Sirmilik National Park
Encyclopedia
Sirmilik National Park is a protected area located in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut
, Canada
. It was established in 2001. Situated within the Arctic Cordillera
, it is composed of three areas: most of Bylot Island
with the exception for a few areas that are Inuit
-owned lands, Oliver Sound
, and Baffin Island
's Borden Peninsula
. Much of the park is bordered by water.
Geographically, it is representative of the Northern Eastern Arctic Lowlands Natural Region as well as parts of the Lancaster Sound Marine Region. Sirmilik is part of the National parks of Canada.
(or Inuit language
, traditionally spoken across the North American Arctic
) 'Sirmilik' means 'place of glaciers', as it represents Bylot Island's plethora of glaciers and ice caps. As Canadian Arctic
Inuktitut-speakers referred to northern Baffin Island as 'Sirmilik', the name of the geographic region became the name of the national park.
.
The area was explored by European whalers and explorers in their search for the Northwest Passage
. In the 1610s, the area was explored by explorers William Baffin
ad Robert Bylot
. They named several features of the area including Lancaster Sound
and Bylot Island in 1616. The abortive expedition by the British explorer John Ross
in 1818 ended when he saw what he believed were mountains blocking the end of Lancaster Sound. The area was later thoroughly explored during an extensive aerial mapping program of Northern Canada
by the Canadian Government which took from the 1930s until the late 1950s to complete.
The Byam Martin Mountains
on Bylot Island
were climbed by Pat Biard and then Ben Farris in 1954 who both also climbed Mount Thule
. In 1963 British explorer Bill Tilman
traversed the island, but did not climb any of the larger peaks.
The park was first established as a bird sanctuary in 1965 and monitored by the Canadian Wildlife Service
because of its seabird colonies. In 1977, a Canadian expedition of Rob Kelly and others climbed 20 peaks of Byot Island, and in 1984 Mike Schmidt with others climbed 28 peaks, including 16 first ascents.
The park officially became a national park in 2001. Today, the area is inhabited by the Inuit who continue to hunt and fish as their ancestors did.
The park was the subject of a short film in 2011's National Parks Project
, directed by Zacharias Kunuk
and scored by Andrew Whiteman, Dean Stone
and Tanya Tagaq.
, located to the south of Pond Inlet, characterised by a long narrow fjord flanked by towering cliffs and glaciers, the plateau and river valleys of the Borden Peninsula
and Baillarge Bay
, and finally Bylot Island
, characterised by its rough terrain with mountains, coastal lowlands, icefields and glaciers. Hoodoo
s are unique eroded formations on Bylot Island. Evidence shows that what is now Sirmilik National Park was scoured by the Laurentide ice sheet
, a massive sheet of ice that covered hundreds of thousands of square miles at least 20,000 years ago.
The Borden Peninsula extends north for 225 km (139.8 mi) and is 64 km (39.8 mi) – 169 km (105 mi) wide. The northern area, including the Hartz Mountains
, are composed of flat, dissected rock rising to over 914 m (2,998.7 ft) above sea level
. Admiralty Inlet
forms a western border, with Elwin Inlet
also to the west, while Navy Board Inlet
forms a border to the east, separating the peninsula from Bylot Island. Navy Board Inlet's coastal cliffs rise to 457 m (1,499.3 ft).
Bylot Island lies off the northern end of Baffin Island and with an area of 11067 km² (4,273 sq mi), it is ranked 71st largest island in the world and Canada's 17th largest island. It is also one of the largest uninhabited islands in the world. While there are no permanent settlements on this Canadian Arctic island, Inuit
from Pond Inlet
and elsewhere regularly travel to Bylot Island. An Inuit seasonal hunting camp is located southwest of Cape Graham Moore
. The Byam Martin Mountains extend from east to west across Bylot Island and are an extension of the Baffin Mountains
which in turn form part of the Arctic Cordillera
mountain system. The highest mountain in the range is Angilaaq Mountain
, 1951 m (6,401 ft), located near the island's centre. The Byam Martin Mountains are made up of Archean
-Aphebian igneous
crystal
line rock and Proterozoic
metasedimentary and metamorphic rock
, such as gneiss
. Sharp peaks and ridge
s, divided by deep glacier-filled valley
s are typical features in the range and has been extensively modified by glacial erosion
. Extensive glaciers dot the island including the Kaparoqtalik Glacier
. Vertical cliffs along the coastline are made up of Precambrian dolomite. The island's north shore faces Lancaster Sound
, a polar bear
maternity den area, also noted for its high concentrations of marine wildlife. To the northeast of the park is Baffin Bay
and to the south lies Pond Inlet and Eclipse Sound.
