Akpatok Island

Akpatok Island is one of the uninhabited Canadian Arctic islands in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is the largest island in Ungava Bay on the northern coast of Quebec. The island is named for the Akpat, the thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia), which live on ledges along the limestone cliffs surrounding the island.

Akpatok Island
Akpatok Island and Ungava Bay.
Akpatok Island
Location in Nunavut
Geography
LocationNorthern Canada
Coordinates60°25′N 068°08′W
ArchipelagoCanadian Arctic Archipelago
Area903 km2 (349 sq mi)
Administration
Canada
TerritoryNunavut
RegionQikiqtaaluk
Demographics
PopulationUninhabited

Geography
Map including Akpatok Island

With an area of 903 km2 (349 sq mi), Akpatok Island is predominantly limestone, ringed with steep cliffs that rise 150 to 250 m (490 to 820 ft) above sea level. The cliffs are broken in many places by deep ravines allowing access to the flat plateau 23 km (14 mi) wide and 45 km (28 mi) long.

Fauna
Akpatok Island, Nunavut.

Akpatok Island has International Biological Program status. It is a Canadian Important Bird Area (#NU007), as well as a Key Migratory Bird Terrestrial Habitat site (NU Site 50).[1] In addition to the thick-billed murre, notable bird species include black guillemot and peregrine falcon.[2]

Polar bear, seal, and walrus are common in the area.[2]

History

At the southern end of the island there are remains of a Dorset settlement. The island is known for its widespread cannibalism which ended around 1900 as the inhabitants moved to the mainland.[3] Skulls and human remains have been reported on the island, but the accuracy of these reports can be called into question as there is an abundance of mystery and legend surrounding the details of the island.[4] In July 1971 an exploratory oil well was drilled on the island, yet all that remains are a few dilapidated shelters and rusted equipment.[3]

References
  1. "Key migratory bird terrestrial habitat sites in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut" (PDF). ngps.nt.ca. p. 6. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  2. "Akpatok Island". bsc-eoc.org. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  3. "The Return to Akpatok". www.public.iastate.edu. Retrieved September 11, 2019.


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