Round Island
About Round Island
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game also manages the Walrus Islands State Game
Sanctuary, in the northern waters of Bristol Bay. Round Island, the best-known island
in the sanctuary, is famous for being the only summer haulout site for pacific walrus
in the United States. During the summer months, as the arctic ice recedes, thousands
of male walrus crowd the rocky beaches of Round Island. The males remain in Bristol
Bay during the summer to feed and recover from the mating season, while the females
head north. Round Island is also a haulout site for Steller sea lions, and a nesting
site for over 100 species of birds, including puffins, cormorants, kittiwakes, and
gulls. A small and feisty population of red fox enjoy the island, as well.
Filming at Round Island
Round Island has been visited and occupied by Alaskans indigenous to Bristol Bay for
over five thousand years. Since 1960 it has been protected as a sanctuary for walrus,
with access and activity on the island closely controlled. This July we were privileged
to take our film crew to Round Island to capture the sights and sounds of this unique
Alaska destination. We used a Freedom 360 camera to shoot immersive video in all directions
to give our planetarium audience the sensation of what it is like to be there. We
also used telephoto lenses to see the animals up close, just as you might with a pair
of binoculars. Because walrus and Steller sea lions are federally protected species,
we were limited in how closely we could approach them. Fortunately, these technologies
allow us to give our audience an intimate view of these exotic animals without disturbing
them.
A Place Like No Other
Filming on Round Island and many other locations around Alaska has been wrapped up and we are ready to premiere our newest fulldome documentary, A Place Like No Other. The premiere is set for November 15th, 2019 at the UAA Planetarium & Visualization Theater. Tickets will be available at UAATix.com.
