Deer in summer. Dake Schmidt photo.
The land mammals native to the Kodiak Archipelago are the Kodiak brown bear, red fox, short-tailed weasel, little brown bat, tundra vole and river otter.
Introduced species include the snowshoe hare, mountain goat, Sitka black-tailed deer, arctic ground squirrel, Roosevelt elk, muskrat, red squirrel, snowshoe hare and beaver.
Introduced species that have not survived include moose, dall sheep, martin, mink and raccoon.
Brown Bear
There are in excess of 2,700 brown bears living on the Kodiak Island archipelago. Rarely seen on the road system, adult females weight from 400-600 pounds and the largest males weight up to 1,500 pounds.
Little Brown Bat
Sometimes found in attic rafters, this small animal is active at night catching and eating insects. It weights 1/4 ounce and reaches about 3-1/2 inches in length.
Tundra Vole
A tiny mouse-like creature, this animal builds an underground network. Its inch-wide runways can sometimes be seen across the forest floor or in grasslands.
Short-Tailed Weasel
Also known as ermine, this mammal is an active predator. its fur turns completely white during the winter and reaches about 14 to 16 inches in length.
Red Fox
Fox seen on the island range in color from silver to red. Some black foxes have also been observed on Kodiak although they're considered to be a color phase of the red fox. Foxes are occasionally seen on the road system and often scavenge food along beaches at low tide.
River Otter
This animal is smaller than the sea otter and eats a diet primarily of fish. It is most commonly observed near fresh water streams and lakes.
Introduced Species
Sitka Black-Tailed Deer
Originally introduced in 1924, this mammal has been extremely successful on the island. A favorite game animal, it is often seen on the road system and is found island wide.
Roosevelt Elk
Found primarily on Afognak Island, this large member of the deer family was first brought to the island in 1929. It has done very well on Afognak and Raspberry Islands, but does not occur on Kodiak Island or much of the rest of the archipelago.
Mountain Goat
About 400 animals can be found high in Kodiak's mountainous terrain. These animals were introduced in 1952-3 and have done well here in areas where there is good habitat.
Muskrat
Muskrats were first brought to the island in 1925 and again in 1929. They are about the size of a house cat with fur nearly as fine and dense as a beaver.
Beaver
First introduced in 1925, beaver thrive on Kodiak Island. Adult animals can reach 4 feet in length and can weigh as much as 80 pounds.
Red Squirrel
Red squirrels were introduced from the Anchorage area in 1952. These small rodents prefer the spruce forest where they are agile climbers.
Snowshoe Hare
Very successful on Kodiak, hares turn white when winter sets in and brown for the summer months. Their large hind feet leave obvious trails in the winter snow.
Arctic Ground Squirrel
Most commonly seen on Woody Island and in the Buskin River/Coast Guard Base vicinity. These squirrels live underground in a tunnel system and hibernate during the winter.
For more-detailed information about the animals found on Kodiak Island, see the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Wildlife Notebook Series:
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