Wildlife and Alaska are like apple pie and ice cream, it’s hard to imagine one without the other. Every year over a million people visit Alaska, most hoping to see glaciers, moose, caribou, wolves, lynx, rare birds, and bears. Alaskans also like recreation and their wildlife. According to a 2019 report by University of Alaska’s Center for Economic Development 81% of Alaskan’s participate in outdoor recreation, tied with Montana with the highest rate in the nation. The report also states that spending related to wildlife viewing in Alaska is over $2 billion, with over 5 million participation days every year. This week’s show features National Geographic writer Douglas Chadwick discussing his long history of observing and writing about wildlife around the world, including Alaska. The second half of the show focuses on bear viewing on the Alaska Peninsula, which has grown dramatically in the last ten years and faces many challenges.
HOST: Paul Twardock
GUESTS:
- Douglas Chadwick, author and National Geographic writer
- Rachel James, Drew Hamilton, Dave Bachrach
LINKS:
- Economic Development in Alaska: Outdoor Recreation Impacts and Opportunities
- Salmon State
- Friends of McNeil
- AK Adventures
- McNeil River Permits
- Katmai National Park and Brooks Camp
- The Cleaning Line, on Patagonia's site
- As wolverines battle to survive, warming poses a new threat
BROADCAST: Thursday, November 7th, 2019. 2:00 pm – 3:00 p.m. AKT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, November 7th, 2019. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT
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