Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Encyclopedia
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a conservation center dedicated to preserving Alaska's wildlife
. The center is located on 170 acres (68.8 ha) at the southern edge of Turnagain Arm and the entrance to Portage Valley in the Municipality of Anchorage.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a refuge
for orphaned or injured wildlife, as well as home or temporary home to captive born and translocated wildlife such as wood bison
. The center has reintroduced moose
, elk
, and red fox
back into Alaska, and is currently involved in a program for the reintroduction of the Wood Bison
.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is open daily March through December, and on weekends in January and February.
Services, Inc. dba Big Game Alaska."
In 1999, the center became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
, "Big Game Alaska, Inc. dba the Alaska Wildlife Conservation
Center (AWCC)," with Miller serving as the center's executive director. The name was officially changed to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Inc. in 2007.
, coyote
, brown bear
, black bear
, moose
, elk
, musk ox
, sitka black tailed deer, caribou, lynx
and raptors.
All of the animals are cared for in large natural habitats, including enclosures designed for the display of multiple (mixed) species. For instance, three brown bears live in an 18 acres (7.3 ha) habitat of rolling brushland and conifers, and two black bears are housed in a 14 acres (5.7 ha) enclosure with a stream.
and tours in self-guided, drive-through or walk-through formats.
, elk
, and red fox
back into Alaska.
Starting in 2003, the center has taken part in a program to reintroduce the wood bison
back into Alaska after a 100 year absence. The wood bison is the largest land mammal in North America, and is a keystone grazing herbivore from the region. The first release date is scheduled for 2011. This project is a joint effort with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game
and other conservation groups.
The B.E.A.R.S. (Bear Education Awareness Research Sanctuary) exhibit, will be 11000 square feet (1,021.9 m²) "green" facility that will include habitat enhancements and a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) expansion for the center's brown and black bear residents. In addition, an interpretive educational center and conservation research facility dedicated to advancing the public's awareness and appreciation for Alaska's bears (the polar bear, American black bear and grizzly or brown bear) is currently under development. The facility will permit visitors to explore interactive experiences featuring thematic displays of Alaska's bears while offering viewing of our own bears ambassadors on exhibit from inside the interpretive center or via webcam. Education and outreach programs will serve as the foundation for B.E.A.R.S. engagement programs. Conservation and science initiatives will serve to support the facility's outreach programs. The center has dedicated staff to develop B.E.A.R.S. as a resource hub for Alaskan Bear Conservation programs, inviting international colleagues and enthusiasts to visit and convey conservation message for Alaska's bears and the five other species around the world.
The B.E.A.R.S. exhibit will introduce visitors to the AWCC's resident bear ambassadors and immerse patrons in a interactive experience through thematic displays featuring cultural and historical artifacts and information on bears as they have coexisted with early man to current day conflict with human-habituated bears to eco-tourism and bear viewing in Alaska.
The building itself will provide some replicate Alaskan native architecture and contemporary displays to highlight sustainable and eco-conscious practices for sharing the world with the animal kingdom. B.E.A.R.S will speak to Alaska's bruins which live amidst the last strong-holds for these iconic species. In addition to interactive gallery exhibits, a 200 seat auditorium, dedicated rooms for lecture and conference, a gift shop, public, bathroom facilities, administrative offices, and outdoor platforms for bear viewing will be included in the exhibit. A special area will also be developed to observe the bears during hibernation.
In June 2010, Dr. Jordan Schaul joined the AWCC staff as a conservation biologist for the center and the curator for B.E.A.R.S. Active in global bear
conservation, he serves as an ex officio council member to the International Association for Bear Research and Management
(IBA) and a member of the Coordinators' Committee of the Bear Specialist Group
of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
in 2007, and "Into the Wild," starring Emile Hirsch
. Other special guests to the center include Jungle Jack Hanna
who filmed a segment for his syndicated program, Harrison Ford
and his family, the Secretary of the Interior and regular guests include former governor Sarah Palin's
parents.
Board Member and Interim Development Director, Steve Mendive, was featured on The Today Show after a humbling and dangerous encounter with the dominant wood bison bull "Bob #34," the only wood bison in the world to have his own Facebook page.
In July 2010 the center's resident porcupine, "Snickers," gained worldwide publicity from video footage in which the friendly rodent appeared to behave like a puppy. The video went 'viral' on the internet in a matter of days. Actress Sandra Dee Robinson is the spokesperson for the center.
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
. The center is located on 170 acres (68.8 ha) at the southern edge of Turnagain Arm and the entrance to Portage Valley in the Municipality of Anchorage.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a refuge
Wildlife refuge
A wildlife refuge, also called a wildlife sanctuary, may be a naturally occurring sanctuary, such as an island, that provides protection for species from hunting, predation or competition, or it may refer to a protected area, a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected...
for orphaned or injured wildlife, as well as home or temporary home to captive born and translocated wildlife such as wood bison
Wood Bison
The Wood Bison, Bison bison athabascae, also called Mountain Bison, Wood Buffalo or Mountain Buffalo, is a distinct northern subspecies or ecotype of the American Bison...
. The center has reintroduced moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, and red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
back into Alaska, and is currently involved in a program for the reintroduction of the Wood Bison
Wood Bison
The Wood Bison, Bison bison athabascae, also called Mountain Bison, Wood Buffalo or Mountain Buffalo, is a distinct northern subspecies or ecotype of the American Bison...
.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is open daily March through December, and on weekends in January and February.
History
Founded by Mike Miller, The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center opened in 1993 as the for-profit "Sourdough DevelopmentServices, Inc. dba Big Game Alaska."
