nature in yukon

Land of the Giants
At least twenty mountains in the St. Elias Range exceed 4,000 metres, a few  exceed 5,000 metres,  but towering over them all is Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak at 5,959 metres. 

Then there's the mighty Yukon River stretching for over 1,800 miles.

Vast regions, varied ecosystems and relatively sparse human population make the Yukon a haven for some of North America's most impressive species - grizzly and black bears, wolves, caribou, moose, muskox and millions of migratory birds.

Almost 80%  of the Yukon remains pristine wilderness with just over 10%  of the territory fully protected. 

All three North American bears: black, grizzly and polar are found in the Yukon, but you are much more likely to see a black bear than a grizzly.  Black bears live in forested areas, but grizzly bears range from southern forested areas and across the tundra to the Arctic Ocean. Polar bears are  seen on the North Slope and Herschel Island. The Yukon grizzly bear population is one of Canada's largest and most stable in North America  and the Alsek River corridor in Kluane National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site has been designated a special preservation area.  Shorter summers in the north mean that grizzlies must be as efficient as possible in preparing for their long winter hibernation. In the Yukon, grizzlies depend on thick crops of berries and seasonal runs of salmon to fatten up. In an autumn feeding frenzy, a grizzly can eat 200,000 berries in a single day! 

Whether you're an ardent birder or a casual wildlife watcher, the Yukon's flyway comes alive as trumpeter swans, geese, sandhill cranes and other migratory birds travel to and from nesting grounds. Birders converge in the Yukon to search for species including harlequin duck, northern hawk owl, wandering tattler, gyrfalcon and three kinds of ptarmigan.

Yukon is also home to approximately 130,000 – 150,000 caribou in one of North America's last remaining large animal herds. The herd was nominated as one of the seven wonders of Canada a few years ago. 

Although the Yukon offers some of Canada's most accessible wilderness,  civilisation is never far away in one of the Yukon's ten communities.  It also enjoys a culture of rich northern tradition and First Nation (native) customs and beliefs.


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