ISLES - Island Surveys to Learn about Endemic Species

ISLES is a cooperative effort between resource management agencies, the University of New Mexico, and public school teachers that focuses on the fascinating islands of the Alexander Archipelago. Our aim is to continue building a natural history archive representing wildlife populations throughout Southeast Alaska, which will stimulate research and teaching efforts related to the region’s incomparable wildlife, islands, and associated ecosystems. The archive includes traditional museum specimens tied to a web-accessible database that tracks all investigations based on these materials. This natural history library allows teachers, students, trappers, researchers, and the general public to learn more about Southeast Alaska. It also helps managers address issues such as emerging pathogens, wildlife disease, habitat conversion, and population viability. To date, these efforts have demonstrated that island endemics are actually more widely distributed than early work indicated. Conversely, cryptic (previously unknown) forms have been discovered. Basic information on each island population is essential to prioritizing limited resources related to the management of wildlife.

The ISLES Archive develops through three primary initiatives: 

• Interagency Salvage Network with cooperating trappers and hunters around the region
• Field Inventory of Small Mammals - Started in 1991 in Southeast Alaska
• Education - Developing island-based science content for public school students