River in Nunavut, Canada
- Boas River is also a name for the Çoruh River in northeast Anatolia.
The Boas is a river on Southampton Island in Nunavut, Canada. The river rises at 64°49′58″N 084°23′34″W / 64.83278°N 84.39278°W / 64.83278; -84.39278 (Boas River (head)) and its mouth is located at the Bay of Gods Mercy. Proceeding inland, the river becomes braided and is about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide.[1]
It is named after anthropologist Franz Boas.[2]
Flora
There are rich sedge meadows in the river's 2 mi (3.2 km)-wide delta area.[3]
Fauna
Bearded seal, bowhead whale, harbor seal, narwhal, polar bear, ringed seal, walrus, and white whale frequent the area.[1]
Boas River and associated wetlands is a Canadian Important Bird Area, site #NU022 (63°45′N 85°40′W / 63.75°N 85.66°W / 63.75; -85.66 (Bird Area #NU022 (Boas River))). The elevation varies from 0 m (0 ft) to 60 m (200 ft) above sea level. The IBA is 5,402 km2 (2,086 sq mi) in size. The Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary encompasses one third of the IBA's western portion.[1]
This is a notable breeding area for the lesser snow goose. Other bird species include:
American golden plover, Arctic loon, Atlantic brant, Canada goose, herring gull, jaegers, king eider, Lapland longspur, oldsquaw, red phalarope, red-throated loon, Ross's goose, tundra swan, sandhill crane, semipalmated plover, semipalmated sandpiper, and white-rumped sandpiper.[1]
History
The area was populated by Sadlermiut until the early 20th century when they were wiped out by an epidemic.[2]
