ABSTRACT Alaska's coastline and offshore areas provide seasonal feeding, breeding, and staging grounds for large numbers of birds and marine mammals. In addition, offshore waters serve as passageways for oil tankers and other ocean vessels, and as the location of oil exploration, development, and production activities. Because of the potential for wildlife to contact oil as a result of a spill in the marine environment, the Alaska Regional Response Team (RRT) established a working group in September 1987 to develop and maintain guidelines to assist Alaska's federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) in dealing with oiled wildlife. The working group, originally comprised of representatives from four federal and state agencies on the Alaska RRT, was expanded to include members from three special-interest groups—the oil industry and environmental and native groups—and the guideline objectives were broadened to address three response strategies: (1) controlling the release and spread of oil to protect wildlife; (2) keeping wildlife away from a spill; and (3) cleaning oiled wildlife. Through the cooperative efforts of working group members, the guidelines were drafted in early 1988 and are currently undergoing a multistage review. The working group anticipates that the guidelines will be submitted to the Alaska RRT for adoption in late 1988. The guidelines, which divide Alaska into 11 planning areas, focus on important species that inhabit offshore and coastal environments. Relevant resource information, suggested response strategies, and recommended technical experts and response manuals are listed for appropriate species or groups of species. Equipment, materials, and facility requirements for various response strategies as well as inventories of appropriate equipment and materials stockpiled in the state, and facilities that could be used during a response also are identified. Alaska's environmental and logistical constraints present unique challenges for protecting wildlife from oil spill effects. Nonetheless, other RRTs and local response organizations may benefit from the experience gained by the Alaska RRT in developing the guidelines, and from the scientific information and wildlife protection technologies incorporated in the guidelines.