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Browse images from a wide range of science topics covered by USGS. All items in this gallery are considered public domain unless otherwise noted.

Filter Total Items: 1477
Habitat of bar-tailed godwit in Alaska. Rolling tundra with hummocks and low shrubs with mountains in the background.
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula

Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.

Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.

50 or more Pacific capelin. Small fish piled together. Bubbles are visible and bodies in different directions.
Pacific capelin trawl catch
Pacific capelin trawl catch
Pacific capelin trawl catch

Photo of Pacific capelin trawl catch in Cook Inlet Alaska. Capelin are cold water forage fish that play a key role in transferring energy between plankton and top marine predators. Seabirds, and their forage fish prey, serve as practical indicators of change in the marine environment— natural or human induced— and can be readily monitored at sea.

Photo of Pacific capelin trawl catch in Cook Inlet Alaska. Capelin are cold water forage fish that play a key role in transferring energy between plankton and top marine predators. Seabirds, and their forage fish prey, serve as practical indicators of change in the marine environment— natural or human induced— and can be readily monitored at sea.

Argos Wildlife Tracking Long-tailed Ducks animation
Argos Wildlife Tracking Long-tailed Ducks animation
Argos Wildlife Tracking Long-tailed Ducks animation
Argos Wildlife Tracking Long-tailed Ducks animation

Illustrates where Long-tailed Ducks were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.

Illustrates where Long-tailed Ducks were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.

Scenic view of lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Wood oars and fishing poles in boat with cloudy sky and mountains.
Lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. This is part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. This is part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Scientist holding Round whitefish in hand. Whitefish were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.
Round whitefish in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Round whitefish in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Round whitefish in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Round whitefish in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Round whitefish (Prosopium cylindraceum) were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Round whitefish in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Round whitefish (Prosopium cylindraceum) were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Scientist holding Longnose sucker in hand. These fish were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.
Longnose sucker in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Longnose sucker in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Longnose sucker in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Longnose sucker in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Longnose suckers (Catostomus catostomus) were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Longnose sucker in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Longnose suckers (Catostomus catostomus) were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Two scientists in boat fishing for lake trout on a lake in Alaska. Mountains in the background.
Fishing for lake trout in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Fishing for lake trout in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Fishing for lake trout in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Fishing for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Sam Graf (NPS – LACL) and Ashley Stanek (USGS – ASC) angle for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Wrangell St. Elias National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs. 

Fishing for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Sam Graf (NPS – LACL) and Ashley Stanek (USGS – ASC) angle for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in Wrangell St. Elias National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs. 

Scientist holding two Burbot (Lota lota), a freshwater fish, in hands.
Burbot in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Burbot in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Burbot in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Burbot in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Burbot (Lota lota) were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Burbot in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Burbot (Lota lota) were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Scientist adjusts a fyke net in a lake. Fyke nets are used to non-lethally capture fish.
Fyke net in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Fyke net in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Fyke net in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Fyke net in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Sam Graf (NPS – LACL) adjusts a fyke net installed in a lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Fyke nets are used to non-lethally capture fish.

Fyke net in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Sam Graf (NPS – LACL) adjusts a fyke net installed in a lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Fyke nets are used to non-lethally capture fish.

Arctic grayling on beach laying on driftwood and grasses.
Arctic grayling in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Arctic grayling in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Arctic grayling in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Arctic grayling were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Arctic grayling were collected as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Lake trout with stomach contents visible below the fish consist primarily of slimy sculpin. Dorsal muscle collection also.
Lake trout sampling
Lake trout sampling
Lake trout sampling

Lake trout with stomach contents in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Dorsal muscle collection and stomach content analysis are used to evaluate biomagnification of mercury in Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Stomach contents visible below the fish consist primarily of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus).

Lake trout with stomach contents in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Dorsal muscle collection and stomach content analysis are used to evaluate biomagnification of mercury in Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Stomach contents visible below the fish consist primarily of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus).

Scientist collects benthic macroinvertebrates using a kick net in a lake. Male scientist holds bucket for samples.
Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates
Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates
Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates

Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Sarah Laske (USGS – ASC) collects benthic macroinvertebrates using a kick net in a lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska, as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Sarah Laske (USGS – ASC) collects benthic macroinvertebrates using a kick net in a lake in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska, as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Two scientists in a boat on lake. Sam collects benthic macroinvertebrates using an Eckman grab. Green hills in background.
Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Collecting benthic macroinvertebrates in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Sam Graf (NPS – LACL) collects benthic macroinvertebrates using an Eckman grab in Wrangell St. Elias National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Sam Graf (NPS – LACL) collects benthic macroinvertebrates using an Eckman grab in Wrangell St. Elias National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs.

