Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge

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Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge

For official information about Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Kodiak Cabins and visitation to the refuge is open.
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The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge spans more than 2/3 of Kodiak Island, part of Afognak Island, and all of Ban and Uganik Islands and is not accessible by road. Reservations for public use cabins can be made at www.recreation.gov. Our Visitor Center is free and open to all: located in downtown Kodiak at 402 Center Ave. Our administrative headquarters are located at 1390 Buskin River Rd. See our website for hours of operation: fws.gov/refuge/kodiak

06/20/2026

🐻Bear Awareness & Safety Event🐻

Join us next Saturday, June 27th at the Kodiak Farmer's Market for our Bear Awareness and Safety Q&A event! We will have staff available to answer your questions, free resources, and the opportunity to practice using inert bear spray. All ages welcome!

When: Saturday, June 27th from 10 am -1 pm
Where: Kodiak Farmer's Market
Questions? 907-308-3966

🎨Sarah K. Glaser and Isabel Justiniano Iriarte/USFWS

06/19/2026

The Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center is closed today due to it being a Federal Holiday. We will be open again tomorrow at 12pm.

06/17/2026

🐻Are You Bear Aware?🐻

Need a bear canister, box or fence? Well, look no further than the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center! We have all these resources available for rent at no charge. 🆓 If you’re wondering in what situations you would need these resources, read the following.

When camping or hunting, it is important to do everything you can to keep bears at bay. Several options exist. Some people decide to surround their tent with an electric fence for peace of mind while sleeping or for protecting items while they’re away from camp. Hunters may choose to protect meat from bears by surrounding it with an electric fence. Using bear-resistant storage containers to keep human food from bears is one option, while hanging it, and using electric fences are others. Portable electric fences weigh under 4 lbs. ✅

A few additional tips:

🔎 Avoid camping in bear dense areas, like popular viewing spots.

🔎 If you use bears cans or containers, keep them away from your tent.

🔎 If you use a bear bag, tie it up high enough in trees so that a bear won’t be able to reach it.

We will have these resources available to rent at our Bear Aware tabling event on June 27th. See you there! 🙌

🎨Illustration by Sarah K. Glaser

06/16/2026

🌟Volunteer Spotlight🌟

Today we are highlighting Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges volunteer Barbara Ryan🎉 Barbara volunteered for Visitor Services at the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center May through mid June.

As a member of Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, Barbara has always been looking for opportunities to support Alaska's Refuges. This is her second season volunteering at the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center!

One of her favorite parts of volunteering at the center was meeting interesting people from all over the world, and taking pictures of them in front of the standing bear in the main exhibit hall. During her time volunteering at the Visitor Center, Barbara assisted with a variety of tasks including supporting environmental education projects, daily operations, and cruise ship days. As a Friends representative, she also set up a Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges info table during several cruise ship days! 🤩

Thinking of volunteering with the Kodiak Refuge? Here is what Barbara had to say about that: "Kodiak is a fascinating place full of nature and opportunities to experience wildlife one on one. Volunteering within the National Wildlife Refuge System is very rewarding for me and purposeful. A great thing to do in my retirement."🙌

Thank you so much for supporting the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center. We truly appreciate you! ❤️

📷Barbara at the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center, Isabel Justiniano Iriarte/USFWS

06/14/2026

🐻Are You Bear Aware?🐻

Fresh fish is the best kind of fish. Kodiak bears think so too, especially if they don’t have to do the work of catching the fish. 🎣

You may recall from our earlier posts that bears are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat what is readily available to them. If you have the chance to leave the area where you’re fishing and take your fish to a more secure location like a car or bear box, consider doing so. If you continue to fish, keep your fish within arm's reach and don’t share your catch with bears. Bears that get fish from one fisherman will often become problems for other fishermen. If you’d like to learn more, reach out to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game - Official (ADFG) in Kodiak.

🎨Illustration by Sarah K. Glaser

06/13/2026

🐻Are You Bear Aware?🐻

Stop by the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center to check out our bear touch table! We also have some free bear safety and awareness info and promotional items!

This display will be available for the remainder of June. The Visitor Center is open 12-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.

📷Isabel Justiniano Iriarte/FWS

06/12/2026

🛩️✍️Notes from the Field ✍️🛩️

It's field season! Field crew members deployed to a remote part of Kodiak Refuge this week via float plane. There is a ton of planning, prep, and logistics that supports a successful fieldwork trip before staff ever reach the field! 🌄

Every pound matters! Every piece of gear, tools, supplies, and personnel are weighed to ensure we stay under the cargo weight limit. The plane pictured, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver is a legendary bush plane capable of immense hauling. With full fuel, its available payload for cargo is approximately 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. Good news: the team stayed right under their weight limit! 🛠️🛩️🎉

🛩️Vertigo Air
📷Biological Science Technician, Matt Bollen, with the team's gear ahead of loading it onto the floatplane, Natalie Fath/USFWS

06/11/2026

🔔Alaskan Artist Alert🔔

The Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center is open today 12-4pm.

Have you tried the Bruin Brew coffee made specifically for Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge by Kodiak Island Coffee Company? ☕

We have a variety of Alaska-inspired gifts in our bookstore and gallery, managed by Alaska Geographic, which also has many new products this year by amazing Alaskan artists, such as:

☕ Kodiak Island Coffee Company
🐙 Made By Tasnah
☀️ Natasha Zahn Studio
🐋 Stacy Studebaker Art and Books
🦀Bruce W Nelson Fine Arts by Bruce Nelson
🧭 Here & There
🦅 Wm Spear Design
🐚Salmon Seas

📸 Products that are available for sale at the Alaska Geographic bookstore and gallery in the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center, Natalie Fath/USFWS

06/07/2026

🐻Are You Bear Aware?🐻

If you encounter a bear, whatever you do, DON’T RUN. 🚫🏃Bear attacks are rare, but if you’re faced with a bear, it is important to stay calm, remain still, and not run at any point.

Useful tips:

✅While you’re hiking, keep an eye out for bear sign, such as s**t, tracks, or signs of feeding. This will help you decide which areas to avoid.

✅If you encounter bear cubs, chances are mama bear is not too far away. Use caution and remember to follow the tips listed above.

✅You should only play dead if a bear makes physical contact with you. Lay flat on your stomach, cover the back of your head & neck with your hands, and keep your legs apart. Hiking with a backpack can also provide additional protection.

If you have additional questions about how to stay safe in bear country, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-zkGuh42l4

🎨 Illustrations by Sarah K. Glaser

06/06/2026

🎨2026 Junior Duck Stamp Contest🎨

The winning artwork from the 2026 Alaska Federal Junior Duck Stamp program is on display at the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center! Stop by to admire the beautiful artwork from our local K-12 students!

Winning categories include:
Best of Show
First place
Second place
Third Place
Honorable mention

The Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center is open Tuesday-Saturday, 12-4 pm.

📷Artwork display at the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center, Isabel Justiniano Iriarte/USFWS

Address

402 Center Avenue
Kodiak, AK
99615

Telephone

+19074872600

Website

http://www.fws.gov/refuge/kodiak

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