Kenai Fjords National Park
🇺🇸 United States
🐋 Humpback Whales Feeding SpectacularlyKenai Fjords National Park sits along the rugged southern coast of Alaska, where massive glacial ice fields meet the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. This coastal park features steep rock cliffs, forested mountain slopes, and deep marine fjords carved by ancient ice. Visitors hike through dense coastal forests and across rocky shorelines to explore the dramatic edge where land and sea collide.
60.006° N 149.886° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Sea Otter
Enhydra lutris
★ 
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
★ 
Killer Whale
Orcinus orca
★ 
Northern Sea Lion
Eumetopias jubatus
📊 Most Spotted
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Horned Puffin
Fratercula corniculata
Black-legged Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
Common Murre
Uria aalge
Tufted Puffin
Fratercula cirrhata
Pelagic Cormorant
Phalacrocorax pelagicus
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
Rhinoceros Auklet
Cerorhinca monocerata
Pigeon Guillemot
Cepphus columba
Marbled Murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratus
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Kittlitz's Murrelet
Brachyramphus brevirostris
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Sea Otter
Enhydra lutris
★ Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
★ Killer Whale
Orcinus orca
★ Northern Sea Lion
Eumetopias jubatus
📊 Most Spotted
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Dall's Porpoise
Phocoenoides dalli
Mountain Goat
Oreamnos americanus
Moose
Alces americanus
Hoary Marmot
Marmota caligata
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus
Northern Red-backed Vole
Myodes rutilus
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
Snowshoe Hare
Lepus americanus
Quiller
Erethizon dorsatus
📊 Most Spotted
Horned Puffin
Fratercula corniculata
Black-legged Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
Common Murre
Uria aalge
Tufted Puffin
Fratercula cirrhata
Pelagic Cormorant
Phalacrocorax pelagicus
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
Rhinoceros Auklet
Cerorhinca monocerata
Pigeon Guillemot
Cepphus columba
Marbled Murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratus
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Kittlitz's Murrelet
Brachyramphus brevirostris
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
Recent sightings in Kenai Fjords National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Summer Humpback Feeding
Humpback whales migrate into the nutrient-rich fjords to feed extensively on schooling fish and krill.
2Orca Pod Patrol
Resident and transient killer whale pods frequent the coastal fjords in search of marine mammals and salmon.
3Coastal Bear Foraging
Black bears emerge and forage along the shorelines and lower elevations for early vegetation and spawning salmon.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Summer Humpback Feeding
- 2Orca Pod Patrol
- 3Coastal Bear Foraging
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
I said, I’ve seen both Alaskan brown bears and black bears here in the park.
On our 7.5 hour Kenai Fjords boat tour we spotted a group of orcas, a breaching humpback whale, sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, puffins, eagles and a black bear foraging along the shore.
It’s late in the season so we didn’t see any Humpback whales on this trip, but we did see transient Orca’s and a very special rare visit from two Fin whales, the second largest animal on the planet.
We had the opportunity to see numerous horned puffins hanging out of cliff faces and diving for fish in the sea.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Kenai Fjords National Park?
The most likely sightings are Sea Otter (seen by about 90% of wildlife watchers), Harbor Seal (seen by about 90% of wildlife watchers), Northern Sea Lion (seen by about 90% of wildlife watchers), Humpback Whale (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Killer Whale (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers) — among 334 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Kenai Fjords National Park for wildlife?
June has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Sea Otter in Kenai Fjords National Park?
Yes — about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Sea Otter sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 217 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Humpback Whale in Kenai Fjords National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 164 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Killer Whale in Kenai Fjords National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Killer Whale sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 124 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Northern Sea Lion in Kenai Fjords National Park?
Yes — about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Sea Lion sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 209 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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