Two of my friends were so enamoured with our visit to Alaska recently that they felt the need to create an illustrated guide to our wildlife encounters, appended below for the world's benefit.
Contact information has been redacted (That's the first time I've ever used that word; I felt compelled to use passive voice for full imperious bureaucratic effect.), though the people involved were OK with leaving their identities exposed.
The reason the animal-name labels are there is because I asked for them. I couldn't tell a deer from an inebriated wolf, or sea otters from 1.5 mudskippers, or bears from somewhat pudgy, bow-legged cows 😊
Anyway, if you're headed to Alaska, be sure to take a copy of this invaluable guide with you! And if you live in Alaska, don't leave home without it. You'll never again be at a loss for a critter ID.
Illustration courtesy of Keiko and Rinko Asada