Mallik Island
Encyclopedia
Mallik Island is one of the uninhabited Canadian arctic islands
of Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut
, Canada
. It is located in Hudson Strait
between Baffin Island
's Foxe Peninsula
and Dorset Island
. Mallik Island and Dorset Island are joined together by sand and boulders. Cape Dorset
, an Inuit
hamlet
, is approximately 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away.
. In addition to low mountains, there are waterfalls and crystalline lakes.
, polar bear
, seal
, and snowy owl
frequent the area.
, and Inuit
archaeological sites dating back as far as 3,000 years. From Cape Dorset, at low tide, the hike to Mallikjuaq Park takes approximately 45 minutes. It is also reachable by boat.
Canadian Arctic Archipelago
The Canadian Arctic Archipelago, also known as the Arctic Archipelago, is a Canadian archipelago north of the Canadian mainland in the Arctic...
of Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut 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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located in Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait links the Atlantic Ocean to Hudson Bay in Canada. It lies between Baffin Island and the northern coast of Quebec, its eastern entrance marked by Cape Chidley and Resolution Island. It is long...
between Baffin Island
Baffin Island
Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
's Foxe Peninsula
Foxe Peninsula
Foxe Peninsula is a peninsula found at the southern end of Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It juts out from the southerly end of the island in a southwestly direction, dividing Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait. Its western extremity is Cape Queen; to the southeast lies the...
and Dorset Island
Dorset Island
Dorset Island is one of the Canadian Arctic islands located in Hudson Strait, Nunavut, Canada. It lies off the Foxe Peninsula area of southwestern Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region...
. Mallik Island and Dorset Island are joined together by sand and boulders. Cape Dorset
Cape Dorset, Nunavut
Cape Dorset is an Inuit hamlet located on Dorset Island near Foxe Peninsula at the southern tip of Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada...
, an Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, is approximately 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away.
Geography
Mallik Island has varying elevations, the western portion being the highest at 274 m (899 ft) above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. In addition to low mountains, there are waterfalls and crystalline lakes.
Fauna
Beluga whale, caribou, peregrine falconPeregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
, seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
, and snowy owl
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. The Snowy Owl was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who developed binomial nomenclature to classify and organize plants and animals. The bird is also known in North America as the Arctic Owl, Great...
frequent the area.
Flora
Its habitat is characterized by rounded hills and low tundra valleys, and includes tundra wildflowers.Territorial park
Mallikjuaq Territorial Park spans both Mallik Island and Dorset Island. It is notable for its Thule culture, Dorset cultureDorset culture
The Dorset culture was a Paleo-Eskimo culture that preceded the Inuit culture in Arctic North America. It has been defined as having four phases, with distinct technology related to the people's hunting and tool making...
, and Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
archaeological sites dating back as far as 3,000 years. From Cape Dorset, at low tide, the hike to Mallikjuaq Park takes approximately 45 minutes. It is also reachable by boat.