G-eological evidence shoi/TS that prior to the Ice Age Alaska may have 

 had a more extensive land area than now and may have joined the Asiatic 

 malnlaxid. from which it is now separated "by Bering Strait, Evidence in 

 the rock strata sviggests a former, more temperate climate and an ahtmdant 

 prehistoric faijna and flora chara,cteristic of preglacial times. Possils 

 collected and identified "by the United States G-eological Survey along the 

 Yukon Idver, southern and southeastern Alaslca, and else^rhere !_/ shor; a 

 former growth of redwood (S equoia ) , oak (Q,uor cus ) , ginkgo (G- ink go) , hick- 

 cry ( Hicoria ) , walnut ( Jugle.ns ) , magnolia (l^jgiolia) , elm ( UL-ms ) , plane 

 tree or sycamore ( Pl3,tanus ) , grape (Vitis) , wi'och-hazel (HamaiaElis) , haw- 

 thorn (Crataegus) , plum ( Frunus ) , greenhrier ( Smilaic ) , pine ( Pinus ) , buck- 

 thorn (Ehamnus) , acacia (.Acacia) , ash (Fra:s: nu^ ) , holly ( Ilex ) , fig ( Ficus ) , 

 heech ( iV^cOis ) , gum ( Liquidamhar ) , cypress {'^aj^c A ivm ) , and hazel (C orylus ) . 

 Contemporary forms of which representatives regain today included the dog- 

 wood ( Cornu s) , highhush cranberry (TiDurnva) , "birch ( Setula ) , cottonwood 

 ( Populu s) , maple (Acer), willow (Salix) , s'veetgale ( iviyrica ) » rose ( Posa ) , 

 alder ( Alnus ) , ferns, and horsetails ( Sgui s et-un ) . 



In cruin"bling "banks at several point?; along the coacts of Bering Sea 

 and the Arctic Ocean and 3,long the TuJ.:on Hirer, and in excavations for 

 mining, p'articul3.r3.y in the Pa.ir'bariks area, "bones of prehistoric animals 

 are "being uncovered. These show that mastodonp, mammoths, water "buffaloes, 

 three-toed horses, camels, and such close relatives of existing animals 

 as musk oxen, moose, caribou, wolves, and bears formerly occupied this re- 

 gion in " ab-undance . The smaller animals, and the birds, being more subject 

 to skeletal destruction and therefore less conspicuous, have left little 

 record of their former presence. 



Ala.ska as a Eome for Wildlife 



The climate of Alaska today is varied, in t"ne interior and toward the 

 north and west being semiarid to arid, with extremes in temperatixre; and 

 south of the Alaska, Eange temperate, vath heavy radnfall in the south- 

 eastern part. Because of its extensive area and its varied climatic con- 

 ditions, physical features, and vegetative cover, Alaska presents an en- 

 vironment suitable for wildlife in great variety a,nd ab-jnda.nce, 



Alaska has an area of 585,400 so'us-^^s miles (about one-fifth that 

 of continental United States) and a coast line of approximately 26,000 

 miles. It is an area of mountains and plateaus, numerous islands, large 

 river valleys, extensive lowlands, swa.raps and peat bogs, and many small 

 ponds and lakes. The Alaska Pange forms the backbone of southern Alaska 

 and constitutes a climatic barrier between the southern part and the cen- 

 tral interior. At its highest point is Mount McKinley, with an elevation 

 of 20,300 feet above sea level. The Brooks Range to the north divides 



1/ Hollick, Charles Arthur, and Martin, George Curtis. The Upper 

 Cretaceous floras of Alaska with a description of the plant-bearing beds. 

 Prof, Paper Fo. 159. U. S. Geol. Survey, Washington, D, C, 1930. 



'Hollick, Charles Arthur. The Tertiary flora of Alaska. Prof. Paper 

 No. 182. U. S. G30I. Survey, V/ashington, D. C. 1936. 



