List of mammals of Nunavut


Nunavut has several species of mammals, of which the Inuit found use for almost all. The larger animals such as the caribou would be eaten, with the skin used for tents and clothing and the sinew used for thread. In lean times even animals such as the fox would have been eaten and some people did eat it even when other foods were available. With the arrival of the traders the fox skin became a valuable source for trade, however, traditionally the skin was not often used except as a sanitary napkin. The skins of smaller animals such as the weasel would have been used to provide decoration on clothing.
Some of the animals in this list, such as the lynx, are rarely seen as they live mainly in the very southern part of the territory away from any communities.
There are several different dialects of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun as well as two alphabets, Inuktitut syllabics and Latin. The Inuit name or spelling may differ from one region to another and in extreme cases from one community to another.

Artiodactyla">Even-toed ungulate">Artiodactyla (ᑯᑭᑯᖅᑐᔪᑦ, ''kukikuqtujut'')

[Carnivora] (ᓂᕐᑭᑐᖅᑎᑦ, ᓂᕿᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᓈᖅ, ''niqituinnainaaq'')

[Lagomorpha] (ᑭᖑᓪᓖᖅᑯᖅᑐᔪᑦ, ''kingulliiqkuqtujut'')

[Rodent]ia (ᑎᓯᓖᑦ, ''tisiliit'')

[Insectivora] (ᕐᑯᐱᕐᕈᑐᖅᑏᑦ, ''rkupirrutuqtiit'')

Chiroptera">Bat">Chiroptera (ᐅᓐᓄᐊᖅᓯᐅᑦ, ''unnuaqsiut'')

[Cetacea]