In the north of Baffin Island, there is a polar maritime climate which means long, cold winters and short, cool summers. The spring does not end until mid-June and the warmest period is late July and early August, with average maximum temperatures of 10 °C. The coldest month is January as the average maximum temperatures of about −30 °C. Rainfall is relatively abundant, contributing to the flora seen in the park.
Beluga whales, seal
s, walrus
, caribou, arctic fox
, arctic hare
and wolves are found in the park. Bylot Island is a migratory area for narwhal
s. Sirmilik is one of eight Canadian national parks that contains polar bear
s.
A major seabird colony is located in the area of Baillarge Bay. Seabird colonies are also located on Bylot Island which have a large colony and nesting area of greater snow geese
. Fifty different species of birds have been recorded here, of which thirty are known to breed. The park is known to be an important bird sanctuary. In 1965, Bylot Island enclosed within the park was also declared as a "Migratory Bird Sanctuary" in view of a large number of migratory birds recorded in the over all number of 74 bird species recorded till that date in the park. A record number 100,000 birds are reported to pass the park during summer months every year and hence the large geese population of the island is known to constitute the most abundant herbivores of the island. On some of Bylot Island's rugged cliffs within the park, thousands of nesting birds can be found including 300,000 Thick-billed Murre and 80,000 Black-legged Kittiwake
.
Flora
The wetlands of the park (10% of the area) have abundant vegetation of Water Sedge (Carex aquatilis
), White Cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri) and Tall Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium). Other types of grass include the Fisher’s Tundra
grass (Dupontia fisheri), the Polar Grass (Arctagrostis latifolia) and Semaphore Grass (Pleuropogon sabinei). In addition, several species of brown moss
have been recorded. In the arctic environment of the southern part of the island 360 species of plants have been documented, which are considered to have rare quality and productivity.
Vegetation in the upland (on hill slopes and terraces) which constitute 90% of southern drier areas of the park consist of forbs, such as Arctic Heather (Cassiope tetragona
), Mountain Avens (Dryas integrifolia), Arctic Poppy (Papaver radicatum
) and Mountain Sorrel (Oxyria digyna
), grasses, such as Polar Grass (Arctagrostis latifolia), Northern Foxtail (Alopecurus alpinus), Bluegrass (Poa
arctica) and Northern Wood Rush (Luzula confusa) and shrubs, such as Arctic Willow (Salix arctica) and Northern Bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum
).
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was established in 2001. Situated within the Arctic Cordillera
Arctic Cordillera
The Arctic Cordillera is a vast, deeply dissected chain of mountain ranges extending along the northeastern flank of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from Ellesmere Island to the northeasternmost part of the Labrador Peninsula in northern Labrador and northern Quebec, Canada...
, it is composed of three areas: most of Bylot Island
Bylot Island
Bylot Island lies off the northern end of Baffin Island in Nunavut Territory, Canada. At it is ranked 71st largest island in the world and Canada's 17th largest island. It is also one of the largest uninhabited islands in the world. While there are no permanent settlements on this Canadian Arctic...
with the exception for a few areas that are Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
-owned lands, Oliver Sound
Oliver Sound
Oliver Sound is an uninhabited natural waterway within Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located at the northern end of Baffin Island, north of Tay Sound. Its mouth opens to Eclipse Sound. Pond Inlet is the nearest community. The sound makes up part of Sirmilik National Park....
, and Baffin Island
Baffin Island
Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
's Borden Peninsula
Borden Peninsula
The Borden Peninsula is a peninsula on northern Baffin Island, in Nunavut, Canada. It lies south of Lancaster Sound. Northeastern Borden Peninsula is home to Sirmilik National Park.-Geography:Borden Peninsula extends north for . It is - wide....
