Hobbies And Interests
Medium-Sized Herbivores
Caribou, often called reindeer, is a species of deer that lives in the Alaskan tundra, and a significant herd resides in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. Both male and female caribou grow antlers. They often head north during the summer and can travel more than 600 miles. You might also see Sitka black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk and mountain goats. Dall sheep live in Alaska's mountain ranges, but they also can commonly be found on the tundra. They feature a white coat and large curled horns.
Muskox and Bison
The muskox is a long-haired animal similar to oxen that is stocky and features a short tail. The bulls grow up to 800 lbs. and 5 feet high at the shoulder, whereas cows average about 4 feet in height and weigh up to 500 lbs. You might also find herds of bison grazing through the tundra. Bison come in two subspecies: plains bison and the somewhat larger wood bison. A bison's oat changes color during the winter months to a lighter color in the spring, leading to shedding as the weather warms up.
Birds
One common tundra bird is the trumpeter swan, the largest waterfowl in the world, averaging up to 28 lbs. for males and 22 lbs. for females, with eggs as big as 5 inches long. Another species, the tundra swan, is about 2/3rds the size of a trumpeter swan. A wide variety of other bird species also frequent the Alaskan tundra. Although snowy owls favor the coasts, you may also find them hunting small rodents in the Alaskan tundra, as well as other birds of prey such as ospreys, sharp-shinned hawks and northern goshawks.
Bears
You can find brown, kodiak and grizzly bears and polar bears in the Alaskan tundra, although brown bears and polar bears are more typically found on the coast. These bears are omnivores that will eat a wide range of foods from salmon to berries to roots. Some bears will even take down the occasional moose or caribou.
Carnivorous Mammals and Prey
A coyote is a canine species that averages between 22 and 33 lbs. They are opportunistic feeders that hunt marmots, ground squirrels, muskrats and even Dall sheep. Wolves also wander the tundra, weighing up to 145 lbs. The tundra features two types of fox: the artic fox, a small white fox that sheds its coat in favor of brown fur in the summer, and the red fox, a slightly larger fox that sports a reddish coat and a white-tipped tail. The snowshoe hare is an important prey species for these carnivores, with a range that stretches across the state. The snow-white rabbits weigh about 3 to 4 lbs. and take on a yellowish to grayish-brown appearance with white underparts in the summer.