World's Wildest City: Anchorage

In this wild city theres a canine running wild on the city streets 24 hours a day Drawn in by the constant supply of food urban coyotes cannot resist the sights and smells of Anchorage Highly elusive no one knows how many coyotes live in Anchorage But their powerful sense of smell and razorsharp hearing enables them to thrive on the many opportunities to find food in this city

At a ranch on the edge of Anchorage caribou reindeer are at constant risk from the areas wolves and brown bears The people of Anchorage have vowed to protect them but will their help be enough for them to survive One of the most anticipated events here is the Running of the Reindeer Residents and tourists gather to race in fancy dress while being chased by a herd of reindeer

Lynx are usually highly elusive but in Anchorage houses are being built in the lynxs territory forcing these usually shy big cats to find new ways to survive on the streets On the edge of Anchorage the Alaska Zoo provides a sanctuary for any injured or orphaned lynx found in the city Senior keeper Beth has handraised Tony the lynx since he was brought into the zoo as a kitten

In Anchorage one bird rules the roost the bald eagle They are perfectly adapted to life in tough arctic conditions but in Anchorage the secret to their survival is trash Every day hundreds of bald eagles gather at the city dump in search of an easy meal But this city life also brings constant danger not just for the eagles themselves but also for the human residents

For years at least four highly elusive wolf packs have lived and hunted on the edge of the wild city of Anchorage But as the city spreads further and further into wolf country the wolves are now getting bolder and attacks on humans are on the rise Despite the dangers posed by these urban wolf packs many residents are fighting to protect the wolves

Anchorage is home to hundreds of black bears that are patrolling the city With their brains their brawn and their cunning these bears have mastered life in this urban jungle When spring arrives the bears hit the city to find some food But with people and black bears coming into contact more and more are the bears risking their lives with their scavenging tactics

Anchorage has a unique resident renowned as natures lumberjack – the beaver With their powerful teeth their dams can be seen from space But since humans arrived many beavers have been forced to live in an urban jungle However the animals have found a way to thrive even in the city There is one problem though their incredible building abilities can cause problems for the citys residents

Anchorage is home to a huge number of wild porcupines living in parks gardens and streets Anchorages porcupines search for food here and find refuge during the bitter Alaskan winters In the wild few animals other than wolves attempt to kill porcupines but in the city domesticated dogs can be as big a threat to the porcupines as wild wolves

When spring comes one animal arrives in the thousands salmon Traveling an incredible 3500 miles through rivers and streams they are Alaskas hardiest resident Using their muscular bodies they can swim upstream jumping over any obstacle that gets in their way Salmon run right into the heart of the city But there is one hazard they face right at the end of their journey brown bears

This unique arctic city is home to over 2000 moose And these notorious animals are running riot crossing busy highways giving birth in backyards and even doing battle right here in suburbia But life on the streets is fraught with danger and in this expanding city more highways mean more moose deaths But the people of Anchorage are on a mission to protect the most iconic animal

When summer hits Anchorage bursts into life Animals and plants living this far north have been forced to adapt working faster to make the most of the short season Residents live alongside these wild animals in the evergrowing city But in this urban jungle the summer heat sometimes brings conflict Forest fires infestations and angry animals can all make the summers unbearable

Alaska is one of the last true wildernesses on earth This state is home to an abundance of wildlife Herds of caribou roam the plains wolves stalk in the forest and the brown bears are the kings of the rivers In the city of Anchorage the wildlife is a lot closer than you think Harbors ports and even golf courses have all become unexpected homes for these urban animals

The unspoiled wilderness of Alaska is home to some of the most extraordinary animals in the world With approximately 11000 wolves 200000 moose and 32000 brown bears all the animals must fight Alaskas elements in order to survive But with the city of Anchorage growing ever larger the regions wildlife has many new challenges to overcome some of which they cannot face on their own