Mammals taken Along the Alaska Highway

In the summers of 1947 and 1948 a dedicated field naturalist journeyed the newly‑opened Alaska Highway by car and trailer, stopping at remote outposts from the Rockies to the far north of Alaska. The expedition recorded the rhythms of wildlife along a route that crossed Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and the Alaskan interior, often spending only a few days at each site. His goal was to supply the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History with fresh specimens for scientific study.

The resulting collection comprises more than a thousand mammals, representing fifty‑six species and subspecies, many of which had been rarely captured in these regions. Detailed notes on habitat, elevation and coloration accompany each specimen, and the work acknowledges cooperation from several national and provincial museums as well as game‑commission officials who issued collecting permits. Though the fieldwork was brief at each location, the report paints a vivid snapshot of mid‑century North‑American fauna along a rugged transportation corridor.