CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF CHAMBER ildlife W ur O atch W All other photos © ADF&G. © photos other All Black bear ©Mike Truex • Dusky Canada geese ©Sean Meade • Delta wetlands ©Ron Niebrugge ©Ron wetlands Delta • Meade ©Sean geese Canada Dusky • Truex ©Mike bear Black Fish and Game and Fish Western sandpiper cover ©Milo Burcham • Moose ©Cori Indelicato • Dunlin ©Bob Armstrong ©Bob Dunlin • Indelicato ©Cori Moose • Burcham ©Milo cover sandpiper Western Photos of Department Alaska center at 414 First Street. First 414 at center call (907) 424-7260. If you’re in town, stop by the visitor visitor the by stop town, in you’re If 424-7260. (907) call www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov Chamber of Commerce. Visit www.cordovachamber.com or or www.cordovachamber.com Visit Commerce. of Chamber For information on tours and lodging, consult the Cordova Cordova the consult lodging, and tours on information For neighboring communities, including Valdez and Whittier. Whittier. and Valdez including communities, neighboring visit www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov. www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov. visit For more information on wildlife viewing across Alaska, Alaska, across viewing wildlife on information more For eastern Prince William Sound. Ferry service links Cordova and and Cordova links service Ferry Sound. William Prince eastern Commercial fishing continues to be an economic mainstay in in mainstay economic an be to continues fishing Commercial in stores and online. online. and stores in Guide Viewing Wildlife Coastal commercial fisheries and gold mining soon followed. soon mining gold and fisheries commercial Alaska’s South South Alaska’s for check and trail coastal the along of Russian America in 1867, and the development of of development the and 1867, in America Russian of and Unalaska. Pick up community brochures brochures community up Pick Unalaska. and and military expeditions arrived after the U.S. purchase purchase U.S. the after arrived expeditions military and Kodiak, Sand Point, Chignik, Cold Bay, False Pass Pass False Bay, Cold Chignik, Point, Sand Kodiak, trading post in the area in the late 1700s. American traders traders American 1700s. late the in area the in post trading Valdez, Whittier, Whittier, Valdez, and Eyak people. The Russians established a thriving thriving a established Russians The people. Eyak and Cordova, Cordova, lands were the hunting and fishing grounds of the Chugach Chugach the of grounds fishing and hunting the were lands the communities of of communities the Before the first European contact in the mid-1700s, these these mid-1700s, the in contact European first the Before sites in and around around and in sites wildlife recreationists of all kinds. kinds. all of recreationists wildlife of wildlife viewing viewing wildlife of and thriving moose and bear populations, the region draws draws region the populations, bear and moose thriving and Trail highlights dozens dozens highlights Trail River wild salmon, millions of migrating shorebirds in spring spring in shorebirds migrating of millions salmon, wild River segment of the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Viewing Wildlife Coastal Alaska the of segment diverse abundant wildlife. Home to the world famous Copper Copper famous world the to Home wildlife. abundant diverse Bay to the whales of Unalaska, the South Coastal Coastal South the Unalaska, of whales the to Bay marine waters, Cordova is surrounded by natural beauty and and beauty natural by surrounded is Cordova waters, marine bears of Kodiak Island, from the caribou of Cold Cold of caribou the from Island, Kodiak of bears A coastal fishing town tucked between mountains and and mountains between tucked town fishing coastal A From the shorebirds of Cordova to the brown brown the to Cordova of shorebirds the From Treasure Guide Guide Guide Guide Cordova: Alaska’s Hidden Hidden Alaska’s Cordova: Viewing Viewing Viewing Viewing Wildlife Wildlife Wildlife Wildlife CORDOVA Wildlife Viewing Tips Traveling Safely in Bear Country Keep a Low Profile. Enjoy watching animals’ Make noise (sing, clap, talk) while you travel to reduce natural behaviors and try not to attract their attention your chances of surprising a bear. Be especially alert with sounds. If your presence is causing an animal Wildlife Viewing Fun Facts along noisy streams, in thick brush and when visibility is to stop feeding or act restless, give it more space. Be Tideland tidbits: Shorebirds are well adapted to finding poor. Always keep your belongings (backpack, food, fish, especially respectful of nesting and denning areas, food. Short-legged species run back and forth with water’s ebb etc.) with you or in bear-resistant storage. rookeries and calving grounds, and critical feeding and flow to reach exposed invertebrates areas. With whales, avoid causing them to change their If you see a bear, stay calm. If the bear does not notice on the beach. Others poke their behavior; approach no closer than 100 yards. you, leave quietly, keeping your eyes