Aulavik National Park: Difference between revisions

| xrelief = 289yes

| locationnearest_city = [[NorthwestSachs TerritoriesHarbour]], [[CanadaYellowknife]]

| visitation_num = 34

| urlwebsite = {{URL|http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/index_eindex.aspaspx|Aulavik National Park}}

'''Aulavik National Park''' ({{IPAc-en|'|aʊ|l|ə|v|ɪ|k}} {{respell|OW|lə|vik}});<ref>{{cite AV media |author=Parks Canada |author-link=Parks Canada |date=2017-07-26 |title=Parks Can Can Canada 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkPzJaDTXL0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/gkPzJaDTXL0 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|access-date=2019-05-19}}{{cbignore}}</ref> from the [[Inuvialuktun]]: ''for "place where people travel''") is a [[National Parks of Canada|national park]] located on [[Banks Island]] in the [[Northwest Territories]] of [[Canada]].<ref name="parkcan">[{{cite web|title=Aulavik National Park of Canada |website=Parks Canada |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/aulavik/index_E.asp Aulavik|date=2015-05-07 National|access-date=2015-05-22 Park]<|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https:/ref>/web.archive.org/web/20080124185613/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/aulavik/index_E.asp It|archivedate=2008-01-24 icujmymktjtfsndjnfjdfjasncdjnvnvjcnvncxrtyuytryutryutrytr<ref>}}</ref>s It is known for its access to the [[Thomsen River]], one of the dick most eeeeeeeenortherlynortherly navigable rivers in [[North America]].<ref name="parkcan"/> The park is a fly-in park, and protects approximately {{convert|12274|km2|abbr=on}} of [[Arctic Lowlands]] at the northern end of the island.<ref name="parkcan"/><ref name="getthere">[{{cite web|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/visit/visit1_evisit1.aspaspx#access |title=How to Get There - Aircraft access] |website=Parks Canada |date=2013-11-18 |access-date=2015-05-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523015634/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/visit/visit1.aspx |archivedate=2015-05-23 }}</ref> The most practical way to visit the park is to charter a plane,<ref name="getthere"/> and currently the park has four landing sites.<ref name="map">[{{cite web|title=How to Get There - Map of Aulavik |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/visit/visit1_evisit1.aspaspx#map2 How|website=Parks toCanada Get|date=2013-11-18 There|access-date=2015-05-22 |url-status=dead Map|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523015634/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/visit/visit1.aspx of|archivedate=2015-05-23 Aulavik]}}</ref> Aulavik is considered a [[polar desert]] and often experiences high winds. Precipitation for the park is approximately {{convert|300|mm|abbr=on}} per year.<ref name="parkclim">[{{cite web|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1_E.asp#climate |title=Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Climate] |website=Parks Canada |date=2015-05-07 |access-date=2015-05-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613124330/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1_e.asp |archivedate=2006-06-13 }}</ref> In the southern regions of the park a sparsely vegetated upland plateau reaches a height of {{convert|450|m|abbr=on}} above sea level.<ref name="parkgeo">[{{cite web|title=Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Geography |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1_Enatcul1.aspaspx#geography Natural|website=Parks WondersCanada &|date=2015-05-07 Cultural|access-date=2015-05-22 Treasures|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523015100/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1.aspx Geography]|archivedate=2015-05-23 }}</ref>

The park has the highest concentration of [[muskox]]en 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.<ref name="parkcan"/><ref name="parkwild">[{{cite web|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1_Enatcul1.aspaspx#wildlife |title=Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Animals]Wildlife |website=Parks Canada |date=2015-05-07 |access-date=2015-05-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523015100/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1.aspx |archivedate=2015-05-23 }}</ref> It is also home to the endangered [[Peary caribou]] as well as the more common [[barren-ground caribou]].<ref name="parkcan"/><ref name="parkwild"/> [[Rockrock Ptarmiganptarmigan|Ptarmigan]] and [[raven]]s are considered the only year-round birds in the park, although 43 different species make seasonal use of the area.<ref name="parkbird">[{{cite web|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1_Enatcul1.aspaspx#birds |title=Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Birds] |website=Parks Canada |date=2015-05-07 |access-date=2015-05-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523015100/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1.aspx |archivedate=2015-05-23 }}</ref> The park is completely treeless,.<ref>[{{cite web|title=Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Vegetation |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1_Enatcul1.aspaspx#vegetation Natural|website=Parks WondersCanada &|date=2015-05-07 Cultural|access-date=2015-05-22 Treasures|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523015100/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul1.aspx Vegetation]|archivedate=2015-05-23 }}</ref> andIt has 150 species of flowering plants.<ref>{{Cite book|title=National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of Canada, 2nd Edition.|publisher=National Geographic Partners|year=2017|isbn=978-1-4262-1756-2|pages=348}}</ref> [[arcticArctic fox]]es, [[North American Brownbrown Lemminglemming|brown]] and [[northern collared lemming]]s, [[arcticArctic hare]]s and [[GrayArctic Wolfwolf|wolves]] roam the rugged terrain. Marine mammals along the north coast include [[polar bear]]s, [[ringed seal]]s, [[bearded seal]]s, [[beluga whale]]s and [[bowhead whale]]s. Birds of prey in the park include [[snowy owl]]s, [[rough-legged buzzard|rough-legged hawk]]s, [[gyrfalcon]]s, and [[Peregrineperegrine falcon]]s, who feed on the lemmings.<ref name="parkwild"/><ref name="parkbird"/>

Prior to the arrival of the [[Thule people|Thule culture]] in southern Banks Island there were some [[Dorset culture|Pre-Dorset culture]] people living in what is now the Aulavik National Park.<ref name="parkhist">[{{cite web|title=History and culture |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul2_Enatcul2.aspaspx History|website=Parks andCanada culture]|date=2015-05-07 |access-date=2015-05-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304124858/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nt/aulavik/natcul/natcul2.aspx |archivedate=2016-03-04 }}</ref> Due to the cooling climate brought on by the [[Little Ice Age]] Banks Island was most likely deserted until the arrival of the [[Inuvialuit]] in the 17th century.<ref name="parkhist"/>

Aulavik National Park has two major bays, [[Castel Bay]] and [[Mercy Bay]], and lies south of the [[McClure Strait]]. Captain [[Robert McClure]], spent two winters in Mercy Bay on [[HMS Investigator (1848)|HMS ''Investigator'']], while searching for the missing [[John Franklin]]'s [[Franklin's lost expedition|lost expedition]] between 1850 and 1853. McClure's team abandoned their ship in Mercy Bay and hiked across the sea-ice of the strait to board another ship, HMS ''Resolute''.<ref name="parkhist"/> [[Nangmagvik Lake]] is located within this national park.

The Mercy Bay area was visited by the [[Copper Inuit]] of [[Victoria Island (Canada)|Victoria Island]] to salvage materials left by McClure's party.<ref name="parkhist"/> They also hunted the caribou and muskox in the area as evidenced by the large number of food caches.<ref name="parkhist"/> In the 20th century the area was popular with Inuvialuit due to the large numbers of foxes.<ref name="parkhist"/> Until the [[fur trade]] went into decline, fox trapping provided a source of income for people from as far away as the [[Mackenzie River|Mackenzie Delta]] and the [[Alaska North Slope|North Slope]] of [[Alaska]].<ref name="parkhist"/> This influx of people led to the establishment of [[Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories|Sachs Harbour]], the only community on the island.<ref name="parkhist"/>

*[[List of protected areas of the Northwest Territories parks]]

[[Category:National Parks of Canadaparks in the Northwest Territories|Northwest]]