Kenai Fjords National Park

🇺🇸 United States

🐋 Humpback Whales Feeding Spectacularly
🌍 #94 Global · 4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #4 in North America #1 in Tundra
United States, United States 334 spp. recorded

Kenai Fjords National Park sits along the rugged southern coast of Alaska, where massive glacial ice fields meet the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. This coastal park features steep rock cliffs, forested mountain slopes, and deep marine fjords carved by ancient ice. Visitors hike through dense coastal forests and across rocky shorelines to explore the dramatic edge where land and sea collide.

60.006° N   149.886° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Sea Otter ★
EN

Sea Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Enhydra lutris

80–90% · Very likely
Humpback Whale ★
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

80–90% · Very likely
Killer Whale ★

Killer Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Orcinus orca

70–80% · Very likely
Northern Sea Lion ★
NT

Northern Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eumetopias jubatus

80–90% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Harbor Seal
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

80–90% · Very likely
Horned Puffin
LC

Horned Puffin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fratercula corniculata

70–80% · Very likely
Black-legged Kittiwake
VU

Black-legged Kittiwake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rissa tridactyla

70–80% · Very likely
Common Murre
LC

Common Murre

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uria aalge

70–80% · Very likely
Tufted Puffin
LC

Tufted Puffin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fratercula cirrhata

70–80% · Very likely
Pelagic Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalacrocorax pelagicus

70–80% · Very likely
Glaucous-winged Gull
LC

Glaucous-winged Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucescens

70–80% · Very likely
Rhinoceros Auklet
LC

Rhinoceros Auklet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cerorhinca monocerata

60–70% · Likely
Pigeon Guillemot
LC

Pigeon Guillemot

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cepphus columba

60–70% · Likely
Marbled Murrelet
EN

Marbled Murrelet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Brachyramphus marmoratus

60–70% · Likely
Bald Eagle
LC

Bald Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

50–60% · Likely
Kittlitz's Murrelet
NT

Kittlitz's Murrelet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Brachyramphus brevirostris

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Sea Otter ★
EN

Sea Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Enhydra lutris

80–90% · Very likely
Humpback Whale ★
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

80–90% · Very likely
Killer Whale ★

Killer Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Orcinus orca

70–80% · Very likely
Northern Sea Lion ★
NT

Northern Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eumetopias jubatus

80–90% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Harbor Seal
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

80–90% · Very likely
American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely
Dall's Porpoise
LC

Dall's Porpoise

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocoenoides dalli

40–50% · Likely
Mountain Goat
LC

Mountain Goat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Oreamnos americanus

40–50% · Likely
Elk
LC

Elk

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Alces alces

40–50% · Likely
Hoary Marmot
LC

Hoary Marmot

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Marmota caligata

40–50% · Likely
Brown Bear
LC Endemic

Brown Bear

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Ursus arctos

30–40% · Possible
Northern River Otter
LC Endemic

Northern River Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lontra canadensis

Insufficient data
Fin Whale
VU

Fin Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera physalus

20–30% · Possible
Northern Red-backed Vole

Northern Red-backed Vole

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Myodes rutilus

20–30% · Possible
Snowshoe Hare
LC

Snowshoe Hare

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Lepus americanus

Insufficient data
Quiller

Quiller

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Erethizon dorsatus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Horned Puffin
LC

Horned Puffin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fratercula corniculata

70–80% · Very likely
Black-legged Kittiwake
VU

Black-legged Kittiwake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rissa tridactyla

70–80% · Very likely
Common Murre
LC

Common Murre

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uria aalge

70–80% · Very likely
Tufted Puffin
LC

Tufted Puffin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fratercula cirrhata

70–80% · Very likely
Pelagic Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalacrocorax pelagicus

70–80% · Very likely
Glaucous-winged Gull
LC

Glaucous-winged Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucescens

70–80% · Very likely
Rhinoceros Auklet
LC

Rhinoceros Auklet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cerorhinca monocerata

60–70% · Likely
Pigeon Guillemot
LC

Pigeon Guillemot

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cepphus columba

60–70% · Likely
Marbled Murrelet
EN

Marbled Murrelet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Brachyramphus marmoratus

60–70% · Likely
Bald Eagle
LC

Bald Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

50–60% · Likely
Kittlitz's Murrelet
NT

Kittlitz's Murrelet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Brachyramphus brevirostris

50–60% · Likely
Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalacrocorax auritus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

📊 Most Spotted

Animal Events

🦌

Summer Humpback Feeding

JunJul

Humpback whales migrate into the nutrient-rich fjords to feed extensively on schooling fish and krill.

Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

80–90% · Very likely
🦌

Orca Pod Patrol

Jun

Resident and transient killer whale pods frequent the coastal fjords in search of marine mammals and salmon.

Killer Whale

Killer Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Orcinus orca

70–80% · Very likely
🦌

Coastal Bear Foraging

MayAug

Black bears emerge and forage along the shorelines and lower elevations for early vegetation and spawning salmon.

American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
50–60
70–80
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
70–80
Sea Otter
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
Humpback Whale
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
80–90
80–90
70–80
30–40
70–80
80–90
80–90
Killer Whale
50–60
70–80
50–60
50–60
70–80
80–90
60–70
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
Northern Sea Lion
60–70
80–90
60–70
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
70–80
80–90
80–90
Harbor Seal
60–70
80–90
60–70
60–70
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
Horned Puffin
70–80
70–80
50–60
70–80
40–50
80–90
60–70
80–90
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
Black-legged Kittiwake
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
40–50
70–80
60–70
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
Common Murre
70–80
70–80
80–90
70–80
40–50
70–80
60–70
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
Tufted Puffin
70–80
70–80
50–60
70–80
40–50
70–80
60–70
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
Pelagic Cormorant
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
50–60
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
Glaucous-winged Gull
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
40–50
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
Rhinoceros Auklet
60–70
60–70
40–50
60–70
20–30
70–80
60–70
50–60
20–30
60–70
60–70
60–70
Pigeon Guillemot
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
40–50
60–70
60–70
40–50
40–50
60–70
60–70
60–70
Marbled Murrelet
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
30–40
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
Bald Eagle
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
30–40
60–70
50–60
50–60
70–80
50–60
50–60
50–60
Kittlitz's Murrelet
50–60
50–60
40–50
50–60
30–40
70–80
50–60
40–50
20–30
50–60
50–60
50–60
Animal Events
🦌 Summer Humpback Feeding
🦌 Orca Pod Patrol
🦌 Coastal Bear Foraging

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent
🐋 Humpback Whales Feeding Spectacularly

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
252
🐒 Mammals
79
🦎 Reptiles
2
🐸 Amphibians
1
334 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
24 Threatened 36 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
4.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
76%
📊
Coverage (83 species at ≥5% of 334 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
25%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (7 bird, 5 mammal)
46% Global avg
65%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
62
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
22
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
26

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Kenai Fjords National Park?

The most likely sightings are Sea Otter (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Harbor Seal (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Northern Sea Lion (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Humpback Whale (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Killer Whale (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 334 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Kenai Fjords National Park for wildlife?

June has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Sea Otter in Kenai Fjords National Park?

Yes — about 86% of wildlife watchers report a Sea Otter sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 183 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Humpback Whale in Kenai Fjords National Park?

Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 136 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Killer Whale in Kenai Fjords National Park?

Yes — about 77% of wildlife watchers report a Killer Whale sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 118 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Northern Sea Lion in Kenai Fjords National Park?

Yes — about 84% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Sea Lion sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 169 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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