Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge

Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge covers 1,990,418 acres in the Kodiak Archipelago of southwestern Alaska. Established in 1941 and run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it is the home of the Kodiak brown bear, with an estimated 2,300 bears.[1]

Extent

The refuge includes the southwestern two-thirds of Kodiak Island, all of Ban Island and Uganik Island, and the Red Peaks area of Afognak Island. It lies within the Kodiak Island Borough, with administrative offices in the city of Kodiak.[1]

Waters

Seven major rivers and about 100 streams serve as spawning grounds for all five Pacific salmon species, steelhead, Dolly Varden and other fish.[1]

Wildlife

An estimated 2,300 Kodiak brown bears live on the refuge, and 250 bird species nest there, many feeding on salmon, with about 1,200 bald eagle nests each year. Six native mammals live on the island: Kodiak bear, red fox, river otter, ermine, little brown bat and tundra vole. Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goat, Roosevelt elk, caribou, marten, red squirrel, snowshoe hare and beaver were introduced between the 1920s and 1950s and are now hunted and trapped.[1]

Environment

The climate is mild and rainy, with dense Sitka spruce forest at low elevations, grassland in drier areas, alder shrub and alpine habitat higher up, and several small glaciers.[1]

Access

No road reaches the refuge from outside, so visitors arrive by floatplane or boat from Kodiak. A private road serving the Terror Lake hydroelectric facility crosses part of it and is closed to public use.[1]

FAQs

How many bears live there? About 2,300 Kodiak brown bears.

When was it established? 1941.

Can you drive there? No, access is by air or boat.

Which salmon spawn there? All five Pacific salmon species.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue