*There are two native peoples who live in this area. These are the Gwich'in and the Inupiat peoples. The Gwich'in rely on the caribou while the Inupiat rely on whales for part of their living.
*There are approximately 7,000 Gwich'in people in Alaska. The Gwich'in people oppose drilling in ANWR. They even believe caribou calving grounds to be sacred.
*However, the Inupiat people support drilling in ANWR. Some believe this is because they own lands that would be drilled on. That means they would reap the financial benefits of drilling in ANWR.
*ANWR was established in 1960 for the purpose of preserving it's vital and unique wildlife.
*ANWR is one of the largest refuges in our National Wildlife Refuge System.
* It also contains some of the most diverse wildlife in the arctic, including 36 fish species, 36 land mammals, nine marine mammals, and over 160 bird species. However, these are throughout the entire ANWR area. The mammals that live in the tundra and coastal areas (near prospected drilling sites) are as follows:
Masked Shrew
Arctic Shrew
Singing Vole
Red-back Vole
Collard Lemming
Porcupine
Coyote
Gray Wolf
Arctic Fox
Red Fox
Lynx
Polar Bear
Ermine
Wolverine
Caribou
Muskox
Dall Sheep
Walrus
Bearded Seal
Spotted Seal
Ringed Seal
