CAUTION: BIRD NESTING SEASON
Birds are sensitive during the nesting season. Vegetation clearing, ground disturbance, heavy wake near shorelines and other site construction and recreational activities can destroy eggs or nestlings or cause nest abandonment. If you encounter an active nest, leave it be and give it space until young hatch and depart the area. Do not destroy eggs, chicks, or adults of wild bird species. Learn about the laws that govern migratory birds in Alaska including possible exceptions for subsistence gathering. More information on avoiding waterbird harassment and timing recommendations for construction activities to minimize impacts to nesting birds.
From vast stretches of black spruce forest to vernal pools and slow moving rivers, the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge is home to abundant wildlife from the smallest shrew to huge moose and everything in between. Established in 1980, this refuge located in western Alaska on the traditional homelands of the Athabascan people and is the fifth largest refuge in the United States. Fish abound, including huge northern pike in the coffee-colored waters of the Innoko River. The congressionally-mandated Innoko Wilderness Area includes much of the lower Iditarod River and many lakes and ponds.
