Area 1,224 km² Nearest town Coral Harbour | Phone +1 867-975-6000 Established 1959 | |
Location Southampton Island, Kivalliq, Nunavut, Canada Address kivalliq Region, NU X0C 0C0, Canada Hours Open today · 8AM–5PMFriday8AM–5PMSaturdayClosedSundayClosedMonday8AM–5PMTuesday8AM–5PMWednesday8AM–5PMThursday8AM–5PM | ||
The Harry Gibbons Migratory Bird Sanctuary is a migratory bird sanctuary in Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. It is located in western Southampton Island in the area of the Boas River and Bay of Gods Mercy.
The Sanctuary was established 1 January 1959, and consisting of 149,500 hectares,. Of its 1,224 km2 (473 sq mi) in overall size, 78 km2 (30 sq mi) is a marine area with marine, intertidal, and subtidal components.
The sanctuary was named after Harry Gibbons Ohnainewk (c. 1900-1954), a local Inuit hunter and guide whose journals provided valuable weather data, especially on wind.
It is one of two bird sanctuaries on the island, the other being the East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary, situated 87 mi (140 km) to the northeast.
Other designations
Along with its wetlands, the Boas River is a Canadian Important Bird Area (site #NU022). The Harry Gibbons MBS takes up the western portion of the IBA.