Images

A Short-tailed Albatross on the water

Short-tailed Albatross taking off

A Gray-cheeked Thrush perched in a shrub. This photo was taken on the Seward Peninsula as part of the Changing Arctic Ecosystem Boreal-Arctic Transition Zone program.

Male Lapland Longspur in the tundra. This photo was taken on the Seward Peninsula as part of the Changing Arctic Ecosystem Boreal-Arctic Transition Zone program.

USGS Alaska Science Center biologists Andrew Ramey and John Reed travelled to Japan to capture spring staging northern pintail ducks in collaboration with researchers from the University of Tokyo, Satoyama Research Society, and Kucharo Lake Waterfowl Observatory.

An aerial view of sea ice with open water from a helicopter in the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken during Spring Capture of the Polar Bear project.

An aerial view of sea ice with open water from a helicopter in the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken during Spring Capture of the Polar Bear project.

An aerial view of sea ice with open water from a helicopter in the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken during Spring Capture of the Polar Bear project.

An aerial view of sea ice with open water from a helicopter in the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken during Spring Capture of the Polar Bear project.

An aerial view of sea ice with open water from a helicopter in the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken during Spring Capture of the Polar Bear project.

Caribou from the Central Arctic herd along the Sagavanirktok River in northern Alaska.

Sagavanirktok River, AK.

Caribou from the Central Arctic herd along the Sagavanirktok River in northern Alaska.

Sagavanirktok River, AK.

An aerial view of sea ice with open water from a helicopter in the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken during Spring Capture of the Polar Bear project.

An aerial view of sea ice with open water from a helicopter in the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken during Spring Capture of the Polar Bear project.

A polar bear is being subjected to the enhanced sampling protocol for suspected alopecic bears. In the photo, we're using the tape measure to demonstrate the size of the area of hair loss on the neck. This photo was taken on the sea ice north of Utqiagvik, Alaska.

Epigenetic ice wedge exposed along the Beaufort Sea coast. This ice wedge is formed in ice-rich silt.  The location is west of Point Lonely, Alaska.

Great Horned Owl in Boundary Bay, British Columbia, Canada. This species of owl is present in Alaska also.

Great Horned Owl in a tree in Boundary Bay, British Columbia, Canada. This species of owl is present in Alaska also.

Large numbers of walruses came ashore to rest near the community of Point Lay, Alaska when sea ice had dissipated from their offshore foraging grounds in the eastern Chukchi Sea during late August through October of 2011.  Walruses in these groups cycled between this coastal resting area and their foraging grounds, both near-shore and offshore.

Large numbers of walruses came ashore to rest near the community of Point Lay, Alaska when sea ice had dissipated from their offshore foraging grounds in the eastern Chukchi Sea during late August through October of 2011.  Walruses in these groups cycled between this coastal resting area and their foraging grounds, both near-shore and offshore.

Large numbers of walruses came ashore to rest near the community of Point Lay, Alaska when sea ice had dissipated from their offshore foraging grounds in the eastern Chukchi Sea during late August through October of 2011.  Walruses in these groups cycled between this coastal resting area and their foraging grounds, both near-shore and offshore.