Kenai Fjords National Park sits on the edge of the North Pacific Ocean, where storms feed the Harding Icefield, the source of at least 38 glaciers, including Exit Glacier. Wildlife here lives between ice, rainforest and sea. On land, black bears and brown bears forage along the coast and valleys, and moose, coyotes, gray wolves, Canada lynx, wolverines, river otters, beavers, porcupines, snowshoe hares and hoary marmots also live in the park. Mountain goats are the only white hoofed animal here. Dall sheep live farther inland, where the snow is drier. The fjords are just as rich. Sea otters feed in Resurrection Bay and the fjords, while Steller sea lions, harbor seals, Dall’s and harbor porpoises, orcas and fin, gray, minke and humpback whales use the waters along the park’s coast. Humpbacks feed around the park from mid-April until November before returning to Hawaii and Mexico for the winter.
Kenai Fjords is also a great place to watch birds, with more than 190 species documented, many of them seabirds that feed in open water or nest on the cliffs and islands near the park. Tufted and horned puffins both nest in the park. Tufted puffins arrive at the rookery islands around mid-May, and horned puffins usually follow a week later. Common and thick-billed murres, black oystercatchers, marbled murrelets and peregrine falcons share the coast, and bald eagles, black-billed magpies and Steller’s jays are common in the forests. In the rivers and streams, the park’s species list includes five kinds of Pacific salmon: Chinook, chum, coho, pink and sockeye. NPSpecies lists no reptiles or amphibians as present in the park. Keep reading to see featured photos of Kenai Fjords’ wildlife and to learn more about wildlife photography.
Featured Kenai Fjords National Park Wildlife Photographs
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Wildlife Photography Tips
Wildlife photography in the US National Parks offers a unique and enriching experience, as these protected areas are havens for diverse species and pristine natural landscapes. Capturing wildlife in such settings requires preparation and respect for both the environment and its inhabitants. Photographers should familiarize themselves with the specific animals and ecosystems of the park they are visiting, as each park hosts different species and behaviors. Early mornings and late afternoons, known as the golden hours, provide the best light and increased wildlife activity. Different seasons also offer different wildlife viewing opportunities. Patience and stillness are key, as the best moments often come to those who wait quietly.
If wildlife does present itself, always make sure to maintain a safe distance. Using a telephoto lens allows for close-up shots without intruding on the animals’ space. If you already own or want to own a professional grade mirrored camera like the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Full Frame Digital SLR, we recommend using a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens zoom lens for wildlife photography. If you have or are interested in a newer mirrorless model like the Canon EOS R5 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera, we recommend using a Canon RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM Black for long distance shots.
Not quite ready to invest in traditional professional-grade camera equipment but want to enhance the quality of your cell phone photographs? Consider using a Moment Tele 58mm Mobile Lens II for improved reach, and use a Moment camera case with a lens mount to attach it to your phone. Since cell phones generally cannot provide the same reach as a dedicated telephoto camera lens, never compensate by moving dangerously close to wildlife. As with any visit to a national park, it’s important to follow park regulations, practice “Leave No Trace” principles, and prioritize safety while photographing wildlife.
Want to take your wildlife photos further? Featured photographer Vella Torvik shares her field-tested advice on gear, camera settings, light, composition and safely approaching wildlife in our Wildlife Photography 101: Insider Tips From the Field masterclass.
Kenai Fjords Wildlife Education and Resources
Want to learn more about Kenai Fjords National Park and the wildlife that inhabits it? Check out these guides & books:
- Peterson Field Guide To Mammals Of North America: Fourth Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
- Peterson Field Guide To Birds Of Western North America, Fifth Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
- Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song
- Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, Second Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
- Animal Tracks: A Folding Pocket Guide to the Tracks & Signs of Familiar North American Species (Wildlife and Nature Identification)
Please note, by making purchases through our affiliate links, you are supporting our mission to celebrate and showcase our National Parks and the photographers who frequent them. As an Amazon Associate, National Park Photographer earns from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. We appreciate your support.
