Spotlight: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Spotlight: "The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a nonprofit organization that takes in orphaned and injured animals from the wild and provides refuge for them. With the purchase of an admission ticket, you can choose between driving the 1.5-mile loop or enjoy your time and walk through the beautiful landscape. Our resident animals include brown bear, black bear, moose, muskox, caribou, wolves, birds, porcupine, wood bison, elk and more! Free to all visitors is the daily animal programs that show an in-depth interaction between animal care staff and our resident animals." The Center is located on about 700 acres at the head of the Turnagain Arm at the entrance to Portage Valley along the Seward Highway. Originally opened in 1993 as Big Game Alaska, it became a non-profit organization in 1999 and renamed itself the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

Location: The Conservation Center is located at Mile 79 Seward Highway near Girdwood south of Anchorage.

Cost: $15/adult (18-64), $12/seniors & active military, $10/youth (7-17); The Walk on the Wildside Tour costs $100/person (includes price of admission)

Time: Open daily, but hours of operation vary from month to month. Plan on spending about 2 hours.

Description: The Conservation Center was a last-minute addition to our trip, yet one of the neatest things we did. The enclosures are much larger than most zoos, allowing the animals to roam freely within their habitats. Boardwalks and high fences allow visitors to get close up views of the massive animals that include grizzly bears, black bears, moose, elk, bison, caribou, wolves and more than a dozen other creatures. Although you can drive the 1.5 mile loop, we decided to walk it so as to go at our own pace without worrying about who was behind us or trying to find a parking spot at the designated areas.

Elk

Muskox

Black Bear

     My favorite habitat was the grizzly bears. As we walked along the raised boardwalk we spotted one of the grizzlies lounging in the stream. Suddenly, the other grizzly came around a bend in the hill about ten meters away. The first grizzly hopped up and the two stared at each other for about five seconds before the second one started chasing the first one. When he caught up with the first one, they wrestled for a bit before resuming their own separate activities.

Grizzlies sizing each other up

     We also really enjoyed watching the wolves getting fed. When we first walked by the wolf enclosure, we couldn't see any wolves; which apparently were hiding in the tall grass. As soon as the workers showed up, so did the wolves. As the workers tossed dead rats over the fence, they answered our questions and pointed out the dynamics of the pack. At the end, they led us in a wolf howl, and one of the four wolves even joined in. We also got to see a young black bear being fed. The trainer actually went into the enclosure and interacted with the bear as she fed him right from the palm of her hand.

Leader of the pack

Wolf Howl

Feeding Time

     My daughter preferred the herbivores. Her favorite was the caribou. One of them had the largest rack I've ever seen on any deer.

Caribou

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Guests are encouraged to dress appropriately: solid, comfortable footwear, hats, rain gear, sun block, etc.
- Be sure to check the daily schedule for feeding times of different animals.
- The Walk on the Wildside Tour is a 90 minute walking tour available for guests 10 and up. The tour is offered daily from May 1 - Sept. 30 at 10:00 am and 3:30 pm (rain or shine). During the remainder of the year it is offered at noon. Although I'm sure the tour is great, you can take your own self-guided tour for the price of admission.

Nearby: Portage Valley Cabins & RV Park, Alyeska Resort & Hotel Alyeska, Seven Glaciers Restaurant, Double Musky Inn