Watch this virtual presentation by David Safine as he teaches us about the taxonomy, natural history, population status, and management of Canada and cackling geese in Alaska. There are two species of white-cheeked geese, Canada and cackling, and each species has multiple subspecies. At least 6 of these subspecies nest in Alaska's diverse habitats, from the remote western Aleutian Islands to the rain forests of southeast, all the way up to polygonal tundra of the Arctic Coastal Plain.
David Safine is a waterfowl biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Division of Migratory Bird Management in Anchorage. David has spent most of his career working on research and monitoring projects for multiple species of ducks and geese, but has the most experience working with Alaska's two threatened eider species (spectacled and Steller's). Currently, his job duties include serving as an observer on aerial surveys, a liaison to the Pacific Flyway's technical team, and a member of the Eider Recovery Team.
