Get to Know Sitka's Wildlife

The intertidal zone is full of variety, and when the tide is out there are tidepools and wide flats to explore.

Search for the usual suspects, such as bumblebees and hummingbirds, among the park's flowers, but don't forget to hunt for less obvious pollinators like hoverflies and slugs. You can find a lot to observe in different habitats. Don't forget to look for representations of pollinators on totem poles and in museum objects in the visitor center.

Salmon are easily observed from the bridge over Indian River when they spawn each summer and fall. Strong ties bind them to the people, plants, and animals of Sitka.

When you bend down low and examine the forest floor you find a lot of variety, and even some drama! Low-growing plants, fungi, moss, lichens, insects, banana slugs, cones, and more go about their business beneath the trees. Take time to observe the little things that support large trees.