Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Wildlife sanctuary in Portage, United States
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a facility where native species including moose, bears, bison, and wolves live in spacious natural enclosures. The over 200-acre grounds spread across the landscape near Turnagain Arm, providing animals with space suited to their natural needs.
The center was established in 1993 as a rehabilitation facility for injured and orphaned Alaskan animals. Over time it expanded its mission to include conservation and educational efforts aimed at protecting the region's threatened wildlife.
The center's name changed from Big Game Alaska to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in 2007, and its resident porcupine Snickers became an internet sensation in July 2010 when footage of the friendly rodent behaving like a puppy went viral. Films and shows shot on location include Into the Wild and National Geographic's Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet.
The center sits at Milepost 79 of the Seward Highway, about 11 miles southeast of Girdwood, on the border between the Kenai Peninsula and the Chugach Mountains. It is reached by car. It opens daily from March through December, and only at weekends in January and February.
The center played a key role in restoring wood bison to Alaska after these animals had vanished from the region for a long time. The breeding program allowed them to return to their natural wilderness.
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