Barren-ground caribou herds migrate in a limited range from northern and mid-Baffin island down to the southern part in winter, and migrate back north in the summer, even to the southern Frobisher Bay peninsula, next to Resolution Island. It visits each one often to keep the hole open and free from ice. Baffin Island lies between Greenland and the Canadian mainland. In Canada, Baffin Island takes the largest island. The settlement of Iqaluit was home to an American Air Force base from 1949 to 1963, providing a great boom to the local economy. The first permanent non-native settlements were established in the 1850s as part of the North Atlantic whaling industry. Why go to Baffin Island? The Landscapes. William Sneed and his colleagues at the University of Maine compared historical and current data on one of Barnes's three ice domes and found a link between the warming climate and the accelerating thinning. [citation needed], Nesting birds are summer land visitors to Baffin Island. Relics, including yarn and a carved face mask discovered near Kimmirut, point to European contact with the Inuit of Baffin Island as early as 1,000 years ago. New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article (Page of tag Baffin Island) [citation needed] It lives offshore within 8 km (5 mi) of land. And Baffin Island, Marcott points out, is right next door to Greenland—home to an ice sheet that holds enough ice to raise global sea levels by more than 20 feet if it were to melt fully. The walrus, a large, semi-aquatic mammal that is the only non-seal pinniped, do not actually migrate far off land in the winter. [citation needed], Baffin Island lies in the path of a generally northerly airflow all year round, so, like much of northeastern Canada, it has an extremely cold climate. However, there is twilight for at least 4 hours per day, unlike places such as Eureka. 1996. If pack ice moves in, they may venture out 4–10 km (2–6 mi) and follow the pack ice, dragging themselves up on an ice floe to take advantage of the sun. [25] It was about 15 years later that the Norse Greenlanders, led by Leif Erikson, a son of Erik the Red, started exploring new areas around the year 1000. Much like their beluga cousins, they may be found in pairs or even in a large pod of ten or more males, females and newborns. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'newworldencyclopedia_org-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',162,'0','0'])); It is generally accepted that the "Helluland" of Viking legend could be Baffin Island, and that the Vikings visited here in the tenth and eleventh centuries. Baffin Island is the largest island in Canada and the 5th largest island in the world. A vast, wild, and sparsely populated area, it is the cornerstone of the sprawling Canadian Arctic Archipelago. This epic 20 day voyage aims to circumnavigate Baffin Bay and explore the first section of the Northwest Passage to Beechey Island. These whales migrate along the coast of Baffin Island as some head north to the feeding grounds in the Davis Strait between Greenland and Baffin Island, or into the Hudson Strait or any of the bays and estuaries in between. This epic 20 day voyage aims to circumnavigate Baffin Bay and explore the first section of the Northwest Passage to Beechey Island. [6]. Visit one of the most unique polar tourism destinations in the world with Arctic Bay Adventures. Many of the plants in the park grow in clumps to create their own warmer "microclimate" to survive the harsh Arctic conditions. Similarly, Qikiqtarjuaq is situated on Broughton Island, which is located near the northern coast of the Cumberland Peninsula. When the ice melts, they move in to land and can be found basking on rocks close to shore. The total population of the island is estimated at 11,000, all Inuit. The Baffin Mountains run along the northeastern coast of the island and are a part of the Arctic Cordillera. They also can be often found close to the shoreline, gracefully pointing their tusks skyward as they come up for air. Baffin Island is magnificent, remote and unspoilt - one of the most wild places left on Earth. [citation needed], The Arctic wolf and the Baffin Island wolf, a grey wolf subspecies, are also year-round residents of Baffin Island. [18][19][20], The Barnes Ice Cap, in the middle of the island, has been retreating since at least the early 1960s, when the Geographical Branch of the then Department of Mines and Technical Surveys sent a three-man survey team to the area to measure isostatic rebound and cross-valley features of the Isortoq River. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. When they first arrive, the males arrive a few weeks ahead of the females and young. BASE jumping, a sport involving the use of a parachute or the sequenced use of a wingsuit and parachute to jump from fixed objects—with the parachute unopened at the jump. [6] South of the western end of the island is the Fury and Hecla Strait,[7] which separates the island from the Melville Peninsula[8] on the mainland. [23][24] In about 986, Erik Thorvaldsson, known as Erik the Red,[25] formed three settlements near the southwestern tip of Greenland. Proceedings of the 10th International Kimberlite Conference, Bangalore; Springer, New Delhi; extended abstract, 4 p. Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Baffin Island / Île de Baffin (Formerly Baffin Land), "Mount Thor -The Greatest Vertical Drop on Earth! The mountain is named after geologist Sarat Kumar Rai, the chief geology curator in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. Polar bears mate approximately every year, bearing one to three cubs around March. The Baffin Mountains are a mountain range running along the northeastern coast of Baffin Island and Bylot Island, and are part of the Arctic Cordillera. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'newworldencyclopedia_org-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_6',169,'0','0'])); Harp seals (or saddle-backed seals) are marine mammals that migrate from major birthing grounds off the coast of Labrador and from a birthing ground off the south-east coast of Greenland to Baffin Island for the summer. It has been a centre … Baffin Island, along with the rest of Nunavut, separated from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999. The surrounding waters provide haven for the Harp Seal, walrus, beluga whale, narwhal, and bowhead whale. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant … It is located in the region of 70° N and 75° W.[4], It was named by English colonists after English explorer William Baffin. "A geographer with extensive research experience in the Canadian North, Jack D. Ives has written a lively and informative account of several expeditions to Baffin Island during the "golden age" of federal research. This National Park homes the flowers like mountain avens, campion, papaver, saxifrage, shrubs like dwarf birch, heather, willow. Baffin Island has both year-round and summer visitor wildlife. Inuit from Baffin Island are descendants of the Thule, who expanded eastward across Canada from Alaska in the 12th and 13th centuries. [45]. The team found that some of the spun yarn dates back at least 2,000 years, long before the Vikings arrived in the area. Rai or Roy, a native of India, studied in India, London, and earned his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. These include the Harp Seal, walrus, beluga whale, narwhal and bowhead whale. [citation needed], Walruses, which do not migrate far off land in the winter. edit History. Average annual temperatures at Iqaluit are around −9.5 °C (14.9 °F), compared with around 5 °C (41 °F) in Reykjavík,[maps 1] which is at a similar latitude. Three gull species also nest on Baffin Island: glaucous gull, herring gull and ivory gull. Within three weeks the pups are in the water and swimming. Here’s a look at the stark and humbling beauty. Polar-foxes were there in abundance. [14][15] Another peak of note is Mount Asgard, located in Auyuittuq National Park, with an elevation of 2,011 m (6,598 ft). However, unlike places such as Alert, twilight occurs for at least 4 hours-a-day. It is administered as part of Baffin region, Nunavut territory, Canada. These prospered until the early 1900s, and was eventually replaced by the Hudson's Bay Company who opened a trading outpost. They come up to breathe every 30 seconds or so as they make their way along the coastline eating crustaceans. So, as Sutherland said, if you believe that spinning was not an indigenous technique that was used in Arctic North America, then you have to consider the possibility that as "remote as it may seem," these finds may represent evidence of contact with Europeans prior to the Vikings' arrival in Greenland. They merely follow the "fast ice", or ice that is solidly attached to land, and stay ahead of it as the ice hardens further and further out to sea. Arctic fox are found on the fast ice, remaining close to land in their search for seals. This park was established in 1972 with the name of Baffin Island National Park and received its current name in 1976 due to its resemblance to its history. The biggest island in Canada (and fifth largest in the world), Baffin Island is a grand wild landscape, the spectacular homeland of the Inuit and an accessible Arctic playground for the adventurous. 92-591-XWE. It is the fifth largest island in the world and the easternmost member of the Arctic Archipelago. [46], Sea ice surrounds the island for most of the year and only disappears completely from the north coast for short, unpredictable periods from mid- to late June until the end of September. History of Baffin Island Inuit. With its huge size of 507K sq.km (196K sq.miles) and virtually non-existence of roads, it is extremely difficult to explore this island by conventional means. Found throughout the Arctic range, one group of bowhead whales is known to migrate to the Foxe Basin, a bay on the western side of Baffin Island. As the ice caps on Baffin Island shrink, the landscape beneath is seeing the light of day for the first time in perhaps 120,000 years. Stirling, Ian, Wendy Calvert, and Dennis Andriashek. History of Baffin Island Inuit. Unlike the grey and brown wolves in the southern climates, these wolves tend to hunt alone rather than in packs, although a male-female pair may hunt together. Covering close to 6,000 km2, the ice cap has thinned 1.7 m (6 ft) between 1970 and 1984. Baffin Island has been inhabited by the Inuit for thousands of years. "Dietary Nutrient Profiles of Canadian Baffin Island Inuit Differ by Food Source, Season, and Age.". Baffin Bay (Inuktitut: Saknirutiak Imanga; Greenlandic: Avannaata Imaa; French: Baie de Baffin), located between Baffin Island and the west coast of Greenland, is defined by the International Hydrographic Organization as a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. Less than 8,000 people live in the city, and 60% of the population is Inuit. Iqaluit was chosen as the capital in December, 1995 and officially recognized as such on April 19, 2001. Baffin stands alone, really. "BASE" is an apronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: Building; Antenna; Span and Earth. [34] In 2018, Michele Hayeur Smith of Brown University, who specializes in the study of ancient textiles, wrote that she does not think the ancient Arctic people, the Dorset and Thule, needed to be taught how to spin yarn: "It's a pretty intuitive thing to do."