Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

To provide care, housing and necessary medical treatment to various injured or orphaned wild animals and to educate the public of Wildlife issues and concerns. In 2022, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (awcc) had 256,913 visitors come through the admissions gate. This number increased overall from 2021, which was 220,171 visitors. We also saw a moderate return in cruise ship visitors with our motorcoach rate getting utilized this year. Awcc had a busy year with capital improvement projects. We were able to complete a large portion of projects including point erosion and bank stabilization, water treatment settling tank installation, fill for multiple habitats, additional Wildlife shelter, sitka deer yard shelter and habitat upgrades, and a large overhaul and update to our admissions booths (including 3 newly constructed booths). There are multiple capital improvements that are on-going and near completion as the end of 2022 wrapped,including onboarding the new pos system, the brown bear shifts, and master planning and project management seed funds. We re-wrote and planned out a new 5-year strategic plan that includes further large capital improvements such as the matson ocean education Center, and the animal clinic and housing building (all currently in progress).awcc had a busy year through the calving season as well. The animal care department handled 5 orphans including 3 moose calves and 2 musk ox calves. The awcc welcomed back the internship program, which allowed for seasonal hires in both our educaoon and animal care departments. It was the first year the awcc was allowed to participate as a foster facility, and temporarily hold the moose calves until permanent placement was approved for a facility in the lower 48. The musk ox calves will grow up at the awcc for the remainder of their lives. The awcc had seven (7) bison calves born to the herd this year, we are hopeful for future plans of a release for the bison living at awcc. The increase in calves brought the awcc herd total up to 34 animals, the largest it has been since the large initial release in 2015. The awcc was also able to collaborate with the ak department of fish and game and the large animal research station (lars), helping them accomplish a small release of elk island surplus bison stock, releasing 22 animals into the innoko in june 2022. The added genetics these yearling bison bring to the current herd will only help the herd to grow and continue thriving. Other mission-driving successes for 2022 was the partnership between noaa and awcc, and awcc officially joining the ak beluga monitoring partnership. This partnership aides in research focused onsupporting the efforts toward the critically endangered cook inlet beluga whale population. The partnership with the u.s.fish and Wildlife service continued to flourish with the hummingbird banding program and grant support to create a native pollinators garden for future growth of the program and research associated.