You will often encounter animals in the
nature of Greenland. In the surroundings of Kangerlussuaq some of
the world's biggest flocks of musk oxen live alongside with
reindeer. They are not difficult to spot and there are good
opportunities of going on excursions in the area of
Kangerlussuaq.
20 whale species
Seals swim everywhere along the coasts of Greenland;
however, they are not easy to spot. On the other hand there are
good opportunities of admiring the mastodons of the ocean, the
whales, when they move around the sea and fjords. About 20
different species live in the waters of Greenland. It is most
common to see fin whales; humpback whales and minke whales in
addition to species such as the bowhead whale, blue whale and sperm
whale.
Whale safari
In some areas there are particularly good chances of
seeing whales, and in towns such as Nuuk, Qeqertarsuaq and Aasiaat,
whale safaris are offered. If you get the chance, enjoy watching
these giants in their elegant play of swinging their tales and
fins. The thought of these enormous animals once being the prey of
whalers in fragile kayaks is quite astounding.
The king of animals in the Arctic regions
On land the polar bear is the king of animals and it is
not by chance that this proud and strong animal is depicted on
Greenland's national arms. It has its territories in the north and
the east, preferably far away from humans. This is why you should
not anticipate the chance of meeting polar bears on your
trip.
The white-tailed eagle
Around 50 species of bird breed in Greenland and amongst
them the white-tailed eagle is the most beautiful with its wingspan
of about 2,5 metres. It is, however, rarely seen opposed to
ptarmigans, eiders, kittiwakes and auks, witch are also regarded as
delicatessen in Greenlandic cuisine. The raven is also frequently
encountered. A Greenlandic legend tells that the raven comes with
light after darkness.