List of mammals of Nunavut explained

Nunavut has several species of mammals (ᐱᓱᒃᑎ, pisukti), of which the Inuit found use for almost all. The larger animals such as the caribou would be eaten, with the skin used for tents and clothing and the sinew used for thread. In lean times even animals such as the fox would have been eaten and some people did eat it even when other foods were available. With the arrival of the traders the fox skin became a valuable source for trade, however, traditionally the skin was not often used except as a sanitary napkin. The skins of smaller animals such as the weasel would have been used to provide decoration on clothing.

Some of the animals in this list, such as the lynx, are rarely seen as they live mainly in the very southern part of the territory away from any communities.

There are several different dialects of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun as well as two alphabets, Inuktitut syllabics and Latin. The Inuit name or spelling may differ from one region to another and in extreme cases from one community to another.

Artiodactyla (ᑯᑭᑯᖅᑐᔪᑦ)

• Bovidae (ᓇᒃᔪᒋᒃᑐᑦ)^[1]
  • Muskox (ᐅᒥᖕᒪᒃ, umingmait, umingmak, oomingmak) Ovibos moschatus^{[1] [2]}
• Cervidae (ᓇᒃᔪᓖᑦ)^[1]
  • Caribou (ᑐᒃᑐ, tuktut) Rangifer tarandus
    • Barren-ground caribou (ᓇᐹᕐᑐᕐᑲᓐᖏᑦᑐᒥ ᑐᒃᑐ, tuktut, tuktu) Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus^{[1] [2]}
    • Peary caribou (ᕐᑯᑦᓯᑦᑐᒥ ᑐᒃᑐ, tuku, qakuqtakuluit tuktut, qikiqtani tuktuit) Rangifer tarandus pearyi^{[1] [2]}
  • Moose Alces alces
    • Western moose (ᑐᒃᑐᕙᒃ, tuktuvak) Alces alces andersoni^{[1] [2]}

Carnivora (ᓂᕐᑭᑐᖅᑎᑦ, ᓂᕿᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᓈᖅ, niqituinnainaaq)

• Canidae (ᕐᑭᒻᐅᔭᑦ)^[1]
  • Grey wolf (ᐊᒪᕈᖅ, amaruq) Canis lupus
    • Arctic wolf, Canis lupus arctos^{[1] [2]}
  • Arctic fox (ᑎᕆᒐᓐᓂᐊᖅ, tiriganniak, tiriqaniaq) Vulpes lagopus^{[1] [2]}
  • Red fox (ᑲᔪᖅ, kajuqtuq, kajuit) Vulpes vulpes^{[1] [2]}
• Felidae (ᑯᑭᓕᒑᕐᔪᐃᑦ)^[1]
  • Canada lynx (ᐱᖅᑐᖅᓯᕋᖅ, piqtuqsiraq) Lynx canadensis^{[1] [2]}
• Ursidae (ᓄᑭᓖᑦ)^[1]
  • Black bear (ᐊᒃᖤᒃ, aklaq) Ursus americanus^{[1] [2]}
  • Grizzly bear (ᓇᐹᖅᑐᖃᖕᒋᑦᑐᒥ ᐊᒃᖤᒃ, atiqpuq) Ursus arctos horribilis^{[1] [2]}
  • Polar bear (ᓇᓄᖅ, nanuq) Ursus maritimus^{[1] [3] [2]}
• Mustelidae (ᑎᕆᐊᓂᙶᖅᑐᑦ)^[1]
  • Wolverine (ᖃᕝᕕᒃ, qalvik, qavvik) Gulo gulo^{[1] [2]}
  • River otter (ᑯᒻᒥ ᐸᒥᐅᖅᑑᖅ, pamiuqtuuq) Lontra canadensis^{[1] [2]}
  • Beringian ermine (ᑎᕆᐊᖅ, tiriaqpak, tiqiak) Mustela erminea^{[1] [2]}
  • American ermine (ᑎᕆᐊᖅ, tiriaqpak, tiqiak) Mustela richardsonii^[4]
  • Least weasel (ᒥᑭᓂᖅᓴᖅ ᑎᕆᐊᖅ, tiriaq, tiqiak) Mustela nivalis^{[1] [2]}
  • American marten (ᖃᑉᕕᐊᕐᓯᐊᖅ, qapviarsiaq) Martes americana^{[1] [2]}
  • American mink (ᑎᕆᐊᖅᐸᒃ, tiriaqpak) Neogale vison^{[1] [2]}
  • Fisher (ᑎᕆᐊᕐᔪᐊᖅ) Pekania pennanti^[1]
• Phocidae (ᓇᑦᓯᖅ, natsiq)^{[5] [2]}
  • Bearded seal (ᐅᒡᔪᒃ, ᐅᒥᒃᑑᖅ, ugjuk) Erignathus barbatus^{[6] [2]}
  • Hooded seal (ᓇᑦᓯᕙᒃ, natsivak) Cystophora cristata^{[7] [2]}
  • Harbour seal (ᖃᓯᒋᐊᖅ, qasigiaq) Phoca vitulina^{[8] [2]}
  • Harp seal (ᖃᐃᕈᓕᒃ, qairulik) Pagophilus groenlandicus^{[9] [2]}
  • Grey seal (ᐳᕕᓲᖅ, puvisuuq) Halichoerus grypus^{[10] [2]}
  • Ringed seal (ᓇᑦᑎᖅ, nattiq) Pusa hispida^{[11] [2]}
• Odobenidae^[5]
  • Walrus (ᐊᐃᕕᖅ, aiviq) Odobenus rosmarus^{[12] [2]}

