 In Southeast Alaska, the watery surroundings offer more than just a chance to get away. It's also an excursion into a wilderness wonderland. Fifty-foot humpback whales feed in the rich Southeast waters. Seals and sea lions are even more common and can be seen lounging on buoys or haul-outs. Sea otters inhabit the outer coast shorelines and islands near Sitka. Killer whales, although less often seen, may appear at any time.
Flocks of hundreds of thousands of shorebirds migrate through Southeast in the spring. Eagles prosper on a rich diet of spawning salmon during the summer and fall.
The world's largest concentration of brown bears inhabits nearby Admiralty Island, a photographer's delight! Black bears are more common along the mainland. Sitka blacktail deer seem to live everywhere. Mountain goats may be seen on rocky ledges in fjords or high on mountain peaks.
The unique variety of marine life and wildlife is a defining characteristic of Southeast Alaska, attracting scientists, visitors, and others to this special part of the globe.
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