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Aulavik National Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Aulavik National Park | |
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| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
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| Location: | Northwest Territories, Canada |
| Nearest city: | Yellowknife, Sachs Harbour |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 12,200 km² |
| Established: | 1992 |
| Governing body: | Parks Canada |
Aulavik National Park is a national park located on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is known for its access to the Thomsen River, one of the most northerly navigable rivers in North America. The park is a fly-in park, and protects approximately 12,274 km². of Arctic lowlands at the northern end of the island. The most practical way to visit the park is to charter a plane. In 2005 the park had four landing sites. Aulavik is considered a polar desert and often experiences high winds. Precipitation for the park is approximately 300 mm per year. In the southern regions of the park a sparsely vegetated upland plateau reaches a height of 450 metres above sea level.
The park has the highest concentration of musk-oxen on earth, with estimates of 68,000 to 80,000 animals on the island, approximately 20% of which are thought to reside in the park. It is also home to the endangered Peary Caribou as well as the more common Barren-ground Caribou. The Ptarmigan and ravens are considered the only year-round birds in the park, although 43 different species make seasonal use of the area. The park is completely treeless, and arctic foxes, brown and Northern Collared Lemmings, Arctic hares and wolves roam the rugged terrain. Birds of prey in the park include snowy owls, rough-legged hawks, Gyr Falcons, and Peregrine Falcons, who feed on the lemmings.
Aulavik National Park has two major bays, Castel Bay and Mercy Bay, and lies south of the M'Clure Strait. Captain Robert M'Clure, spent two winters in Mercy Bay on the HMS Investigator, while searching for the missing Franklin Expedition between 1850 and 1853. M'Clure's team abandoned their ship in Mercy Bay and hiked across the sea-ice of the strait to board another ship, the HMS Resolute.
- Parks Canada
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| National parks | Aulavik • Auyuittuq • Banff • Bruce Peninsula • Cape Breton Highlands • Elk Island • Forillon • Fundy • Georgian Bay Islands • Glacier • Grasslands • Gros Morne • Ivvavik • Jasper • Kejimkujik • Kluane • Kootenay • Kouchibouguac • La Mauricie • Mount Revelstoke • Point Pelee • Prince Edward Island • Pukaswa • Prince Albert • Quttinirpaaq • Riding Mountain • Sirmilik • St. Lawrence Islands • Terra Nova • Tuktut Nogait • Ukkusiksalik • Vuntut • Wapusk • Waterton Lakes • Wood Buffalo • Yoho |
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| National Park Reserves | Gulf Islands • Gwaii Haanas • Pacific Rim • Torngat Mountains • Mingan Archipelago • Kluane • Nahanni • Tuktut Nogait | |
| Marine Conservation | Fathom Five • Saguenay-St. Lawrence | |