Lagomorpha (ᑭᖑᓪᓖᖅᑯᖅᑐᔪᑦ)

• Leporidae (ᐅᑲᓖᑦ)^[1]
  • Arctic hare (ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᑲᓕᖅᐸᒃ, ukaliq, okalik, ukalik) Lepus arcticus^{[1] [2]}
  • Snowshoe hare (ᑭᖑᓪᓖᕐᑯᕐᑐᔪᖅ ᐅᑲᓕᖅ) Lepus americanus^{[1] [2]}

Rodentia (ᑎᓯᓖᑦ)

• Castoridae (ᐸᒥᐅᒥᓅᖅᑐᑦ)^[1]
  • American beaver (ᑭᒋᐊᖅ, kigiaq, kiqiaq) Castor canadensis^{[1] [2]}
• Muridae (ᐊᕕᙵᐃᑦ)^[1]
  • Muskrat (ᐊᕕᙵᕐᔪᐊᖅ, kivgaluk, avinnqarjuaq) Ondatra zibethicus^{[1] [2]}
  • North American brown lemming (ᑲᔪᖅ ᐊᕕᙵᖅ, kayuqtumik avin'ngak, avin'ngaq, avinnqaq) Lemmus trimucronatus^{[1] [2]}
  • Peary land collared lemming (ᕐᑲᑯᖅᑕᖅ ᐊᕕᙵᖅ, qutulingmik avin'ngak, avin'ngaq, aupajaaqtuq avinnqaq) Dicrostonyx groenlandicus^{[1] [2]}
  • Meadow vole (ᐊᕕᙵᕋᓛᖅ) Microtus pennsylvanicus^[1]
  • Northern red-backed vole (ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᐅᐸᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᕐᑯᓖᓕᒃ ᐊᕕᙵᕋᓛᖅ) Myodes rutilus^[1]
  • Brown rat (ulimakka) Rattus norvegicus (introduced)^{[1] [13]}
• Sciuridae (ᓯᒃᓯᑦ)^[1]
  • Arctic ground squirrel (ᓯᒃᓯᒃ, siksik) Spermophilus parryii^{[1] [2]}
  • Red squirrel (ᐊᐅᐸᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᒃᓯᐅᔭᖅ) Tamiasciurus hudsonicus^[1]

Insectivora (ᕐᑯᐱᕐᕈᑐᖅᑏᑦ)

• Soricidae (ᓂᕇᓐᓇᓲᑦ, utjunaq)^{[1] [2]}
  • Masked shrew (ᐊᐅᐸᖅᑐᖅ ᓯᒃᓯᐅᔭᖅ, uqjunqnaq) Sorex cinereus^{[1] [2]}

Chiroptera (ᐅᓐᓄᐊᖅᓯᐅᑦ)

• Vespertilionidae (ᐃᓴᕈᕐᓗᒃᑐᑦ)^[1]
  • Hoary bat (ᕐᑭᖑᔭᖅ ᑎᒻᒥᓲᖅ ᐊᕕᙵᐅᔭᖅ) Lasiurus cinereus^[1]
  • Little brown myotis (ᒥᑭᔪᖅ ᑲᔪᖅ ᑎᒻᒥᓲᖅ ᐊᕕᙵᐅᔭᖅ) Myotis lucifugus^[1]

