Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

AWCC logo
Wood bison at the conservation center
Date opened	1993
Location	Portage, Alaska
Land area	About 200 acres (81 ha)

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is a special place in Alaska. It's a non-profit group that helps wild animals. They focus on protecting animals, doing research, teaching people, and caring for wildlife. The center is huge, about 200 acres (81 ha), and is located near Portage. It's a safe home for animals that are orphaned or hurt. It also helps animals born in captivity or moved from other places, like the wood bison.

The Story of AWCC

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center first opened in 1993. Back then, it was called Big Game Alaska. In 1999, it became a non-profit organization. This means it's a group that uses its money to help animals, not to make a profit. The name officially changed to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Inc. in 2007.

Amazing Animals at AWCC

Two adult Alaskan Brown bears at the Conservation Center

Many different animals live at the center. Some of them are timber wolves, Grizzly bears, and black bears. You can also see Alaskan moose, red foxes, and elk. Other residents include muskoxen, sitka black-tailed deer, and Porcupine caribou. The center is also home to Canadian lynxes, bald eagles, and great horned owls. You might even spot wood bison, porcupines, and coyotes.

Most of these animals live in very large, natural areas. For example, three brown bears have a 21-acre (8.5 ha) habitat. This area has lots of trees and bushes. Two black bears live in a 14-acre (5.7 ha) space with its own stream. This helps the animals feel more at home.

Learning at the Center

The center offers many ways to learn about wildlife. You can take self-guided tours. This means you can explore on your own. You can also drive through the center or walk around. These programs teach visitors about the animals and their habitats.

Helping Wood Bison Return

A Big Conservation Project

Since 2003, the center has been part of a very important project. They are helping to bring wood bison back to Alaska. These large animals had been gone from Alaska for about 100 years. Wood bison are the biggest land mammals in North America. They are very important grazers in their natural environment.

Moving Bison to a New Home

In 2006, thirteen wood bison were brought to the center. They came from different wild areas in Canada. Two years later, in 2008, fifty-three more Canadian wood bison arrived. These came from Elk Island National Park in Alberta. This project was a team effort. The center worked with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game and other groups. Their goal was to help these amazing animals survive and thrive again in Alaska.

Images for kids

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  A rescued bald eagle at the conservation center

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  Bear at the center

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  Elk (Cervus canadensis)

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  Alaska moose (Alces alces gigas)

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  Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) grazing at the center

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  Wolves

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  Two male caribou