Sirmilik National Park

Sirmilik National Park

Sirmilik is anInuit word meaning 'place of glaciers.' Canada's newest national park, Sirmilik National Park, is home to remarkable glaciers. The park is near Pond Inlet, 700 km above the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island. This park showcases some of the most beautiful mountain scenery anywhere in the world including:

• rugged mountains
• deep fjords and inlets
• deep river valleys
• hoodoo formations
• flat tundra
• intricate glaciers
• steep granite walls

Sirmilik park is home to wildlife, including:

• polar bears (many den here for the winter)
• caribou
• a diversity of migratory birds
• wolves

You can arrange trips to Sirmilik with Pond Inlet's outfitters.

Arctic Tour packages to Sirmilik National Park are also available.

Sirmilik National Park

Looking out towards Bylot Island, part of Sirmilik National Park

Bylot Island is home to the world's largest colony of Snow Geese

The glacier on Bylot Island

Bylot Island Bird Sanctuary

Bylot Island is now part of Sirmilik National Park. Southwest Bylot Island was recently designated as a bird sanctuary. The wetlands of Bylot Island are the nesting grounds for over 30 species of birds, including at one count:

• 53,000 Black-legged Kittiwakes
• 100,000 Greater Snow Geese
• 320,000 Thick-billed Murres
• 420,000 Colonial Waterbirds

The world's largest colony of greater snow geese is found at Bylot Island. Another interesting Bylot Island fact is that in 1987, the lower jaw of a duckbill dinosaur was found near the Bylot Island Bird Sanctuary.

Tours to Bylot Island are available.