Bison are not indigenous to Alaska, but they were introduced centuries ago and have survived some major overhunting scares over time. There are still a whopping 900 (that “whopping” was sarcastic) wild bison in Alaska and if you want to catch a glimpse your best chance is to head southeast of Fairbanks to Delta Junction where they generally tend to stay.

Salmon aren’t just a popular dish to residents of California, killer whales (orcas) love to dine on the meaty fish as well. And where is the best salmon fishing? Alaska! Keep an eye out for pods of orcas feeding in the waters surrounding Alaska as they are beautiful and graceful animals that many boat-lovers are still seeking their first sighting.

Let’s start this description with the words: good freaking luck. Many divers and snorkelers around the world have seen all kinds of marine life up close from sealions to manta rays to hammerhead sharks, but very few have been so lucky as to catch the rare and elusive leatherback sea turtle. They can grow to weigh over two-thousand pounds and measure to six and a half feet so it’s a wonder that they are so rarely seen. But when they are, it’s often in Alaskan waters.

To steal a peek of the adorable sea otters you’re going to have to have a keen eye while floating along the coasts of the inside passage of southern Alaska (and parts of British Columbia). They are rather playful animals but can blend in to subtly crashing waves making it difficult to see them. Keep your eyes peeled and you may just have some good luck.

The deer cousins to the north have their unique antlers (used for digging in frozen tundra for food) and are truly a sight to behold. For greater volume such as herds you’ll have to head far north, farther than Fairbanks, but to just check it off of your animal-sightings-list you are likely to see them in Denali National Park.

Yea, yea it’s just a fish; and yea, yea it’s an ugly fish at that. But it’s also a major food source to marine life, brown bears (grizzlies), and women at lunch so that alone is a worthwhile reason to look for these mercury-dense fish. Ecological controversy aside, the salmon fisheries of Alaska are quite fascinating to observe as well.

Well, they aren’t necessarily “wildlife” but it’s worth putting this furry man’s-best-friends on the list because it is the quintessential activity when visiting the northernmost state. Home to the famous Iditarod and the infamous Balto Alaska owes a lot of its history and human survival to these frisky canines.

Thanks to climate change this charismatic megafauna are threatened to lose their habitat in the next few decades. Sadly, that means there’s no better time (and chance) to see the black-skinned (true) giants in the wild than now. The aforementioned habitat is that of frozen ice allowing for the bears to hunt for their favorite blubbery meal: seals. That means you’ll have to venture far north towards the arctic coastline.

Gray whales migrate to the cool waters of Alaska’s coastline every summer, giving onlookers an unforgettable sight. There are whale watching tours that specialize in seeking the creatures out, but even a typical cruise through the inside passage will usually yield a sighting or two.

Head to the Katmai Coast or up the river to Brooks Falls where every June/July salmon make their famous run up the river and the bears are all too aware of it. Perched on the side of the falls, grizzlies wait for the fish to attempt climbing the waterfall by jumping out of the water, making them susceptible to the waiting mouths of the giant hungry diners.