Wildlife and plants

The wool of the muskox is extremely soft and warm, and is therefore treasured by many when winter brings the cold. The meat is also a delicacy.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

They are hunted for food in the inland, especially around our key site Aasivissuit where Inuit would make summer camps.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

Seals have been essential for the making of warm clothes and as food. The harp seal skin used to be made into tents due to its huge size and would be held up by driftwood and antlers.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

Seals are to this day cooked as hearty meals enjoyed by many. It’s either boiled as ribs and meat chunks in a pot with onions, potatoes and porridge rice to be served as a soup, or it can be roasted in an oven as well as a pan.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

Whales are a valuable source of food as one whale can feed a small settlement throughout a tough winter. The meat and skin is boiled or pan-fried in small pieces. The skin is also enjoyed raw with the mixed spice Aromat.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

There is centuries long traditions and business with whale hunting in this area, and even though whales have diminished in numbers there is a quota for local fishers to go hunting in a group of boats - like they’ve always done.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The Rock ptarmigan is a delicacy as both the eggs and the adult birds are a welcome alternative foodsource apart from the sea and land animals.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The female is larger than the male, and the eagle is a rare but beautiful sight to see in nature.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The geese were in the past a delicious alternative food source but is today protected by law as an endangered species in Greenland. The greater white-fronted geese breed in the inland of Aasivissuit – Nipisat.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

A bird population in decline but still enjoyed as a meal by boiling or cooking it in the oven with a honey glaze. They breed on cliffs and only have one egg at a time.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

A very common duck to be spotted in towns and in the landscape during the warm period. Refrain from feeding them as it can negatively impact their health.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

A hunting falcon that preys on smaller birds but also sea birds and hares. The plumage varies from almost white over grey to dark depending on the region they inhabit. The gyrfalcon in this area are mostly grey.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The raven shows up in a lot of legends and tales as a helping or avenging spirit. If you observe a flock of ravens circling, they have probably seen food or soon-to-be-food.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The beautiful Arctic Fox is hunted for its fur and is kept off the dinnertable. Caution should be enacted when met in wild as there are cases of rabies.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The cute furball has been historically used for luxurious decorations on clothing. It’s rarely eaten as it has very little meat on it, and the fur is very small so it’s impractical to make complete clothing pieces that keep you warm.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

It’s a rare delicacy in Greenland that is enjoyed grilled or boiled after having been caught in fjords or rivers. Our key site Itinneq is famous for the abundance of char during summer.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The cod has a rich history in Greenland, for millennia the population has greatly varied. Not only is it tasty to boil and eat off the cliffs but the bones have been used as needles and other crafting tools.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

An ugly fish enjoyed as a boiled dish with potatoes or rice. It has tender white meat and a generous amount of healthy fat and oils.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The lumpfish has been so important in this area that an island on the coast is named Nipisat, which is plural for lumpfish in Greenlandic. It’s mainly caught for its roe that is enjoyed as a delicacy.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne

The little buggers are a nuisance during summer and have no nutritional value. Luckily, so far there is no evidence they carry any life-threatening illnesses.
Illustration by Kirsten Hjørne