Boas River facts for kids

Boas River is also a name for the Çoruh River in northeast Anatolia.

The Boas River is a river located on Southampton Island in Nunavut, Canada. This river starts in the northern part of the island and flows into the Bay of Gods Mercy. As you go further inland, the river spreads out and can be about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide.

The river is named after Franz Boas, a famous anthropologist.

Nature Around the Boas River

Plants of the River Delta

The area where the Boas River meets the sea is called a delta. This delta is about 2 mi (3.2 km) wide and has many rich sedge meadows. Sedges are grass-like plants that grow well in wet areas.

Animals of the Boas River Area

Many amazing animals live in and around the Boas River. You might spot large marine mammals like the bearded seal, bowhead whale, harbor seal, narwhal, polar bear, ringed seal, walrus, and white whale.

The Boas River and its nearby wetlands are very important for birds. This area is known as a Canadian Important Bird Area, specifically site #NU022. It covers a huge space of 5,402 km² (2,086 sq mi). The land here ranges from sea level up to 60 m (200 ft) high. A special protected area called the Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary covers about one-third of the western part of this bird area.

This place is especially famous as a breeding ground for the lesser snow goose. Many other bird species also come here, including:

• American golden plover
• Arctic loon
• Atlantic brant
• Canada goose
• herring gull
• Jaegers (a type of seabird)
• king eider
• Lapland longspur
• oldsquaw
• Red phalarope
• red-throated loon
• Ross's goose
• tundra swan
• Sandhill crane
• Semipalmated plover
• Semipalmated sandpiper
• White-rumped sandpiper

History of the Boas River Area

For a long time, the Sadlermiut people lived in this area. Sadly, they disappeared in the early 1900s due to an illness.