Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park

Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park (Iqaluit Kuunga in the Inuktitut language) is a Canadian territorial park located 1 km away from Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut territory in Canada. The Sylvia Grinnell river flows through the park. The park also has archaeological sites of the Dorset culture and the Thule people.[1][2]

Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
The Sylvia Grinnell river in the park
Location of Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park in Canada
Location	Nunavut, Canada
Nearest city	Iqaluit
Coordinates	63.771686°N 69.655617°W
Area	44.3 km2
Governing body	Nunavut Parks & Special Places, Government of Nunavut

History

In 1861, American explorer Charles Francis Hall became the first non-indigenous person to journey to the area, when he reached the place with Inuit help. He became the first non-indigenous person to realise that Frobisher Bay was a bay and not a North-West passage route to China as was believed. He went on to name many places in the area after his financial backers. The Sylvia Grinnell river was named after the daughter of his friend and benefactor Henry Grinnell. The river lends its name to the park. Iqaluit in Inuktitut means 'place of many fish' a reference to the Arctic char which thrives in the river. The Inuktitut for the park is Iqaluit Kuunga which means Iqaluit river. The park's landscape was formed by ice age glaciation 7100 years ago.[1]

Fauna

The caribou is the most important animal seen in the park. Arctic fox, Arctic hare and Polar bear are also seen in the park. The park is also home to around 40 avian species in the summer and spring seasons. They include Gyrfalcon, Common ringed plover, American golden plover, Horned lark, Rock ptarmigan, Snow bunting, Semipalmated sandpiper, Red-throated loon, Lapland longspur, Northern wheatear and Peregrine falcon. Commercial fishery for Arctic Char in the river was banned in 1965. Presently, a permit is required to fish in the river for non-Inuit people.[1][3][4]

References

1. "Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park". Nunavut Tourism. Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
2. "Official Record for Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park". World Database on Protected Areas. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
3. "Sylvia Grinnell Park" (PDF). Nunavut Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
4. "Polar bear rips 6 tents pitched in Iqaluit park". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.