A recent video from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is an excellent reminder of how remote Alaska really is. The organization focused on wildlife conservation recently shared a video of one of its officers landing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Be sure to check out this clip:
The video is short and straightforward. In the post, Senior Federal Wildlife Officer (and pilot) Cody Smith lands a bush plane. The plane is surrounded by nothing but wilderness.
The video caused many funny replies, including, “Where’s the terminal?” and “Are y’all hiring?”
Here’s a little bit about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge:
The remote area sits above the Arctic Circle and covers nearly 20 million acres. That’s about the size of South Carolina.
The area is famous for two things. First, there is a massive herd of caribou that wildlife experts say includes about 200,000 animals. Second, the refuge has been the center of a political fight in recent years over oil drilling. Plenty of big-name outdoor brands like Patagonia have been vocal about protecting the area.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees the land. No visitor roadways or facilities exist, so you’ll have to fly in like Officer Smith.
If you want a job like this, here are the requirements according to the USFWS:
“One of the requirements to apply for a Federal Wildlife Officer is having at least one year of work experience in the field of law enforcement and/or natural resources OR have a four-year course study leading to a bachelor’s degree or possess a bachelor’s degree with a major focus in natural resource management, natural sciences, park and recreation science, criminal justice or other closely related subjects to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources.”