. Much of the park is bordered by water.
Geographically, it is representative of the Northern Eastern Arctic Lowlands Natural Region as well as parts of the Lancaster Sound Marine Region. Sirmilik is part of the National parks of Canada.
Etymology
In the InuktitutInuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
(or Inuit language
Inuit language
The Inuit language is traditionally spoken across the North American Arctic and to some extent in the subarctic in Labrador. The related Yupik languages are spoken in western and southern Alaska and Russian Far East, particularly the Diomede Islands, but is severely endangered in Russia today and...
, traditionally spoken across the North American Arctic
North American Arctic
The North American Arctic comprises the northern portions of Alaska , Canada and Greenland. Major bodies of water include the Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay, the Gulf of Alaska and North Atlantic Ocean. The western limit is the Seward Peninsula and the Bering Strait...
) 'Sirmilik' means 'place of glaciers', as it represents Bylot Island's plethora of glaciers and ice caps. As Canadian Arctic
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
Inuktitut-speakers referred to northern Baffin Island as 'Sirmilik', the name of the geographic region became the name of the national park.
History
Extensive archaeological exploration of the park area has indicated that it has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years. The earliest known are predecessors of the modern-day InuitInuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
.
The area was explored by European whalers and explorers in their search for the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
. In the 1610s, the area was explored by explorers William Baffin
William Baffin
William Baffin was an English navigator and explorer. Nothing is known of his early life, but it is conjectured that he was born in London of humble origin, and gradually raised himself by his diligence and perseverance...
ad Robert Bylot
Robert Bylot
Robert Bylot was a 17th-century explorer who made four voyages to the Arctic. He was uneducated and from a working class background, but was able to rise to rank of Master in the British Royal Navy....
. They named several features of the area including Lancaster Sound
Lancaster Sound
Lancaster Sound is a body of water in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It is located between Devon Island and Baffin Island, forming the eastern portion of the Northwest Passage. East of the sound lies Baffin Bay; to the west lies Viscount Melville Sound...
and Bylot Island in 1616. The abortive expedition by the British explorer John Ross
John Ross (Arctic explorer)
Sir John Ross, CB, was a Scottish rear admiral and Arctic explorer.Ross was the son of the Rev. Andrew Ross, minister of Inch, near Stranraer in Scotland. In 1786, aged only nine, he joined the Royal Navy as an apprentice. He served in the Mediterranean until 1789 and then in the English Channel...
in 1818 ended when he saw what he believed were mountains blocking the end of Lancaster Sound. The area was later thoroughly explored during an extensive aerial mapping program of Northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
by the Canadian Government which took from the 1930s until the late 1950s to complete.
The Byam Martin Mountains
Byam Martin Mountains
The Byam Martin Mountains are a rugged mountain range extending east to west across Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the most northern ranges in the world and is an extension of the Baffin Mountains which in turn form part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain system. The highest mountain in...
on Bylot Island
Bylot Island
Bylot Island lies off the northern end of Baffin Island in Nunavut Territory, Canada. At it is ranked 71st largest island in the world and Canada's 17th largest island. It is also one of the largest uninhabited islands in the world. While there are no permanent settlements on this Canadian Arctic...
were climbed by Pat Biard and then Ben Farris in 1954 who both also climbed Mount Thule
Mount Thule
Mount Thule is a mountain on Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada. It is located north of Pond Inlet on Baffin Island. It is associated with the Baffin Mountains which in turn form part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain system.-References:...
. In 1963 British explorer Bill Tilman
Bill Tilman
Major Harold William "Bill" Tilman, CBE, DSO, MC and Bar was an English mountaineer and explorer, renowned for his Himalayan climbs and sailing voyages.-Early years and Africa:...
traversed the island, but did not climb any of the larger peaks.
The park was first established as a bird sanctuary in 1965 and monitored by the Canadian Wildlife Service
Canadian Wildlife Service
The Canadian Wildlife Service or CWS is a branch of the Department of the Environment, also known as Environment Canada, a department of the Government of Canada....
because of its seabird colonies. In 1977, a Canadian expedition of Rob Kelly and others climbed 20 peaks of Byot Island, and in 1984 Mike Schmidt with others climbed 28 peaks, including 16 first ascents.
