain goats mate in November and December. Usually a single kid is born in late May or early June after a gestation period of approximately 180 days. Kids are precocious and can keep up with their mothers within hours after birth. Mountain goats can live up to 15 years.

Mountain goats are browsing and grazing animals, feeding on grasses, herbs and low-growing shrubs.

Black Bear

Black bears are common in all forest habitats on the refuge. They also occur above tree line in the Kenai Mountains. Densities average around one bear per 1.6 square miles.

Black bears are born in the den following a gestation period of 7 months. Cubs are blind and nearly hairless at birth, weighing under a pound. Litter size is usually one to four, two being most common. Bears mature sexually at 3-6 year. Mating takes place from mid-May until early July.

Black bears average 200-300 pounds for adults. Males are larger than females. They are considerably lighter in spring, upon emerging from their dens, and much heavier in the fall.

Black bears feed on a wide variety of foods. They are opportunistic, and utilize vegetation, berries, and animal matter. Moose calves make up an important food for Kenai Peninsula black bears in the spring. When salmon choke streams in summer they become a prime source of food. During fall, ripening berries of American devil's club, lowbush cranberry, blueberry, and other berries become a major part of the diet.

Brown Bear

Brown bears are a species of concern on the Refuge because of their small population size (unknown but estimated at 100-300). Mortality of bears from incidental "defense of life and property" kills and sport harvest are believed to be exceeding the amount the population can sustain. Because of this concern, a study has been initiated to learn more about brown bear ecology on the peninsula.

Wolf

The wolf was exterminated by man on the Kenai Peninsula by about 1915, primarily by the use of poisons during the gold prospecting and mining period. Wolves remained absent from the Kenai peninsula for about 50 years (except for a few rare sightings) until they naturally recolonized in the late 1960's. By the mid 1970's most wolf habitat was again occupied by wolves. Several recent studies (1976-1981, 1982-1993) have focused on wolf-moose relationships, harvest, pack size and dispersal movements of wolves in the northern portion of the Kenai NWR. From the 1980's to early 1990's average wolf pack territory size in the northern half of the Refuge ranged from 180-850 km2. The Refuge supports an estimated 80-90 wolves in at least 5 -7 packs.

Coyote

During the same period (1915-1965) wolves were absent from the peninsula, coyotes in North America were extending their range northward and soon began colonizing the Kenai Peninsula. Because of intense competition between coyote and foxes, it is believed that coyotes took over much of the habitat occupied by foxes. Since coyotes appear to be the most adaptable of the 3 canid species, they continue to survive well on the Kenai peninsula, especially in areas of high human development which are avoided by wolves.

Lynx

The Lynx is the only native North American cat in Alaska, and it is subject to periodic 8- 13 year cycles of abundance and decline. Lynx are similar to Lower 48 bobcat but have longer legs, and long tufts of fur on their ears. Broad, heavily furred paws help the 20-40 lbs. cats travel quickly and silently across deep snow as they track their major prey, the snowshoe hare.

Wolverine

Wolverines are the largest land-dwelling member of the mustelid family and are extremely rare in the continental United States. They are also extremely rare on the western lowlands of the Refuge. Occasionally wolverine tracks in snow in alpine areas can be seen from an airplane, and if followed, a wolverine can sometimes be observed. Primarily a scavenger, wolverine have powerful jaws for eating the frozen meat of winter-killed animals, and large teeth to crush the bones and skin of carcasses left behind by wolves and bears. Wolverine are solitary animals, coming together only for a brief mating season. Males have territories of up to 240 mi2 and travel up to 40 miles/day in search of food; females maintain smaller territories of 50-100 mi2. Because the species requires expansive tracks of undisturbed wilderness, wolverine have all but disappeared from much of their historical range in the Lower 48.

Marten

Marten are very scarce on the Refuge and currently occur only in limited mountainous habitat on the Refuge's eastern side. Recent studies suggest little successful reproduction occurs there, and that scarcity of food may be a seasonal problem. It is unknown why marten do not occur on the remainder of the Refuge but periodic lack of adequate snow cover for insulation in winter, and fires destroying mature forest areas in the past are possible explanations.

River Otter

Ermine

Snowshoe hare

Populations build and crash on a 8-13 year cycle, which directly affects lynx populations. When hare numbers are high, most older female lynx successfully rear kittens. When hare numbers are low, few lynx reproduce. In the absence of hares, lynx switch to squirrels, grouse, voles and - as observed on the Kenai NWR - even feed off of winter killed moose carcasses to supplement their diet.

Porcupine

Beaver

The Only Amphibian:
Wood Frog

The wood frog is the only North American amphibian living in the Arctic. The 3 inch frog is found in small ponds, muskeg, and forests. Wood frogs get through the winter by sleeping through it, under a blanket of dead vegetation and snow. They lay eggs in shallow ponds or edges of large lakes in late April to mid-May. World wide declines among many amphibians prompted baseline surveys of the distribution and abundance of wood frogs on the Kenai NWR beginning in 1991.

Last updated: September 11, 2008