Limiting Disturbance to Alaska’s Eiders

Every summer on Alaska’s North Slope, threatened eider species return to the tundra to nest and raise their young in one of the harshest and most fragile environments on Earth. But human activity in nesting areas can unintentionally disturb these birds during a critical stage of their life cycle. In this video, biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service introduce two federally listed species — the Steller’s eider and spectacled eider — and explain why protecting their nesting areas is so important. Filmed near Utqiaġvik, Alaska, this project highlights practical ways anyone can help minimize disturbance while working or recreating on the tundra during the summer season. Credit: USFWS Audio-described video:    • Audio-Described: Limiting Disturbance to A...   https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management.