ALASKA MENAGERIE   Home > Students > Menagerie
	IT'S THE GREAT ALASKA MENAGERIE   Farmers don't only raise the traditional livestock such as sheep, horses, pigs, and cows. They also raise diversified livestock. Check out some of these animals raised in Alaska, traditional and non-traditional. Non-Traditional Animals     Alpacas and llamas, with their heavy coats from their native South American mountains, also do well in Alaska. This alpaca lives on a farm on the Kenai Peninsula.   This baby is an Alaska reindeer. Reindeer are domesticated caribou (an animal which is indigenous to Alaska). Reindeer are raised for their meat and for their antlers and the velvet that is shed from the antlers, as well as other body parts.   This big fellow is part of a herd of domestic bison near Delta Junction. Bison thrive in Alaska's cold Interior because they are well suited to harsh weather with their heavy coats and sturdiness.   Elk is another species people think about as a wild animal, not a farm animal. But elk, too, are raised in Alaska because they are hardy. Their meat and the velvet from their antlers are very valuable. Traditional Animals   Not every farmer raises what is called diversified livestock. Many still raise typical farm animals, like dairy and beef cows, swine (pigs), sheep, horses and goats.   Dairy herds are clustered near Delta Junction and in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, primarily near Point McKenzie.   Horses are popular in several areas of the state: the Mat-Su Borough, near Fairbanks and on the Kenai Peninsula, where this foal was born.   Goat herds are raised for milk, angora and meat.   Pigs are raised for meat. Pepperoni, ham, and bacon are just some of tasty products. Back to Top