Northeast Greenland National Park

Northeast Greenland National Park

Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world and the tenth largest protected area in the world. It was established in 1974 and has been expanded since 1988 to its current size. 972 000 km2 of inland and coastal Northeast Greenland are protected. It is the only national park in Greenland and was the first national park established in the Kingdom of Denmark. The park is bordered on the south by the settlement of Sermersooq and on the west by the settlement of Avannaata, partly along the longitude 45° west of the ice cap. Much of the park's interior is part of the Greenland Ice Sheet, but there are large ice-free areas along the coast and in northern Peary Land. An approximate 5,000-15,000 Musk Oxen, plus numerous Polar Bears and walruses inhabit the coastal areas of the park, which in 1993 was estimated to contain 40% of the world's Musk Oxen population. Among the other mammals are the Arctic Fox, stoat, Collared Lemming, Arctic Hare and a small but significant population of Greenland Wolves. Additional marine mammals include the Ringed Seal, Bearded Seal, Harp Seal and Hooded Seal, as well as narwhal and Beluga Whales. Great Northern Diver, Barnacle Goose, Pink-Footed Goose, Common Eider, King Eider, Gyrfalcon, Snowy Owl, Sanderling, Ptarmigan and raven are some of the bird species that breed in the park.