Trump’s Drilling Plans Could Threaten Arctic Wildlife in Fragile Alaska Reserve

Alaska is home to diverse wildlife living across rugged, untouched landscapes, and some of these areas could be impacted under a new Whitehouse plan.

Alaska Caribou
Alaska caribou herds migrate huge distances across the state to the National Petroleum Reserve.

The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) is home to countless animals, a place where caribou feed and breed, and is roughly the size of Maine. Now, the landscape is at risk under a Trump Administration plan that was released on June 17th, 2025. The plan proposes to open over 80 percent of the reserve to oil and gas development, increasing the available land by almost 7 million acres to 18.5 million acres.

A Place For Wildlife To Roam Free

The NPR-A is a wild, open tundra that is extremely biodiverse. Sitting on Alaska’s northern slope, its coastline runs along the Beaufort Sea. This 23 million-acre area is home to countless animal species that live, feed, breed and migrate through.

Three out of four of Alaska’s caribou herds use this tundra for calving and migration. According to a study published in Nature, these herds undertake some of the longest terrestrial migrations on Earth as they move from their winter ranges to their calving grounds.

Alaska Caribou in the Snow
Alaska caribou use the National Petroleum Reserve as an essential habitat for calving.

Migratory birds also move through the NPR-A from all parts of the planet, including all fifty states, as it is the intersection of five major flyways. On top of birds, wolverines, polar bears, moose, hawks, falcons and lynx all depend on this ecosystem in northern Alaska.

The Bureau of Land Management oversees NPR-A and also determines areas within it that have significant cultural or ecological value. These are called “special areas”, and some of these areas are also under threat with the Trump administration's plan.

Far-Reaching Impacts of Development

The move to open more of the reserve to development by the Trump administration would boost domestic oil production and aims to create jobs.

For those who aren’t aware, NPR-A was established in 1923 by President Harding as a naval petroleum reserve. There have been multiple surveys of the land over the last 100 years, including those after World War II. However, a 2002 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey found that the area contained more petroleum resources than previously estimated.

The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska sits on Alaska's northern shore and includes multiple special areas. Map Credit: Bureau of Land Management.
Not all of the NPR-A is suitable for drilling, or has oil and gas to develop. But this doesn’t mean that development won’t be felt further from drilling sites.

Roads, airstrips, and pipelines will have to be built from any drilling sites. These have impacts on migration patterns and wildlife behavior, as animals will likely steer clear of infrastructure and humans. This may impact the breeding and health of wildlife, as they are not used to seeing human activity in their rugged landscape. Caribou are most likely to be impacted as mothers with calves have been shown to avoid roads according to research published by the Arctic Institute of North America.

Climate change also has to be mentioned as the Arctic is warming nearly four times as fast as the rest of the world. More development can cause increased melting and permafrost thaw, which can release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Thawing permafrost has already threatened the trans-Alaska pipeline, undermining its supports.

When it comes to expanded development, there are many things to consider, and that is why public comment on this Whitehouse plan is open through 9:59 pm AKDT today, July 1st.

News Reference

What’s at risk for Arctic wildlife if Trump expands oil drilling in the fragile National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Mariah Meek, June 30, 2025.

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