Kenai Fjords National Park Species List
The wildlife at Kenai Fjords National Park is beautiful and diverse. There are a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish to view. Check out all the incredible species this park has to offer! Click on the links below to see the different animal species that inhabit Kenai Fjords National Park:
Species Spotlight
Photo posts of animals you’ll find in Kenai Fjords.
American Black BearMammal · Common
MooseMammal · Common
Mountain GoatMammal · Common
North American PorcupineMammal · Common
American RobinBird · Common
Bald EagleBird · Common
Harlequin DuckBird · Common
Sandhill CraneBird · Common
Steller’s JayBird · Common
Brown BearMammal · Uncommon
CoyoteMammal · UncommonKenai Fjords National Park Mammals
33 species
- American Beaver(Castor canadensis)
- American Black Bear Photo post(Ursus americanus)
- American Marten(Martes americana)
- Brown Bear Photo post(Ursus arctos)
- Canada Lynx(Lynx canadensis)
- Coyote Photo post(Canis latrans)
- Dall’s Porpoise(Phocoenoides dalli)
- Ermine(Mustela erminea)
- Fin Whale(Balaenoptera physalus)
- Gray Whale(Eschrichtius robustus)
- Gray Wolf(Canis lupus)
- Harbor Porpoise(Phocoena phocoena)
- Harbor Seal(Phoca vitulina)
- Hoary Marmot(Marmota caligata)
- Humpback Whale(Megaptera novaeangliae)
- Killer Whale(Orcinus orca)
- Little Brown Bat(Myotis lucifugus)
- Masked Shrew(Sorex cinereus)
- Mink(Mustela vison)
- Minke Whale(Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
- Montane Shrew(Sorex monticolus)
- Moose Photo post(Alces alces)
- Mountain Goat Photo post(Oreamnos americanus)
- North American Porcupine Photo post(Erethizon dorsatum)
- Northern Bog Lemming(Synaptomys borealis)NPS lists the northern bog lemming among the land mammals found in the park (NPSpecies: Probably Present).
- Northern Red-backed Vole(Clethrionomys rutilus)
- Northern River Otter(Lontra canadensis)
- Red Squirrel(Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
- Sea Otter(Enhydra lutris)
- Snowshoe Hare(Lepus americanus)
- Steller Sea Lion(Eumetopias jubatus)
- Tundra Vole(Microtus oeconomus)
- Wolverine(Gulo gulo)
No mammals match.
Kenai Fjords National Park Birds
145 species
- Alder Flycatcher(Empidonax alnorum)
- Aleutian Tern(Sterna aleutica)
- American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus)
- American Golden-plover(Pluvialis dominica)
- American Pipit(Anthus rubescens)
- American Robin Photo post(Turdus migratorius)
- American Tree Sparrow(Spizella arborea)
- American Wigeon(Anas americana)
- Arctic Tern(Sterna paradisaea)
- Bald Eagle Photo post(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Bank Swallow(Riparia riparia)
- Barrow’s Goldeneye(Bucephala islandica)
- Belted Kingfisher(Ceryle alcyon)
- Black Oystercatcher(Haematopus bachmani)
- Black Turnstone(Arenaria melanocephala)
- Black-backed Woodpecker(Picoides arcticus)
- Black-bellied Plover(Pluvialis squatarola)
- Black-billed Magpie(Pica hudsonia)
- Black-capped Chickadee(Poecile atricapillus)
- Black-headed Gull(Larus ridibundus)
- Black-legged Kittiwake(Rissa tridactyla)
- Blackpoll Warbler(Dendroica striata)
- Bohemian Waxwing(Bombycilla garrulus)
- Bonaparte’s Gull(Larus philadelphia)
- Boreal Chickadee(Poecile hudsonica)
- Brambling(Fringilla montifringilla)
- Brant(Branta bernicla)
