Alaska Wildlife Center

I learned that a moose has 4 stomachs!

I love seeing animals up here in Alaska - and yes I probably see just as many moose around town here in Anchorage than I do out in the real "wilderness!" But yesterday we headed down about an hour south to visit the Alaska Wildlife Center where they have a bunch of animals - most of which were orphaned at a young age and brought to the center and since they weren't raised in the wild and really taught how to survive they will have to stay here as well. But of course they have lots of land and it's great to showcase a lot of our animals that we have around the state!

Besides moose I have seen black bear out in the wild from the train by some of the rivers!

Elk are only on one island up here - much more common is the Caribou I just couldn't get a good shot of them because they are too far away. We also have the Black tailed sitka deer but that's down in the south east part of Alaska!

The Bison were at once hunted to extinction but have been reintroduced to the state and now we have five major herds!

And these guys the Musk Ox are very funny looking but also a part of our important animal population. The hair that grows just under their belly is called Quiviut which is suppossed to be extremely soft and very warm (only the natives can harvest and sell it!)

And then the ever notable Brown Bear (Grizzly Bear), this guy Hugo came right up to the gate to say hello. The Grizzly and the Brown bear are the same species a basic separation are that most brown bear live closer to the coast and grizzly's are more inland. But either way they were all really fun to see and learn more about!