The park officially became a national park in 2001. Today, the area is inhabited by the Inuit who continue to hunt and fish as their ancestors did.
The park was the subject of a short film in 2011's National Parks Project
National Parks Project
The National Parks Project is a Canadian music and film project. Released in 2011 to mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the National Parks of Canada system, the project sent three Canadian musicians and a filmmaker to each of 13 Canadian national parks, one in each province and...
, directed by Zacharias Kunuk
Zacharias Kunuk
Zacharias Kunuk, is a Canadian Inuk producer and director most notable for his film Atanarjuat, the first Canadian dramatic feature film produced completely in Inuktitut...
and scored by Andrew Whiteman, Dean Stone
Dean Stone
Darrah Dean Stone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The 6'4", 205 lb. left-hander was signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent before the 1949 season. He played for the Washington Senators , Boston Red Sox , St...
and Tanya Tagaq.
Geography and climate
The park consists of three separate land and marine components. These are Oliver SoundOliver Sound
Oliver Sound is an uninhabited natural waterway within Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located at the northern end of Baffin Island, north of Tay Sound. Its mouth opens to Eclipse Sound. Pond Inlet is the nearest community. The sound makes up part of Sirmilik National Park....
, located to the south of Pond Inlet, characterised by a long narrow fjord flanked by towering cliffs and glaciers, the plateau and river valleys of the Borden Peninsula
Borden Peninsula
The Borden Peninsula is a peninsula on northern Baffin Island, in Nunavut, Canada. It lies south of Lancaster Sound. Northeastern Borden Peninsula is home to Sirmilik National Park.-Geography:Borden Peninsula extends north for . It is - wide....
and Baillarge Bay
Baillarge Bay
Baillarge Bay is an Arctic waterway in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is the second waterway to press eastward from Admiralty Inlet into Baffin Island...
, and finally Bylot Island
Bylot Island
Bylot Island lies off the northern end of Baffin Island in Nunavut Territory, Canada. At it is ranked 71st largest island in the world and Canada's 17th largest island. It is also one of the largest uninhabited islands in the world. While there are no permanent settlements on this Canadian Arctic...
, characterised by its rough terrain with mountains, coastal lowlands, icefields and glaciers. Hoodoo
Hoodoo (geology)
A hoodoo is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland. Hoodoos consist of relatively soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements...
s are unique eroded formations on Bylot Island. Evidence shows that what is now Sirmilik National Park was scoured by the Laurentide ice sheet
Laurentide ice sheet
The Laurentide Ice Sheet was a massive sheet of ice that covered hundreds of thousands of square miles, including most of Canada and a large portion of the northern United States, multiple times during Quaternary glacial epochs. It last covered most of northern North America between c. 95,000 and...
, a massive sheet of ice that covered hundreds of thousands of square miles at least 20,000 years ago.
The Borden Peninsula extends north for 225 km (139.8 mi) and is 64 km (39.8 mi) – 169 km (105 mi) wide. The northern area, including the Hartz Mountains
Hartz Mountains (Nunavut)
The Hartz Mountains are a mountain range on Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in Sirmilik National Park which is Baffin Island's northernmost national park. It makes up part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain system.-References:...
, are composed of flat, dissected rock rising to over 914 m (2,998.7 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. Admiralty Inlet
Admiralty Inlet
Admiralty Inlet is a strait in the U.S. state of Washington connecting the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Puget Sound. It lies between Whidbey Island and the northeastern part of the Olympic Peninsula....
forms a western border, with Elwin Inlet
Elwin Inlet
Elwin Inlet is a body of water in Nunavut's Qikiqtaaluk Region. It lies on the eastern side of the mouth of Admiralty Inlet, forming a border to Sirmilik National Park. To the south lie Baillarge Bay and the hamlet of Arctic Bay ....
also to the west, while Navy Board Inlet
Navy Board Inlet
Navy Board Inlet is a body of water in Nunavut's Qikiqtaaluk Region. It is an arm of Lancaster Sound, after which it proceeds southerly before it empties into Eclipse Sound. It is long and wide....
forms a border to the east, separating the peninsula from Bylot Island. Navy Board Inlet's coastal cliffs rise to 457 m (1,499.3 ft).