- Brown Creeper(Certhia americana)
- Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola)
- Canada Goose(Branta canadensis)
- Canvasback(Aythya valisineria)
- Chestnut-backed Chickadee(Poecile rufescens)
- Common Goldeneye(Bucephala clangula)
- Common Merganser(Mergus merganser)
- Common Murre(Uria aalge)
- Common Raven(Corvus corax)
- Common Redpoll(Carduelis flammea)
- Dark-eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis)
- Double-crested Cormorant(Phalacrocorax auritus)
- Downy Woodpecker(Picoides pubescens)
- Dunlin(Calidris alpina)
- Eurasian Wigeon(Anas penelope)
- European Starling(Sturnus vulgaris)
- Fox Sparrow(Passerella iliaca)
- Gadwall(Anas strepera)
- Glaucous Gull(Larus hyperboreus)
- Glaucous-winged Gull(Larus glaucescens)
- Golden Eagle(Aquila chrysaetos)
- Golden-crowned Kinglet(Regulus satrapa)
- Golden-crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia atricapilla)
- Gray Jay(Perisoreus canadensis)
- Gray-cheeked Thrush(Catharus minimus)
- Gray-crowned Rosy-finch(Leucosticte tephrocotis)
- Great Blue Heron(Ardea herodias)
- Great Horned Owl(Bubo virginianus)
- Greater Scaup(Aythya marila)
- Greater White-fronted Goose(Anser albifrons)
- Greater Yellowlegs(Tringa melanoleuca)
- Green-winged Teal(Anas crecca)
- Gyrfalcon(Falco rusticolus)
- Hairy Woodpecker(Picoides villosus)
- Harlequin Duck Photo post(Histrionicus histrionicus)
- Hermit Thrush(Catharus guttatus)
- Herring Gull(Larus argentatus)
- Horned Puffin(Fratercula corniculata)
- Kittlitz’s Murrelet(Brachyramphus brevirostris)
- Least Sandpiper(Calidris minutilla)
- Lesser Yellowlegs(Tringa flavipes)
- Lincoln’s Sparrow(Melospiza lincolnii)
- Long-tailed Duck(Clangula hyemalis)
- Mallard(Anas platyrhynchos)
- Marbled Godwit(Limosa fedoa)
- Marbled Murrelet(Brachyramphus marmoratus)
- Merlin(Falco columbarius)
- Mew Gull(Larus canus)
- Northern Flicker(Colaptes auratus)
- Northern Goshawk(Accipiter gentilis)
- Northern Harrier(Circus cyaneus)
- Northern Pintail(Anas acuta)
- Northern Shoveler(Anas clypeata)
- Northern Shrike(Lanius excubitor)
- Northern Waterthrush(Seiurus noveboracensis)
- Northwestern Crow(Corvus caurinus)
- Olive-sided Flycatcher(Contopus cooperi)
- Orange-crowned Warbler(Vermivora celata)
- Osprey(Pandion haliaetus)
- Parasitic Jaeger(Stercorarius parasiticus)
- Peale’s Peregrine Falcon(Falco peregrinus pealei)
- Pectoral Sandpiper(Calidris melanotos)
- Pelagic Cormorant(Phalacrocorax pelagicus)
- Peregrine Falcon(Falco peregrinus)
- Pigeon Guillemot(Cepphus columba)
- Pine Grosbeak(Pinicola enucleator)
- Pine Siskin(Carduelis pinus)
- Red Crossbill(Loxia curvirostra)
- Red Phalarope(Phalaropus fulicaria)
- Red-breasted Merganser(Mergus serrator)
- Red-breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis)
- Red-faced Cormorant(Phalacrocorax urile)
- Red-necked Phalarope(Phalaropus lobatus)
- Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris)
- Rock Ptarmigan(Lagopus muta)
- Rock Sandpiper(Calidris ptilocnemis)
- Rough-legged Hawk(Buteo lagopus)
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula)
- Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres)
- Rufous Hummingbird(Selasphorus rufus)
- Rusty Blackbird(Euphagus carolinus)
- Sandhill Crane Photo post(Grus canadensis)
- Savannah Sparrow(Passerculus sandwichensis)