Male scientist with fishing rod and female scientist using a plankton on small boat on a lake. Green hills in background.
Collecting zooplankton in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Collecting zooplankton in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Collecting zooplankton in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Sarah Laske (USGS - ASC) collects zooplankton from a lake using a plankton net in Wrangell St. Elias National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs. Sam Graf (NPS - LACL) angles. 

Sarah Laske (USGS - ASC) collects zooplankton from a lake using a plankton net in Wrangell St. Elias National Park as part of a study examining mercury in lake food webs. Sam Graf (NPS - LACL) angles. 

Example of a screen capture of machine learning assisted image processing with OtterChecker9000 from the USFWS aerial survey.
USFWS aerial survey for sea otters
USFWS aerial survey for sea otters
USFWS aerial survey for sea otters

Example of a screen capture of machine learning assisted image processing with OtterChecker9000 from the USFWS aerial survey for sea otters in Southeast AK.

Example of a screen capture of machine learning assisted image processing with OtterChecker9000 from the USFWS aerial survey for sea otters in Southeast AK.

Hills with patches of snow and orange coloring along the bank and vegetation along the tributary of the Agashashok River, AK
Tributary of Agashashok River, Noatak National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Tributary of Agashashok River, Noatak National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Tributary of Agashashok River, Noatak National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Tributary of Agashashok River located in the Noatak National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Recent observations from Arctic Alaska indicate that waters draining permafrost landscapes may be susceptible to iron and carbon mobilization following thaw.

Tributary of Agashashok River located in the Noatak National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Recent observations from Arctic Alaska indicate that waters draining permafrost landscapes may be susceptible to iron and carbon mobilization following thaw.

Three Sea World Orlando marine mammal trainers measure healthy mature female walrus.
Three marine mammal trainers measure a healthy female walrus
Three marine mammal trainers measure a healthy female walrus
Three marine mammal trainers measure a healthy female walrus

Sea World Orlando marine mammal trainers, Kelly Trotto, Josh Boepple and Matt Oddi, measure a healthy mature female walrus in support of a USGS study that seeks to develop methods to monitor walrus body condition from survey drones flown high above walruses where they rest on shore. With this new tool, USGS intends to examine the environmental factors that affe

Sea World Orlando marine mammal trainers, Kelly Trotto, Josh Boepple and Matt Oddi, measure a healthy mature female walrus in support of a USGS study that seeks to develop methods to monitor walrus body condition from survey drones flown high above walruses where they rest on shore. With this new tool, USGS intends to examine the environmental factors that affe

Graduate student on rocky beach looking through a spotting scope on tripod used to observe sea otters.
Laura Geissinger watching sea otters through a spotting scope
Laura Geissinger watching sea otters through a spotting scope
Laura Geissinger watching sea otters through a spotting scope

Graduate student Laura Geissinger looks through a spotting scope. The student is watching sea otters in Kachemak Bay forage. USGS researchers spend hundreds of hours annually observing sea otter foraging behavior to document prey composition and energy recovery rates.

Graduate student Laura Geissinger looks through a spotting scope. The student is watching sea otters in Kachemak Bay forage. USGS researchers spend hundreds of hours annually observing sea otter foraging behavior to document prey composition and energy recovery rates.

Captive walrus laying down. Two trainers near walrus in aquatic stadium with bleachers and drone on wire above walrus.
Walrus at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida as part of USGS research
Walrus at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida as part of USGS research
Walrus at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida as part of USGS research

An adult female walrus being positioned by marine mammal trainers at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida for measurement using aerial photographs (see camera at the top of the image). These images were taken as part of a USGS study in collaboration with zoos and aquaria in the United States and western Europe for validating aerial imagery as a method for monitoring the b

An adult female walrus being positioned by marine mammal trainers at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida for measurement using aerial photographs (see camera at the top of the image). These images were taken as part of a USGS study in collaboration with zoos and aquaria in the United States and western Europe for validating aerial imagery as a method for monitoring the b

Looking out from small plane at new camera system attached under wing. Flying over water and snow-covered ground.
Plane with camera
Plane with camera
Plane with camera

Image depicting the new camera system USGS, FWS, and NPS are using to conduct photo-based aerial surveys for sea otters.

Image depicting the new camera system USGS, FWS, and NPS are using to conduct photo-based aerial surveys for sea otters.

Map with study site locations for waterbird and Arctic lake ecosystem research on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska.
Study site locations for waterbird and Arctic lake ecosystem research on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Study site locations for waterbird and Arctic lake ecosystem research on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Study site locations for waterbird and Arctic lake ecosystem research on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska

The Teshekpuk Lake region was designated as a Special Area in 1977 by the Secretary of the Interior, Cecil Andrus. The map shows the approximate boundary of the Special Area in 2008, 2013, and 2020.

The Teshekpuk Lake region was designated as a Special Area in 1977 by the Secretary of the Interior, Cecil Andrus. The map shows the approximate boundary of the Special Area in 2008, 2013, and 2020.