Bylot Island lies off the northern end of Baffin Island and with an area of 11067 km² (4,273 sq mi), it is ranked 71st largest island in the world and Canada's 17th largest island. It is also one of the largest uninhabited islands in the world. While there are no permanent settlements on this Canadian Arctic island, Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
from Pond Inlet
Pond Inlet, Nunavut
Pond Inlet is a small, predominantly Inuit community in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada and is located at the top of Baffin Island. As of the 2006 census the population was 1,315, an increase of 7.8% from the 2001 census making it the largest of the four hamlets above the 72nd parallel...
and elsewhere regularly travel to Bylot Island. An Inuit seasonal hunting camp is located southwest of Cape Graham Moore
Cape Graham Moore
thumb|right|200px|[[Kittiwake]]s at Cape Graham MooreCape Graham Moore is an uninhabited headland on Bylot Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located at the island's southeastern tip protruding into Lancaster Sound...
. The Byam Martin Mountains extend from east to west across Bylot Island and are an extension of the Baffin Mountains
Baffin Mountains
The Baffin Mountains are a mountain range running along the northeastern coast of Baffin Island and Bylot Island, Nunavut are part of the Arctic Cordillera. The ice-capped mountains are some of the highest peaks of eastern North America, reaching a height of above sea level...
which in turn form part of the Arctic Cordillera
Arctic Cordillera
The Arctic Cordillera is a vast, deeply dissected chain of mountain ranges extending along the northeastern flank of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from Ellesmere Island to the northeasternmost part of the Labrador Peninsula in northern Labrador and northern Quebec, Canada...
mountain system. The highest mountain in the range is Angilaaq Mountain
Angilaaq Mountain
Angilaaq Mountain is a mountain in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located north of Pond Inlet. It is the highest mountain on Bylot Island and lies in the Byam Martin Mountains, which is a northern extension of the Baffin Mountains....
, 1951 m (6,401 ft), located near the island's centre. The Byam Martin Mountains are made up of Archean
Archean
The Archean , also spelled Archeozoic or Archæozoic) is a geologic eon before the Paleoproterozoic Era of the Proterozoic Eon, before 2.5 Ga ago. Instead of being based on stratigraphy, this date is defined chronometrically...
-Aphebian igneous
Igneous rock
Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
line rock and Proterozoic
Proterozoic
The Proterozoic is a geological eon representing a period before the first abundant complex life on Earth. The name Proterozoic comes from the Greek "earlier life"...
metasedimentary and metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
, such as gneiss
Gneiss
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks.-Etymology:...
. Sharp peaks and ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
s, divided by deep glacier-filled valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s are typical features in the range and has been extensively modified by glacial erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
. Extensive glaciers dot the island including the Kaparoqtalik Glacier
Kaparoqtalik Glacier
Kaparoqtalik Glacier is a glacier located in the southern coast of the Byam Martin Mountains on Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada. It lies in Sirmilik National Park.-References:...
. Vertical cliffs along the coastline are made up of Precambrian dolomite. The island's north shore faces Lancaster Sound
Lancaster Sound
Lancaster Sound is a body of water in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It is located between Devon Island and Baffin Island, forming the eastern portion of the Northwest Passage. East of the sound lies Baffin Bay; to the west lies Viscount Melville Sound...
, a polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
maternity den area, also noted for its high concentrations of marine wildlife. To the northeast of the park is Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay , located between Baffin Island and the southwest coast of Greenland, is a marginal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to the Atlantic via Davis Strait and the Labrador Sea...
and to the south lies Pond Inlet and Eclipse Sound.
In the north of Baffin Island, there is a polar maritime climate which means long, cold winters and short, cool summers. The spring does not end until mid-June and the warmest period is late July and early August, with average maximum temperatures of 10 °C. The coldest month is January as the average maximum temperatures of about −30 °C. Rainfall is relatively abundant, contributing to the flora seen in the park.
