4 INVASIVE Animals found in Alaska! (2025)
What kinds of invasive species can you find in Alaska?
Animals that are not native can cause many problems. They put a lot of pressure on native species as they compete for food, territories, and nesting areas.
Below, you will learn about an array of different invasive creatures, along with the myriad of problems they cause!
4 Invasive Animals Found in Alaska:
Just a quick note: you won’t find any insects or fish below. Those articles are coming soon! 🙂
#1. Rock Pigeon
- Columba livia
These invasive birds are common in Alaska but are almost exclusively found in urban areas. Rock Pigeons are what everyone refers to as “pigeons.” You have probably seen them gathering in huge flocks in city parks, hoping to get tossed some birdseed or leftover food.
The typical pigeon has a gray back, a blue-gray head, and two black wing bars. In addition, look for a green and purple iridescence around their necks!
Rock Pigeon Range Map
Love them or hate them, Rock Pigeons have been associated with humans for a long time! Some Egyptian hieroglyphics suggest that people started domesticating them over 5,000 years ago. But, interestingly, scientists aren’t even sure where their original range occurs!
#2. Domestic Cat
- Felis catus
- Can be a wide range of colors, sizes, shapes, and fur lengths.
- Selected mutations observed in many pet cats, such as folded ears, munchkin legs, or flattened faces, are not commonly seen among domestic cats successfully living feral.
Sadly, domestic cats are very damaging to the ecosystems in Alaska where they are introduced. It has only been in the last century or so that cats have become pets that stay indoors.
It is estimated that these invasive animals kill over 1 billion birds and 6 billion other small animals annually. Feral cats that live and breed away from the care of humans are the most prolific hunters.
As you can imagine, this issue is hotly debated due to the love people have for their pet cats. Some experts think that trap-neuter-return programs are key to curbing the problem of feral cats. At the same time, others are huge proponents of NEVER letting your cat outside.
#3. European Starling
- Sturnus vulgaris
- They are about the size of an American Robin. Their plumage is black and appears to be shiny.
- Breeding adults are darker black and have a green-purple tint.
- In winter, starlings lose their glossiness, their beaks become darker, and they develop white spots over their bodies.
Despite being common, European Starlings are an invasive species in Alaska.
Back in 1890, one hundred starlings were brought over from Europe and released in New York City’s Central Park. The man responsible (Eugene Schieffelin) had a mission to introduce all of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays to North America.
European Starling Range Map
The rest is history as starlings easily conquered the continent, along the way out-competing many of our beautiful native birds. Their ability to adapt to human development and eat almost anything is uncanny to virtually no other species.
Here’s something amazing about these non-native birds:
It’s the magical way they travel in flocks, called murmurations. Check out the video below because it’s mesmerizing. 🙂
#4. House Mouse
- Mus musculus
- The tails are hairless and can be as long as their bodies.
- House Mice are smaller and lighter built than rats.
- They usually have light brown fur and large round ears compared to their heads, which give them a cute look.
These invasive rodents originated in Asia but can now be found in Alaska. House Mice arrived in North America on ships in the 1600s and quickly multiplied.
Mice have dispersed across the planet incredibly successfully, second perhaps only to humans. The biggest key to their success is their ability to adapt their behavior quickly and breed prolifically.
House Mouse Range Map
Salmonella and parasites are the most prevalent illnesses that mice transmit to humans by contaminating food. However, this risk has been greatly reduced through modern food management techniques in the USA.
House Mice also greatly impact the ecosystems that they invade. They are omnivorous and will devour plants and target animal species that have not adapted to fighting them off.
Fascinatingly, House Mice also cause the decline of native species by bolstering the health of predators through seasons when other prey would have been hard to find. By becoming prey themselves, the mice inflate the populations of predators year-round.
Learn more about other animals in Alaska!
-
Most DANGEROUS Animals in Alaska!
-
MOST Common Birds in Alaska
-
6 Types of NOCTURNAL Animals in Alaska!
-
Types of MAMMALS Found in Alaska!
Which of these invasive species have you seen in Alaska?
Leave a COMMENT below! 🙂
