Polar Bear Pass National Wildlife Area
Encyclopedia
Polar Bear Pass National Wildlife Area is a National Wildlife Area
on Bathurst Island
within Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut
, Canada
. It is on federal Crown land
, and is administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service
, a division of Environment Canada
, with respect to the Canada Wildlife Act
's National Wildlife Area Regulations. Land use is also subject to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
. To the north is an area under consideration as the future Tuktusiuqvialuk National Park.
The NWA received the federally-designated conservation status on 1 January 1985. Of its 2675 km² (1,032.8 sq mi) in overall size, 214 km² (82.6 sq mi) is a marine area with marine, intertidal
, and subtidal components.
National Wildlife Area
A National Wildlife Area is a conservation status for a geographical region in Canada that restricts most human activities on that region. However, land use permits may be issued "for activities that are compatible with conservation". Such areas are established and managed by the Canadian Wildlife...
on Bathurst Island
Bathurst Island
A member of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Bathurst Island is one of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in Nunavut Territory, Canada. The area of the island is estimated at , making it the 54th largest island in the world and Canada's 13th largest island. It is uninhabited.The island is low-lying with...
within Qikiqtaaluk, 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 on federal Crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
, and is administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service
Canadian Wildlife Service
The Canadian Wildlife Service or CWS is a branch of the Department of the Environment, also known as Environment Canada, a department of the Government of Canada....
, a division of Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
, with respect to the Canada Wildlife Act
Canada Wildlife Act
The Canada Wildlife Act specifies the requirements for a geographic area in Canada to be designated a National Wildlife Area by the Canadian Wildlife Service division of Environment Canada...
's National Wildlife Area Regulations. Land use is also subject to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is a 1993 land claims agreement between the Inuit of the Nunavut Settlement Area and the Government of Canada subject to the Constitution Act of 1982...
. To the north is an area under consideration as the future Tuktusiuqvialuk National Park.
The NWA received the federally-designated conservation status on 1 January 1985. Of its 2675 km² (1,032.8 sq mi) in overall size, 214 km² (82.6 sq mi) is a marine area with marine, intertidal
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
, and subtidal components.