Along the northern coast of Alaska, and on the northwestern edge of the Western Arctic, lies the Peard Bay Special Area. The area provides rich wetland habitat, which is incredibly valuable to a diverse range of wildlife in the arctic region. Peard Bay serves as a stopover point for migrating birds, and as a nesting site for waterfowl and shorebirds such as loons and eiders.
Many species of fish swim the bay’s waters, and the National Marine Fisheries Services has declared the area “essential fish habitat” for saffron cod. The shores and ice floes in the Bay are often dotted with ringed seals, bearded seals, and walrus, resting out of the currents of the Arctic Ocean. Along the Peard Bay coast, polar bears are known to hunt and make their dens, one of the last refuges of this threatened species.

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