Scoresby Sund

Scoresby Sund

Scoresby Sound is a major fjord system in the Greenland Sea on the east coast of Greenland. Its structure is tree-like, with a main body about 110 km long that branches into a network of fjords with an area of about 38,000 km2. Some of the longest fjords extend 340-350 km inland from the shoreline. The main basin is 400-600 m deep, but in some fjords the depth increases to 1,450 m. It is one of the world's largest and longest fjord systems. Ittoqqortoormiit, the only permanent settlement in the region, is located on the north side of the mouth of Scoresby Sound, with a population of 469. The sound's name honors the English explorer William Scoresby, who mapped the fjord area in detail in 1822. The region's fauna is unusually rich for Greenland. This is due to several factors, for example the availability of open water in the estuary, with polynyas that do not freeze even in winter, the protection from winds by the high relief, as well as the relatively fertile land. Land animals here include the Musk Oxen, Arctic Fox, stoat, Mountain Hare and lemming. Reindeer and Arctic Wolves once lived in the area, but they vanished around the beginning of the 20th century. The dominant aquatic mammal is the seal, which is a fish eater in the winter and a crustacean eater in the summer. Among the larger species are the Atlantic Walrus, the Narwhal, and occasionally the Beluga Whale. Birds that live in the area include several species of goose, Whooper Swan, King Eider, Black Guillemot, puffin, Herring Gull, Great Northern Diver, Snowy Owl, Greenland Gyrfalcon and many more.