Spotting the North's most iconic animals
I spy with my little eye… one majestic beast.
But what is it I see? Huge and hairy with horns turned inwards, you’re looking at the iconic bison that graze the Northwest Territory’s highways. Huge and hairy with outward-turned horns, you’ve come across the majestic muskox that roam the Arctic coast.
White birds with long bills bobbing down the rapids? You’ve spotted pelicans nesting near Fort Smith. But white birds hiding in the snow are most surely ptarmigan, popular cold-weather residents in many NWT communities.
In the Northwest Territories, wildlife still roams free. Here’s how – and where – to spot the NWT’s most iconic animals and birds.
BISON
The best place for a sighting? While driving a NWT highway.
It’s not uncommon to get a glimpse of a bison rumbling down one of the NWT’s spectacular highways. You can often pass herds of these giants grazing by the road.
For the best chance of a sighting, drive Highway #3 between Fort Providence and Behchokǫ̀. Wood Buffalo National Park also provides plenty of viewing opportunities. And you can bet on seeing bison on the Liard Trail around Fort Liard.
Pelicans
The best place for a sighting? Head to Fort Smith.
With massive nine-foot wingspans, humongous bills and prodigious throat-pouches, pelicans are some of the most striking inhabitants of the Northern sky.
The northernmost colony of white pelicans nest in great colonies on mid-stream islands near Fort Smith, fishing the ferocious Slave River Rapids.
PTARMIGAN
The best place for a sighting? Everywhere in the NWT.
These Northern members of the grouse family are one of the few bird species that live year-round in the subarctic. With brown plumage in summer that turns white in winter, ptarmigan make up for their poor flying with excellent camouflaging skills.
In the winter, fluffy flocks congregate along roadsides or in low bushes. You’ll have to look closely, as these chicken-sized disguise artists are almost invisible against the snow.
CARIBOU
Best place for a sighting? Off the beaten path.
Caribou on the move can look like a flowing river. The entire landscape moves and vibrates under the weight of thousands of hooves. To witness this epic scene, head to the Barrenlands. There are a great many lodges in this roadless expanse of tundra. In the winter, the Tibbitt-to-Contwoyto ice road provides temporary access into Barrenlands that have been part of the migrating caribou’s habitat since time immemorial.
For a more intimate caribou experience, head to Tuktut Nogait National Park – “young caribou” in Inuvialuktun. In the calving grounds of the 18,000 strong Bluenose-West herd, caribou outnumber humans by a factor of 2,000 to one.
WHOOPING CRANES
The best place for a sighting? Wood Buffalo National Park.
Gangly and big, this bird species has made a comeback since the 1940s when only 21 birds remained. By 2021, there were 100 nests and a total population of about 600 birds.
Whooping cranes are hard to find, but easy to spot. Standing 1.5 m (5 ft) tall, their white plumage, red cap, loud bugling call and graceful courtship dance make them truly hard to miss.
Whooping cranes now nest and breed around the north-east corner of Wood Buffalo National Park, where you’ll find the only naturally occurring and self-sustaining population left in the world.
MUSKOX
The best place for a sighting? Banks Island.
Known as umingmak to the Inuvialuit, these 1.5 m-tall (5 ft), 300 kg (661 lb) beasts are members of the sheep family and keep warm in the winters thanks to qiviut, the warmest wool known.
Long known as High Arctic inhabitants, muskoxen have also been spotted around Great Bear Lake in the Sahtu Region. Muskoxen have been on the move over the past few decades and are now also found along the rocky shores of Great Slave Lake’s East Arm. A few years back, one Yellowknifer even witnessed a lone muskox near Cameron Falls, a popular and picturesque day-hike destination with stunning viewpoints.
While you can also find muskoxen in the Thelon Game Sanctuary, your best bet to see these shaggy ungulates is on Banks Island – home to the majority of the world’s muskoxen. Aulavik National Park has the highest concentration of muskoxen on earth — about 14,000.
POLAR BEARS
The best place for a sighting? Head to the Arctic coast.
The Northwest Territories is home to roughly 3,000 polar bears roaming the islands and sea ice of the Western Arctic Region. Unless you have extensive wilderness experience, it’s best to hire a local guide in coastal communities like Ulukhaktok or Sachs Harbour.
For a safer selfie experience, check out the Nature’s North Wildlife Gallery in Yellowknife, this taxidermy museum offers visitors an intimate look into the lives of Northern fauna.
Safe Viewing
To avoid a collision between animals and vehicles, remember to drive with caution while trying to spot these majestic creatures. The Northwest Territories’ Drive Alive program recommends you watch for movement on the highway, drive at a speed appropriate for road and weather conditions and whenever possible drive on highways 3, 5, and 7 during daylight hours only.
Remember, big or small, please refrain from feeding wildlife in the NWT, as it can have serious consequences for animals as well as people. Also, it’s best not to approach wildlife, as it can behave unpredictably. While young wild animals can be particularly cute, any touching or close proximity can be stressful, and may cause them to become aggressive or get sick.
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