Primates
| Species | More information | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Human Homo sapiens |
Humans began to inhabit Alaska at the end of the Upper Paleolithic Period (around 12,000 BCE), when Asiatic groups crossed the Bering Land Bridge into what is now western Alaska. The state was populated by Alaska Native groups at the time Europeans first made contact with Alaska in 1741. A limited number of Russian colonists inhabited the state during the late 18th through the mid-19th century. Gold rushes in the late 19th century brought thousands of miners to Alaska, World War II expanded the state's infrastructure, and the 1960s discovery of oil attracted more residents. Presently, there are approximately 670,000 humans in Alaska, many of whom live in the state's few urban areas. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 75% of Alaska residents are white. 19% are American Indian or Alaska Native, the largest proportion of any state. Multiracial/Mixed-Race people are the third largest group of people in the state, totaling 6.9% of the population. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Mammals Of Alaska