Fauna and flora
FaunaBeluga whales, seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
s, walrus
Walrus
The walrus is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and sub-Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the Odobenidae family and Odobenus genus. It is subdivided into three subspecies: the Atlantic...
, caribou, arctic fox
Arctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
, arctic hare
Arctic Hare
The arctic hare , or polar rabbit is a species of hare which is adapted largely to polar and mountainous habitats. The arctic hare survives with a thick coat of fur and usually digs holes under the ground or snow to keep warm and sleep...
and wolves are found in the park. Bylot Island is a migratory area for narwhal
Narwhal
The narwhal, Monodon monoceros, is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale, the narwhal males are distinguished by a characteristic long, straight, helical tusk extending from their...
s. Sirmilik is one of eight Canadian national parks that contains polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
s.
A major seabird colony is located in the area of Baillarge Bay. Seabird colonies are also located on Bylot Island which have a large colony and nesting area of greater snow geese
Snow Goose
The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed...
. Fifty different species of birds have been recorded here, of which thirty are known to breed. The park is known to be an important bird sanctuary. In 1965, Bylot Island enclosed within the park was also declared as a "Migratory Bird Sanctuary" in view of a large number of migratory birds recorded in the over all number of 74 bird species recorded till that date in the park. A record number 100,000 birds are reported to pass the park during summer months every year and hence the large geese population of the island is known to constitute the most abundant herbivores of the island. On some of Bylot Island's rugged cliffs within the park, thousands of nesting birds can be found including 300,000 Thick-billed Murre and 80,000 Black-legged Kittiwake
Black-legged Kittiwake
The Black-legged Kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Larus tridactylus....
.
Flora
The wetlands of the park (10% of the area) have abundant vegetation of Water Sedge (Carex aquatilis
Carex aquatilis
Carex aquatilis is a species of sedge known by the common names water sedge and leafy tussock sedge. It has a circumboreal distribution, occurring throughout the northern reaches of the Northern Hemisphere. It grows in many types of mountainous and Arctic habitat, including temperate coniferous...
), White Cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri) and Tall Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium). Other types of grass include the Fisher’s Tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
grass (Dupontia fisheri), the Polar Grass (Arctagrostis latifolia) and Semaphore Grass (Pleuropogon sabinei). In addition, several species of brown moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
have been recorded. In the arctic environment of the southern part of the island 360 species of plants have been documented, which are considered to have rare quality and productivity.
Vegetation in the upland (on hill slopes and terraces) which constitute 90% of southern drier areas of the park consist of forbs, such as Arctic Heather (Cassiope tetragona
Cassiope tetragona
Cassiope tetragona is a plant native to the high Arctic and northern Norway, where it is found widely....
), Mountain Avens (Dryas integrifolia), Arctic Poppy (Papaver radicatum
Papaver radicatum
Papaver radicatum is a plant species of the genus Papaver. The species grows at a latitude of 83°40'N on Kaffeklubben Island, making it the northern most growing plant in the world.This poppy appears on the Coat of arms of Nunavut.-See also:*Svalbard poppy,...
) and Mountain Sorrel (Oxyria digyna
Oxyria digyna
Oxyria digyna a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family. It is common in the tundra of Arctic...
), grasses, such as Polar Grass (Arctagrostis latifolia), Northern Foxtail (Alopecurus alpinus), Bluegrass (Poa
Poa
Poa is a genus of about 500 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass , bluegrass , tussock , and speargrass. "Poa" is Greek for fodder...
arctica) and Northern Wood Rush (Luzula confusa) and shrubs, such as Arctic Willow (Salix arctica) and Northern Bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum
Vaccinium uliginosum
Vaccinium uliginosum is a flowering plant in the genus Vaccinium.-Distribution:Vaccinium uliginosum is native to cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, at low altitudes in the Arctic, and at high altitudes south to the Pyrenees, the Alps, and the Caucasus in Europe, the mountains of...
).
Further reading
- Pynn, Larry. (2003). "Adventure – Journey to Sirmilik – Two Travellers Brave Winds, Shifting Ice Floes and Roiling Arctic Seas for a Glimpse of Canada's Newest National Park". Canadian Geographic. 123, no. 2: 34.