on the bear. If it bills up and down in the mud does notice you, face the bear, wave your arms and talk Time it Right. Dawn and dusk are when many like sewing machines to search to it calmly. If it approaches you, stand your ground. wildlife species are most active. Midday warmth for tasty morsels. Long-billed energizes dragonflies and butterflies and creates shorebirds open just the tip of Never run from a bear, you may provoke a chase. Also, thermals for eagles and hawks. Low tides expose tide their bills when they probe to if a bear is surprised at close distance, it may feel threatened pools and a wealth of food for birds and mammals. collect a bit of food without a mouthful and act defensively, especially if it has cubs or food. Look for Clues. Tracks, droppings, trails and twigs of mud too. Their prey are tiny and plentiful protein-packed If a bear strikes, play dead or fight back. The choice tell stories of wildlife: what they are eating, where invertebrates. The shorebird species that are most abundant depends on whether the bear is acting defensively or they live and when they passed through. Noticing and in spring–Western sandpiper and dunlin (above)–favor considering you as prey. For a defensive bear, lie on your reading these clues adds richness to wildlife viewing. small pink clams known as Baltic macoma. These clams reach front, keep your backpack on, protect your face and neck, Tracking books and workshops will help you learn. densities as high as 5,000 clams a square yard. Slow growers, and remain still. In the rare instance of a predatory bear, they may live up to eight years on the delta–unless a shorebird fight back. To learn more, visit www.alaskabears.alaska.gov. Help Keep Wildlife Wild. Never feed wild eats them first. In the spring the delta is an important stopover animals. Doing so can cause them to associate people for millions of shorebirds heading north but in the fall the birds with food, which can cause trouble (it’s illegal too). are more dispersed. No longer in a rush to breed, they may stop Human food can also make animals sick. at wetlands other than the main ones and their journey south Be Considerate of Others. People use and is a relatively more leisurely affair. enjoy Alaska’s wildlife in a variety of ways. Respect Agile climbers: Mountain goats, shaggy sure-footed private property and give hunters, anglers and others ungulates (hoofed animals), can out plenty of space. climb many predators thanks to STAY SAFE! their unique foot structure. Their The mountains, trails, islands and waterways hooves have hard, sharp edges of the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail are surrounding rubbery concave wild lands. For safety, take a guided tour or a footpads that act like suction companion, let someone know your plans and be cups when weight is applied. The prepared for emergencies with spare clothes, a two halves of the hoof also move first aid kit and a means of communication. Visit the Alaska State Parks’ Staying Safe web page for Dusky Canada geese nest almost solely on the Copper River Delta independently of one another, resulting in a better grip. details: www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/safety. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF CHAMBER ildlife W ur O atch W All other photos © ADF&G. © photos other All Black bear ©Mike Truex • Dusky Canada geese ©Sean Meade • Delta wetlands ©Ron Niebrugge ©Ron wetlands Delta • Meade ©Sean geese Canada Dusky • Truex ©Mike bear Black Fish and Game and Fish Western sandpiper cover ©Milo Burcham • Moose ©Cori Indelicato • Dunlin ©Bob Armstrong ©Bob Dunlin • Indelicato ©Cori Moose • Burcham ©Milo cover sandpiper Western Photos of Department Alaska center at 414 First Street. First 414 at center call (907) 424-7260. If you’re in town, stop by the visitor visitor the by stop town, in you’re If 424-7260. (907) call www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov Chamber of Commerce. Visit www.cordovachamber.com or or www.cordovachamber.com Visit Commerce. of Chamber For information on tours and lodging, consult the Cordova Cordova the consult lodging, and tours on information For neighboring communities, including Valdez and Whittier. Whittier. and Valdez including communities, neighboring visit www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov. www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov. visit For more information on wildlife viewing across Alaska, Alaska, across viewing wildlife on information more For eastern Prince William Sound. Ferry service links Cordova and and Cordova links service Ferry Sound. William Prince eastern Commercial fishing continues to be an economic mainstay in in mainstay economic an be to continues fishing Commercial in stores and online. online. and stores in Guide Viewing Wildlife Coastal commercial fisheries and gold mining soon followed. soon mining gold and fisheries commercial Alaska’s South South Alaska’s for check and trail coastal the along of Russian America in 1867, and the development of of development the and 1867, in America Russian of and Unalaska.