Selawik National Wildlife Refuge

The 2.15 million acre reserve encompasses a transition zone between boreal forest and Arctic tundra, with 24,000 lakes and wetlands covering the land.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service established Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in 1980 through the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

Northwest Alaska Indigenous communities maintain traditional subsistence activities within the refuge, including hunting, fishing, and seasonal gathering practices.

Access to the refuge requires charter flights from Kotzebue, as there are no roads or maintained trails except for the facilities at Selawik Hot Springs.

The Western Arctic Caribou Herd, numbering 500,000 animals, migrates through the refuge between their calving grounds and winter territories.

Location: Alaska

Inception: December 2, 1980

Website: https://fws.gov/refuge/selawik

GPS coordinates: 66.58330,-159.16700

Latest update: March 3, 2025 17:12