178 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 68 



Pass to Cape Douglas at the mouth of Cook Inlet. The north shore 

 of the peninsula is discussed under ''Unimak and Amak Islands." 



D. L. Spencer has flown over the coastal waters of the peninsula 

 many times. Because of his previous knowledge of sea otter dis- 

 tribution and because of a shortage of time, our 1962 survey in- 

 cluded primarily those areas where a significant number of sea 

 otters was known to exist. 



Otters were counted in the Cape Kumliun-Sutwick Island area 

 in 1951 and 1957 (table 33). This area appears to be the center of 

 the population along this coast. The 1962 survey was made from 

 Cape Kumliun northeastward. The greatest concentration of sea 

 otters was in Kujulik Bay and around Sutwik Island. One large 

 group which was photographed (fig. 70) contained 440 otters, 

 by a count from the photograph, the largest assemblage that was 

 seen on the aerial surveys up to that time. From this area north- 

 eastward the number of otters seen decreased as shown in table 

 33. In 1957 Lensink (1958) found none east of Chiginagak Bay. 

 Our observation of five otters east of this point in 1962 indicates 

 a slow population spread eastward. 



The difference in distribution of otters in the area between Cape 

 Kumliun and Cape Kunmik, including Sutwick Island, between 

 the 1957 and 1962 surveys, probably indicates that this rather 

 large local population shifts about in this area in response to 

 weather or food supply. 



It is not possible from available charts to measure the square 

 miles of sea otter habitat along the southeast coast of the Alaska 

 Peninsula. We believe, however, that the increasing population 

 may fill much vacant habitat in future years before maximum 

 population is reached. 



Table 33. — Numbers of sea otters observed and estimated population along 



the Alaska Peninsula 







Surveys 





Estimate 



Area 









— of 





1951 1 



1957 2 



1962 3 



total * 



Univikshak Island area 



13 



180 



86 



143 



Kujulik Bay (C. Kumlik) 



12 



103 



684 



912 



Sutwick Island area 



355 



581 



109 



145 



Aniakchak Bay and Amber Bay (C. Kunmik) 



8 



6 



47 



78 



Cape Kunmik to Cape Igvak (55 miles) 





19 



22 



37 



Cape Igvak to Cape Kuliak (70 miles) 





0 



1 



2 



Total . 



388 



889 



949 



1.317 



1 Aerial surveys during the May to August period by R. D. Jones {in Stiles, 1953). 



2 Aerial survey, 25 July 1957 (Lensink, 1958). 



3 Aerial survey, 10 April 1962, by Kenyon and Spencer. 

 ^ Estimated population as of April 1962. 