In 1999, the center became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, "Big Game Alaska, Inc. dba the Alaska Wildlife Conservation
Center (AWCC)," with Miller serving as the center's executive director. The name was officially changed to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Inc. in 2007.
Animals
Animals at the center include arctic foxArctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, musk ox
Musk Ox
The muskox is an Arctic mammal of the family Bovidae, noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor emitted by males, from which its name derives. This musky odor is used to attract females during mating season...
, sitka black tailed deer, caribou, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
and raptors.
All of the animals are cared for in large natural habitats, including enclosures designed for the display of multiple (mixed) species. For instance, three brown bears live in an 18 acres (7.3 ha) habitat of rolling brushland and conifers, and two black bears are housed in a 14 acres (5.7 ha) enclosure with a stream.
Education
The center offers educational programsEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and tours in self-guided, drive-through or walk-through formats.
Conservation
The AWWC has reintroduced mooseMoose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, and red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
back into Alaska.
Starting in 2003, the center has taken part in a program to reintroduce the wood bison
Wood Bison
The Wood Bison, Bison bison athabascae, also called Mountain Bison, Wood Buffalo or Mountain Buffalo, is a distinct northern subspecies or ecotype of the American Bison...
back into Alaska after a 100 year absence. The wood bison is the largest land mammal in North America, and is a keystone grazing herbivore from the region. The first release date is scheduled for 2011. This project is a joint effort with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of Alaska. The Department of Fish and Game manages Alaska's fish, game, and aquatic plant resources.-History:...
and other conservation groups.
B.E.A.R.S.
In 2008, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center embarked on plans to develop an Alaskan bear conservation science and education facility and interpretive center.The B.E.A.R.S. (Bear Education Awareness Research Sanctuary) exhibit, will be 11000 square feet (1,021.9 m²) "green" facility that will include habitat enhancements and a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) expansion for the center's brown and black bear residents. In addition, an interpretive educational center and conservation research facility dedicated to advancing the public's awareness and appreciation for Alaska's bears (the polar bear, American black bear and grizzly or brown bear) is currently under development. The facility will permit visitors to explore interactive experiences featuring thematic displays of Alaska's bears while offering viewing of our own bears ambassadors on exhibit from inside the interpretive center or via webcam. Education and outreach programs will serve as the foundation for B.E.A.R.S. engagement programs. Conservation and science initiatives will serve to support the facility's outreach programs. The center has dedicated staff to develop B.E.A.R.S. as a resource hub for Alaskan Bear Conservation programs, inviting international colleagues and enthusiasts to visit and convey conservation message for Alaska's bears and the five other species around the world.
The B.E.A.R.S. exhibit will introduce visitors to the AWCC's resident bear ambassadors and immerse patrons in a interactive experience through thematic displays featuring cultural and historical artifacts and information on bears as they have coexisted with early man to current day conflict with human-habituated bears to eco-tourism and bear viewing in Alaska.
The building itself will provide some replicate Alaskan native architecture and contemporary displays to highlight sustainable and eco-conscious practices for sharing the world with the animal kingdom. B.E.A.R.S will speak to Alaska's bruins which live amidst the last strong-holds for these iconic species. In addition to interactive gallery exhibits, a 200 seat auditorium, dedicated rooms for lecture and conference, a gift shop, public, bathroom facilities, administrative offices, and outdoor platforms for bear viewing will be included in the exhibit. A special area will also be developed to observe the bears during hibernation.
In June 2010, Dr. Jordan Schaul joined the AWCC staff as a conservation biologist for the center and the curator for B.E.A.R.S. Active in global bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
conservation, he serves as an ex officio council member to the International Association for Bear Research and Management
International Bear Association
The International Association for Bear Research and Management , also known as the International Bear Association, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization open to professional biologists, wildlife managers and others dedicated to the conservation of the world’s eight bear species.With over 550...
(IBA) and a member of the Coordinators' Committee of the Bear Specialist Group
Bear Specialist Group
The Bear Specialist Group is the bear taxon expert focal group of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature...
of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Media
Several documentaries, features films, and other video media have been shot on location at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center including a documentary for National Geographic and "Into Alaska" featuring Jeff CorwinJeff Corwin
Jeffrey Scott Corwin is an American animal and nature conservationist, best known as host and executive producer of Animal Planet cable channel television programs, The Jeff Corwin Experience and Corwin's Quest.-Early years:...
in 2007, and "Into the Wild," starring Emile Hirsch
Emile Hirsch
Emile Davenport Hirsch is an American television and film actor. He began performing in the late 1990s, appearing in several television films and series, and became known as a film actor after roles in Lords of Dogtown, The Emperor's Club, The Girl Next Door, Alpha Dog, and Into the Wild. In...
. Other special guests to the center include Jungle Jack Hanna
Jack Hanna
John Bushnell "Jack" Hanna is an American zookeeper who is the Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. He was Director of the zoo from 1978 to 1993, and is viewed as largely responsible for elevating its quality and reputation. His media appearances have made him one of the most...
who filmed a segment for his syndicated program, Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
and his family, the Secretary of the Interior and regular guests include former governor Sarah Palin's
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
parents.
Board Member and Interim Development Director, Steve Mendive, was featured on The Today Show after a humbling and dangerous encounter with the dominant wood bison bull "Bob #34," the only wood bison in the world to have his own Facebook page.
In July 2010 the center's resident porcupine, "Snickers," gained worldwide publicity from video footage in which the friendly rodent appeared to behave like a puppy. The video went 'viral' on the internet in a matter of days. Actress Sandra Dee Robinson is the spokesperson for the center.