Symbol | Official Item

The woolly mammoth was designated the official state fossil of Alaska in 1986. All State Fossils

The giant king salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was designated the state fish of Alaska in 1962 (also called Chinook salmon, spring salmon, quinnat, tyee, tule, and blackmouth salmon). All State Fish

Alaska designated the four-spot skimmer dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) as the official state insect in1995. All State Insects

The four-spot skimmer dragonfly won among 4 insect contestants voted on by Alaskan schoolchildren. The runners up included the unmarked slender mosquito, the mourning cloak butterfly, and the bumblebee.

Excerpt from "Dragonfly Wins State Title; Mosquitoes Miffed" by Ned Rozell / University of Alaska, Fairbanks:

The willow ptarmigan was designated the official state bird of Alaska in 1955. All State Birds

There are three kinds of ptarmigan and all can be found in Alaska - the willow ptarmigan and rock ptarmigan (which are also found in Scandinavia, Russia, and northern Eurasia), and white-tailed ptarmigan (found only in North America).   

Alaska adopted the wild native alpine forget-me-not as the state flower in 1917. Alpine forget-me-nots belong to one of the few plant families that display true blue flowers. All State Flowers

The wild native alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris), grows well throughout Alaska in open, rocky places high in the mountains. You will see the diminutive alpine forget-me-not in midsummer, and perhaps one of several other varieties in Alaska (such as mountain forget-me-nots and splendid forget-me-nots).

The Bowhead whale was designated Alaska's official state marine mammal in 1983. All State Mammals

The moose was designated the "official Alaska land mammal" in 1998 (the moose is also a state symbol of Maine). All State Mammals

Moose Facts

Moose (Alces alces) are the world's largest member of the deer family, and the Alaskan moose (Alces alces gigas) is the largest of all moose (males weigh 1,000 - 1,600 pounds). Moose mostly inhabit northern forests of North America, Europe, and Russia (in Europe they are called "elk").

The Alaskan Malamute was designated the official state dog of Alaska on April 18th, 2010, thanks to the efforts of students at Polaris K-12 School in Anchorage (guided by teachers Terry Powers, Jamie Rodriguez, and Carol Bartholomew). All State Dogs

Dog mushing was designated the official state sport of Alaska in 1972. All State Sports

Wisconsin designated “The Wisconsin Waltz” as the official state waltz in 2001; music and lyrics by Eddie Hansen, a Waupaca native.

Wisconsin also recognizes a state song and a state ballad. All State Songs