TeshekpukLake
CA
NA
DA
UN
I TE
D S
TA
TE
S
Colville R.
Macke nzi e R .
Noatak R.
Koyukuk R.
Yukon R.
NortonSound
KotzebueSound
B e a u f o r tS e a
LedyardBay
HarrisonBay
CamdenBay
Bering Strait
KolyuchinBay
MackenzieBay
SmithBay KugmallitBay
LiverpoolBay
PeardBay
Wrangel Island
Herald Island
St. Lawrence Island
DiomedeIslands
S T A T E O F
A L A S K A
C H U K O T S K I YA U TO N O M O U S
O K R U G
Y U K O N
T E R R I T O R Y
SewardPeninsul a
UN
ITED
STA
TES
ChukotkaPen insula
MackenzieRiverDelta
Old Crow
RU
SSIA
Inchoun R.
Mechig-menskBay
ArakamchechenIsland
PowooiliakBay
Herschel Island
Tukt
oya
k tuk P
eni n
sula
Amguema R.
DemarcationBay
KasegalukLagoon
Point Barrow
BanksIsland
StefanssonSound
N O R T H W E S T
T E R R I T O R I E S
ARCTIC CIRCLE
ARCTIC CIRCLE
ARCTIC CIRCLE
Kobuk R.
Tanana R.
Yukon R.
C a n a d aB a s i n
HeraldShoal
HannaShoal
HopeBasin
ChirikovBasin
Long Strait
C h u k c h iS e a
K
oko lik R
.
K e tik R.
Utukok R.
Mead e
R.
Tit aluk R.
Ikpikp
uk R.
DeaseInlet
Colville R.
Epize
tka R.
PointFranklin
Icy Cape
CapeThompson
CapeHalkett
Chan
dler R.
Delong Mountains
Kiga lik R.
Killi
k R.
Nanush uk R.Itkill ik R.
Ku paru
k R.
Toolik R.Sagavanir ktok R. Ivishak R.
Endicott Mountains
Canni
ng R.
Kav ik R.
Romanzof Mountains
Anak
tuvuk
R.
Sheenjek
R.
Davidson Mountains
Colee
ni R.
SadlerochitMountains
Hu lahula R.
Sa d leroc
hit R.
Kong
akut
R.
East F
ork
Cha nd
alar R
.
B R O O K SR A
NG
E
HeraldShoal
National Petroleum
Reserve - Alaska
Arctic NationalWildlife Refuge
Alaska MaritimeNational Wildlife Refuge
Gates of the ArcticNational Park
& PreserveNoatakNationalPreserve
A R C T I C O C E A N
UtukokUplands
DaltonHighway
Trans-Alaska
Pi peline
Bow
head w
hale s
pring
migratio
n
Bowhead whale fall migration
Cape Lisburne
Nome
Barrow
Kotzebue
Fairbanks
Tok
Savoonga
Kivalina
Diomede
Unalakleet
Gambell
BrevigMission
Koyuk
ArcticVillage
Kaktovik
Nuiqsut
Atqasuk
PointHope
PointLay
Wainwright
Shishmaref
Noatak
Noorvik
AnaktuvukPass
PrudhoeBay
Deadhorse
Provideniya
Inuvik
Se
lec
te
d W
ild
life
Va
lue
s &
Sp
ec
ial
Ar
ea
s
MAP FEATURES 0 50 100 150 20025MilesSELECTED SPECIAL AREAS
Approximately 125 miles long, this sheltered, shallow lagoon is very important forcalving and molting beluga whales, and a great diversity and abundance of birds.Hundreds of walrus and spotted seals haul out along the barrier islands, which arealso frequented by denning polar bears.
This area is frequently free of sea ice, making it an important migration area forbirds and whales. Around 500,000 King Eiders stop here each spring, and the areais designated critical habitat for the threatened Spectacled Eider. Walrus andspotted seals haulout along the coast.
Seabird colonies near Cape Lisburne and south of Cape Thompson are home toover 650,000 nesting seabirds, including Horned Puffins, Thick-billed and CommonMurres, and Black-legged Kittiwakes. Marine mammal haulouts are usedseasonally by several hundred to several thousand walrus.
Al
as
ka
's
A
rc
ti
cA
la
sk
a'
s
Ar
ct
ic
Bowhead whales congregate to feed in autumn, providing important subsistencehunting opportunities. Polar bears feed on whale remains and den on barrierislands. Several hundred Black Guillemots nest on nearby Cooper Island, andSpectacled Eiders nest in high densities near Barrow.
One of the most important wetland complexes in the circumpolar Arctic, 31 birdspecies breed here, and 50,000 geese molt here in late summer. This is the corecalving and insect relief area for the Teshekpuk Lake Caribou Herd. King andSpectacled eiders and Yellow-billed Loons nest in high densities.
This is the core calving ground for the 350,000-head Western Arctic Caribou Herd,which is Alaska's largest herd. The Colville River uplands are important habitat formoose, and high densities of raptors, wolverines, grizzly bears, and wolves. TheUtukok River is home to pink and chum salmon.
Draining much of the Brooks Range, Alaska's largest Arctic river is home to 22fish species. Bluffs are high-density nesting habitat for raptors such as PeregrineFalcon, Gyrfalcon, and Golden Eagle. This is a haulout area for spotted seals, andhome to 68 regularly occurring species of breeding birds.
This area is proposed critical habitat for denning polar bears. Along with areas inCanada, the coastal plain is part of the core calving area of the 100,000-headPorcupine Caribou Herd. This is an Important Bird Area for summer waterfowl.Migrating bowhead and beluga whales are an important subsistence resource.
These shallow areas divert warm waters flowing north from the Bering Sea. Theresulting cold water pool atop each shoal retains lingering sea ice throughout thesummer, making these important haulout and foraging areas for walrus, whales,and polar bears.
Hanna and Herald Shoals
Caribou concentrated calving area
Raptor nesting area
Seabird colony
Marine mammal haulout area(walrus and spotted seal)
Salmon stream
Capes Lisburne and Thompson
Ledyard Bay
Kasegaluk Lagoon
Polar bear denning and feeding areas
Point Barrow
Teshekpuk Lake and Wetlands
Utukok Uplands
Colville River and Delta
Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain
Waterbird nesting, molting, and/or staging area(goose molting area indicated by green hatching)
Whale feeding and migration areas
Mid-summer sea ice