Cetacea

• Balaenidae^[5]
  • Bowhead whale (ᐊᕐᕕᖅ, arviq) Balaena mysticetus^{[14] [2]}
• Balaenopteridae^[5]
  • Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus^[15]
  • Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis^[16]
  • Blue whale (ᐊᕐᕕᖅ ᓂᐊᖁᕐᓗᖕᓂᖅᓴᖅ, ᐃᐸᒃ, arviq niaqurlungniqsaq, ipak) Balaenoptera musculus^{[17] [2]}
  • Common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata^[18]
  • Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae^[19]
• Delphinidae^[5]
  • Killer whale (ᐋᕐᓗ, ᐊᕐᓗᒃ, ᐋᕐᓗᒃ, aarlu, arluk, aarluk) Orcinus orca^{[20] [2]}
  • Long-finned pilot whale^[21]
  • White-beaked dolphin^[22]
• Monodontidae^[5]
  • Narwhal (ᑑᒑᓕᒃ, tuugaalik, ᕿᓚᓗᒐᖅ ᑑᒑᓕᒃ, qilalugaq tuugaalik) Monodon monoceros^{[23] [2]}
  • Beluga whale (ᕿᓇᓗᒐᖅ, qilalugaq) Delphinapterus leucas^{[24] [2]}
    • Cumberland Sound beluga^{[25] [26]}
• Phocoenidae^[5]
  • Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena^[27]
• Physeteridae^[5]
  • Sperm whale (ᑭᒍᑎᓕᒃ, kigutilik) Physeter macrocephalus^{[28] [2]}
• Ziphiidae^[5]
  • Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus^[29]

See also

• List of birds of Nunavut

External links

• Wildlife Publications including "Terrestrial Mammals Fact Sheets" from the Government of Nunavut

Notes and References

1. Book: Anand-Wheeler, Ingrid . 2002 . Terrestrial Mammals of Nunavut . Government of Nunavut . 1-55325-035-4.
2. http://www.livingdictionary.com/ Asuilaak Living Dictionary
3. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/polar/polar.htm Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus
4. Colella. Jocelyn P.. Frederick. Lindsey M.. Talbot. Sandra L.. Cook. Joseph A.. 2021. Extrinsically reinforced hybrid speciation within Holarctic ermine (Mustela spp.) produces an insular endemic. Diversity and Distributions. en. 27. 4. 747–762. 10.1111/ddi.13234. 1472-4642. 2021DivDi..27..747C .
5. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/marine_frame.htm Marine mammals of Canada University of Guelph
6. Bearded Seal, Erignathus barbatus
7. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/hooded/hooded.htm Hooded Seal, Cystophora cristata
8. Harbour Seal, Phoca vitulina
9. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/harp/harp.htm Harp Seal, Phoca groenlandica
10. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/grey/grey.htm Grey Seal, Halichoerus grypus
11. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/ringed/ringed.htm Ringed Seal, Phoca hispida
12. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/walrus/walrus.htm Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus
13. Book: Ohokak, G.. M. Kadlun. B. Harnum. Inuinnaqtun-English Dictionary. Kitikmeot Heritage Society. 2014-12-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402193115/http://nbes.ca/2014/03/27/inuinnaqtun-to-english-dictionary/. 2015-04-02. dead.
14. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/bowhead.htm Bowhead Whale, Balaena mysticetus
15. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/fin.htm Fin Whale, Balaenoptera physalus
16. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/sei.htm Sei Whale, Balaenoptera borealis
17. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/blue.htm Blue Whale, Balaenoptera musculus
18. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/minke.htm Minke Whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
19. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/humpback.htm Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
20. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/killer.htm Killer Whale, Orcinus orca
21. http://www.polarlife.ca/organisms/mammals/Marine/longfinpilot.htm Long-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala melaena
22. http://www.polarlife.ca/organisms/mammals/Marine/wbdolphin.htm White-beaked Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris
23. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/narwhal.htm Narwhal, Monodon monoceros
24. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/beluga.htm Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas
25. COSEWIC Assessment and Update Status Report on the Beluga Whale Delphinapterus leucas in Canada. 2004. COSEWIC. COSEWIC.
26. Information Relevant to the Identification of Critical Habitat for Cumberland Sound Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas). Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2008.
27. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/harbour.htm Harbour Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena
28. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/sperm.htm Sperm Whale, Physeter catodon
29. http://www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/mammals/whales/accounts/bottlenosewhale.htm Northern Bottlenose Whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus