Buldir Island

Buldir Island is an uninhabited island in the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska, notable for its isolation and importance to seabirds and wildlife. It lies in the far western Aleutians between Kiska and Attu and is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

The island supports large breeding colonies of seabirds, including auklets and puffins, because it remained free of introduced predators that affected many other Aleutian islands. There are no permanent settlements; visits are generally by researchers and refuge personnel rather than tourists.

European and American use of the island has been limited and sporadic; it has been surveyed for wildlife and occasionally visited for research. Its remoteness and lack of infrastructure mean it has remained largely in natural condition.

Geographically Buldir sits well west in the Aleutian chain, isolated from major Alaskan towns. The nearest inhabited Aleutian communities are many hundreds of kilometres away, and access requires sea or aircraft capable of operating in remote conditions.

• Access: Managed as part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and largely closed to casual visitors; access is normally limited to scientists and authorised personnel.