A Fireside Chat with Elisabeth Kruger

Elisabeth Kruger works at the forefront of Arctic conservation, mitigating threats to the wildlife of coastal Alaska. As WWF’s manager for Arctic wildlife, she spends much of her time exploring socio-ecological systems in the Bering and Beaufort seas. Elisabeth leads WWF’s efforts to help polar bears and other Arctic marine mammals coexist alongside people in an increasingly warmer and ice-free Arctic. Her advocacy work for science-based conservation—informed by Indigenous knowledge and supporting Arctic food security—allows her to collaborate with federal policymakers and remote Alaskan communities. Most of that work centers on international treaties, management, and conservation plans that are vital to maintaining some of the last remaining intact ecosystems in the United States.

Prior to joining WWF, Elisabeth spent four years in Irkutsk, Russia, on a Fulbright scholarship. Enamored with life at the edge of civilization, Elisabeth then moved from Siberia to Alaska and joined WWF. From working with polar bear patrols in remote Arctic villages to drafting federal conservation strategy, Elisabeth brings her passion for Arctic wildlife conservation to her work every day.