Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 04/08/2007 - 13:13
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Kuril Islands Biocomplexity

What kind of wildlife do you expect to find on these islands?

Susie Cheser 

Thu, 04/12/2007 - 18:15

Misty Nikula

SusieThanks for the great question! As you know (hopefully) from reading my journal entry, I am returning the Kuril Islands this summer so I have a pretty good idea of what kinds of animals we might see. Last summer we saw a huge number of birds and other animals - many marine mammals. Here is a "complete" list of the most notable animals that I saw last year (at least all of the ones that I am remember....):
Birds: whiskered auklets, storm petrels, 2-3 species of gulls, guillemots, murres, albatross and some various sorts of raptors (mostly large hawks) that I don't remember the specific names of....
Marine Mammals: orcas, sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters and fur seals
Land Mammals: arctic and red foxes, lemmings, black and brown bears
There were no land mammals in the Central Kurils and only bears on the two southern-most and one northern-most islands. There were lots of seals and such in the Central islands and birds EVERYwhere.....
Hope that helps!
Misty Nikula