- Semipalmated Plover(Charadrius semipalmatus)
- Semipalmated Sandpiper(Calidris pusilla)
- Sharp-shinned Hawk(Accipiter striatus)
- Short-billed Dowitcher(Limnodromus griseus)
- Snow Bunting(Plectrophenax nivalis)
- Snowy Owl(Bubo scandiacus)
- Solitary Sandpiper(Tringa solitaria)
- Song Sparrow(Melospiza melodia)
- Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularia)
- Spruce Grouse(Falcipennis canadensis)
- Steller’s Jay Photo post(Cyanocitta stelleri)
- Surfbird(Aphriza virgata)
- Swainson’s Thrush(Catharus ustulatus)
- Thick-billed Murre(Uria lomvia)
- Townsend’s Solitaire(Myadestes townsendi)
- Townsend’s Warbler(Dendroica townsendi)
- Tree Swallow(Tachycineta bicolor)
- Trumpeter Swan(Cygnus buccinator)
- Tufted Puffin(Fratercula cirrhata)
- Tundra Swan(Cygnus columbianus)
- Varied Thrush(Ixoreus naevius)
- Violet-green Swallow(Tachycineta thalassina)
- Wandering Tattler(Heteroscelus incanus)
- Western Sandpiper(Calidris mauri)
- Western Wood-pewee(Contopus sordidulus)
- Whimbrel(Numenius phaeopus)
- White-crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys)
- White-tailed Ptarmigan(Lagopus leucura)
- White-winged Crossbill(Loxia leucoptera)
- Willow Ptarmigan(Lagopus lagopus)
- Wilson’s Snipe(Gallinago delicata)
- Wilson’s Warbler(Wilsonia pusilla)
- Winter Wren(Troglodytes troglodytes)
- Yellow Warbler(Dendroica petechia)
- Yellow-rumped Warbler(Dendroica coronata)
No birds match.
Kenai Fjords National Park Reptiles
0 species
NPSpecies currently lists no reptiles as present in this park.
Kenai Fjords National Park Amphibians
0 species
NPSpecies currently lists no amphibians as present in this park.
Kenai Fjords National Park Fish
32 species
- Alaskan Ronquil(Bathymaster caeruleofasciatus)
- Arrowtooth Flounder(Reinhardtius stomias)
- Blackbelly Eelpout(Lycodes pacificus)
- Burbot(Lota lota)
- Chinook Salmon(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
- Chum Salmon(Oncorhynchus keta)
- Coastrange Sculpin(Cottus aleuticus)
- Coho Salmon(Oncorhynchus kisutch)
- Curlfin Sole(Pleuronichthys decurrens)
- Dolly Varden(Salvelinus malma)
- English Sole(Parophrys vetulus)
- Eulachon(Thaleichthys pacificus)
- Flathead Sole(Hippoglossoides elassodon)
- Longnose Skate(Raja rhina)
- Pacific Halibut(Hippoglossus stenolepis)
- Pacific Staghorn Sculpin(Leptocottus armatus)
- Pacific Tomcod(Microgadus proximus)
- Pink Salmon(Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
- Prickly Sculpin(Cottus asper)
- Rainbow Trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss)
- Rex Sole(Glyptocephalus zachirus)
- Sablefish(Anoplopoma fimbria)
- Salmon Shark(Lamna ditropis)
- Slimy Sculpin(Cottus cognatus)
- Sockeye Salmon(Oncorhynchus nerka)
- Spinyhead Sculpin(Dasycottus setiger)
- Starry Flounder(Platichthys stellatus)
- Sturgeon Poacher(Podothecus accipenserinus)
- Threespine Stickleback(Gasterosteus aculeatus)
- Walleye Pollock(Theragra chalcogramma)
- Whitespotted Greenling(Hexagrammos stelleri)
- Yelloweye Rockfish(Sebastes ruberrimus)
No fish match.
Note: The wildlife species included in the lists above have been confirmed with the National Park Service to be present in Kenai Fjords National Park. Other species may exist in the park that are currently under review or not yet known.
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