Coburg Island (Inuktitut: Nirjutiqavvik)[1] is an uninhabited island in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the members of Queen Elizabeth Islands located in Baffin Bay's Lady Ann Strait. It is separated from Ellesmere Island by Glacier Strait; Devon Island is to the south.

Coburg Island
Native name:
Nirjutiqavvik
Seabirds nesting at Coburg Island
Coburg Island is located in Nunavut
Coburg Island
Coburg Island
Coburg Island is located in Canada
Coburg Island
Coburg Island
Geography
LocationLady Ann Strait
Coordinates75°57′N 79°18′W / 75.950°N 79.300°W / 75.950; -79.300 (Coburg Island)
ArchipelagoArctic Archipelago
Area411 km2 (159 sq mi)
Length38 km (23.6 mi)
Width22–24 km (14–15 mi)
Highest elevation800 m (2600 ft)
Highest pointUnnamed
Administration
Canada
NunavutNunavut
RegionQikiqtaaluk
Demographics
PopulationUninhabited

Elsewhere in Nunavut, there is also a tiny Saxe-Coburg Island, lying in Davis Strait, south of Leopold Island, itself east of Baffin Island's Cape Mercy (Cumberland Peninsula).

Geography

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Twin Otter STOL plane brings logistic support to research station on Coburg Island, June 6, 1975

The island is characterized by cliffs, rocky shores, and tundra.

Fauna

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Bowhead whale, narwhal, polar bear, seal, walrus, and white whale frequent the area.[2]

 
Seabirds and iceberg at Coburg Island

Conservation

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Coburg Island has several designated conservation classifications including International Biological Program site and Key Migratory Bird Terrestrial Habitat site. Along with the surrounding marine area, the island is a part of the Nirjutiqavvik National Wildlife Area.[2]

Cambridge Point, off of the southeastern Marina Peninsula, is a Canadian Important Bird Area notable for black guillemot, black-legged kittiwake, glaucous gull, northern fulmar, and thick-billed murre.[2] A portion of Cambridge Point is within the NWA.

References

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  1. ^ "Nunavut National Wildlife Area Facts". cws-scf.ec.gc.ca. 2005-06-21. Retrieved 2009-04-24.[dead link]
  2. ^ a b c "Cambridge Point". bsc-eoc.org. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
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