Wildlife Anomalies in the Arctic, recorded by 19thC. Explorers.
Greenland east coast, travelling north – a swarm of mosquitoes so thick
they were getting in their mouths.
Here sea-fowl was prolific. Also gulls, guillemots and eider duck. New
species of fish found in fresh water lake.
79degrees, 41 minutes walrus seen, got away, complete mystery.
August 1894 visited by Arctic Ross’ Gull, flying from north. No one knows from whence it cometh or whither it
goeth………rare mysterious inhabitant of the unknown.
85degrees north fox tracks found. Nansen baffled, warm blooded mammal
in 85th parallel?
Seals migrate north twice each year…always returning remarkably fat.
Every autumn reindeer go northeast from the river Lena and return again
in the spring in good condition.
Polar white bears winter habitat a mystery. In spring they suddenly
appear from some unknown place with their young.
Sir John Franklin – geese and other birds migrate north, also
innumerable flocks of Arctic and blue-gulls, besides almost a dozen other
species.
Reindeer, musk-oxen and other animals inhabiting the islands of North
America do not migrate southward to avoid an Arctic winter.
Animal life greater in Arctic than in tropical seas. Portions of the
Arctic Ocean coloured by the abundance of creatures that swim therein.
82degrees north – musk-oxen throughout winter, wolves, bears, foxes
repeatedly observed. Waterfowl, ptarmigan plentiful in summer, waters filled
with marine invertibrata, seals abundant, numerous species of insects.
Explorers found Arctic Paradise as
they went further north into ever increasing fertility.
Hazel