[24]. During the winter, it makes a number of breathing holes through ice up to 8 ft thick by visiting each one often, and keeping the hole open and free from ice. 5. Named after English explorer William Baffin, it is likely that the island was known to Pre-Columbian Norse explorers from Greenland and Iceland and may be the location of Helluland, spoken of in the Icelandic sagas. Baffin, northernmost and easternmost region of Nunavut territory, Canada.In 1967 it was created as Baffin region, Northwest Territories, from most of what was formerly Franklin district, and it took on its present borders with the creation of Nunavut in April 1999.The largest of Nunavut’s three regions, Baffin extends southward from the northern tip of Ellesmere Island. There are five main aspects that beckon intrepid travellers to its shores: the landscapes, the wildlife, the culture, the history, and the sheer adventure. In the 1960s, scientists from the Geographical Branch of Canada's Department of Energy, Mines, and Resources travelled to Baffin to study glacial geomorphology and glaciology. It’s Baffin Island that draws the most visitors to Nunavut every year, and it isn’t hard to see why. Baffin Island is the largest island in Canada and the 5th largest island in the world. [44] Migrating at speeds of 15–20 km/h (9–12 mph), they all come up to breathe at the same time, then dive and swim up to 1–2 km (0.62–1.24 mi) before surfacing again. 98-316-X2016001. Nunavut (pronounced /ˈnuːnəvʊt/) 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. Arctic Bay Adventures on Baffin Island. 2007. Baffin Island is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region. [43], Arctic foxes can usually be found where polar bears venture on the fast ice close to land in their search for seals. [6] Baffin Island has been inhabited for over 3,000 years, first by the pre-Dorset, followed by the Dorset, and then by the Thule people, ancestors of the Inuit, who have lived on the island for the last thousand years. "Dietary Nutrient Profiles of Canadian Baffin Island Inuit Differ by Food Source, Season, and Age". The meetings were also meant to allow community members from Pond Inlet, Sanirajak, Igloolik, Clyde River and Arctic Bay—the five communities on northern Baffin Island most affected by the mine—to participate in the process. Located on the Cumberland Peninsula of Baffin Island, the name of this National Park means “The land that never melts.” This park was established in 1972 with the name of Baffin Island National Park and received its current name in 1976 due to its resemblance to its history. On the west and north, Foxe Basin, the Gulf of Boothia and Lancaster Sound separate Baffin Island from the rest of the archipelago. It’s home to the igloo-shaped St Jude’s Cathedral, museums and shops focused on Inuit art and history, and colorful Arctic houses. The two largest lakes on the island lie in the south-central part of the island: Nettilling Lake (5,542 km2 [2,140 sq mi]) and Amadjuak Lake (3,115 km2 [1,203 sq mi]) further south. In the winter, lemmings dig complicated tunnel systems through the snow drifts in order to reach their food supply of dry grasses and lichens. The two largest lakes on the island are in the central south of the island Nettilling Lake (5066 km², 1,956 sq mi) and further south Amadjuak Lake. Auyuittuq National Park is a national park located on Baffin Island's Cumberland Peninsula. The western side of the island is covered largely by tundra. If pack ice moves in, they may venture out 4-10 km (2½-6 mi) and follow the pack ice, dragging themselves up on an ice floe to take advantage of the sun. It is still not known whether they visit for the lush sea bounty or to calve in the Foxe Basin. 2006 Census. The Baffin Island Inuit (like other modern Inuit) share biological and cultural links with their Thule ancestors. Waterfowl include Canada goose, snow goose, and brent goose (brant goose). Their fur is pure white in winter and molts to a scruffy dark grey in summer. Arctic hare are found throughout the island. This rugged, mountainous ecoregion, having a high arctic ecoclimate, is characterized by low species diversity and sparse vegetative cover. It is the fifth largest island in the world and the easternmost member of the Arctic Archipelago [2]. Water species that visit Baffin Island in the summer are: Harp seals (or saddle-backed seals), which migrate from major breeding grounds off the coast of Labrador and the southeast coast of Greenland to Baffin Island for the summer. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. Summer land visitors to Baffin Island all have wings and all come to the island to nest. Wind speed units can be changed in the preferences (top right). 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