C
risp, early morning air fills your lungs as the sun glistens tranquilly across the surrounding ocean. Without warning, the surface of the water nearby breaks open to reveal the smooth, glossy back of a humpback whale. The massive creature emerges with majestic grandeur, rolling the length of its body above the surface and raising its white-patched tail in final salute before disappearing into the deep.
WILDLIFE CALENDAR
The water and land surrounding Sitka are well known for abundant and diverse wildlife.
Humpback Whale - Alaska Stock
Whether you dream of having an experience with one of the largest mammals on earth or watching loveable sea otters floating with their babies, a wildlife boat tour will bring your dreams within easy reach. Each excursion promises a unique showing of wild neighbors. For whale watching at its peak, come to Sitka in November for Sitka WhaleFest, when our surrounding waters are teeming with whales prior to their winter migration. Besides whales and sea otters, expect to see seals, sea lions and a variety of sea birds, such as puffins, rhinoceros auklets, murres and black oystercatchers.
On the shore, plentiful bald eagles hunt from tall pines, brown bears grab salmon from freshwater streams and the aptly named Sitka black-tailed deer forage for food. Join a guided sightseeing tour to seek inland animals, view marine life from the shores, and visit some of our wildlife centers. The Sitka Sound Science Center brings sea life to you. See a rearticulated killer whale that washed up on a nearby shore, and get a tactile experience with one of many touch tanks that encourages hands-on interaction with starfish, anemones, abalone and barnacles. The facility also breeds four different types of salmon, serves as a hatchery, and releases smolts into Sitka Sound each May. A memorable experience with coastal brown bears awaits you at the Fortress of the Bear, a refuge for orphaned brown bears cubs who would otherwise be euthanized. The sanctuary allows visitors to see bears at play in a naturalized environment. Have a close-encounter with majestic bald eagles at the Alaska Raptor Center, a sanctuary that helps to rehabilitate injured raptors and release them back into the wild. Many other birds of prey from around the state can be viewed on site, including greathorned owls, golden eagles and red-tailed hawks.
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Bald Eagle - Clark Mishler
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