Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
February 2026

Caribou can Thrive in Winter
Lactating females can gain fat

Animals in the North put on fat for winter, not in winter – according to conventional thinking. But wildlife researchers in Alaska found that caribou on the snow-covered and windswept tundra of Southwest Alaska gained body fat and muscle mass in winter.

Biologists examined lactating and pregnant caribou in the fall, and again in late winter, twice a year for two-and-a-half years. They consistently gained body fat between October and March, averaging about a three-percentage ...   Caribou thrive Article Continued

Are Bears in Winter Okay Buried Under Deep Snow?
Ask a Wildlife Biologist

A massive dump of snow buried Southeast Alaska in December 2025, and a Juneau resident shared her concern about buried bears.

“I am worried about bears hibernating. With all the snow blocking their dens, are they going to have enough oxygen while they are sleeping? Are they going to be able to get out of their den if it’s packed ice?”

Several knowledgeable wildlife biologists pitched in to answer. Anthony Crupi, based in Juneau, spent decades studying ...   Buried bears Article Continued

Wildlife Programs for Winter
Experts share insights - from Pikas to Parasites

A collared pika scampers across a talus slope with a mouthful of flowers. Biologists with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and their colleagues, have captured and tagged close to 135 collared pikas in recent years to learn more about their survival, vulnerability and foraging. Wildlife Biologist Arin Underwood shares her work with the elusive lagomorphs (cousins to rabbits and hares) in February as one of several presentations this winter. These are live online and readily accessible participants ...   Wildlife Programs Article Continued

Repairs and Improvements Made
to the Oliver Inlet Tramway

A project to improve the Oliver Inlet Tramway on Admiralty Island near Juneau has been completed.

Admiralty Island is popular with deer hunters; it’s also home to a couple thousand brown bears and is well-known for bear viewing. The tramway is used by hunters during hunting season and by kayakers and visitors enjoying bear viewing and other outdoor recreation opportunities in Seymour canal and on the island. The Seymour Canal Public-Use Cabin, administered by Alaska ...   Oliver Inlet Tramway Article Continued