Wildlife

Glacier Bay's wildlife is tied to the park's marine ecology.

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Wildlife Details

Since no point in the park is further than 30 miles away from the coast, even land-bound wildlife is intertwined with the marine ecology of the park. Visitors can expect to see land mammals such as moose and bear using the park's waterways to travel and find food. Bears can be spotted searching the seashore for barnacles and clams, coyotes may be running along the easier-to-traverse shoreline, and smaller mammals such as marmots and mountain goats come to the water to feed on seaweed or to search for salty snacks. The marine life in Glacier Bay National Park is incredibly varied and includes Minke and killer whales, porpoises, sea lions, seals, and sea otters. Humpback whales come to the bay all the way from Hawaii each summer to feed on schools of small fish. Alongside marine and terrestrial wildlife, visitors to Glacier Bay have the opportunity to see more than 274 species of birds in the park. Generally, birds are most abundant from May through September, with fluctuations from year to year. Bird checklists are available to visitors at the Visitor Information Center.

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