Wildlife of
Northwest Territories

Dominant in the southern and central NWT as taiga forests (mainly spruce) with frequent fire cycles, extensive peatlands, and large river-and-lake networks.

Widespread across the southern/central mainland; roughly about half of the territory, grading northward into forest-tundra.

Arctic and subarctic tundra with dwarf shrubs, sedge-moss meadows, lichen heaths, patterned-ground features, and extensive permafrost; includes forest-tundra transition and treeline ecotones.

Extensive across the northern mainland and Arctic islands/coastal plains; roughly about one-third to approaching half in the far north.

High-elevation ecosystems in the western mountains (e.g., Mackenzie Mountains) with sparse vegetation, alpine tundra, talus slopes, and snowbed communities.

Localized in the western cordillera and higher uplands; small overall area but ecologically distinct.

Cold, oligotrophic lakes and large river systems (Mackenzie, Slave, Hay, Liard), with productive deltas (e.g., Mackenzie Delta) and critical fish habitat (lake trout, whitefish, Arctic char in some areas).

Ubiquitous as a dense network of lakes, rivers, and deltas across the territory; especially prominent in the Mackenzie basin and Great Bear/Great Slave regions.

Peatlands (bogs and fens), floodplain marshes, and delta wetlands shaped by permafrost, fire history, and seasonal flooding; major breeding and staging habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.

Widespread in lowlands and around large lakes/rivers; very extensive in the Taiga Plains/Shield and Mackenzie Delta region.

Arctic marine and coastal ecosystems along the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Archipelago waters, strongly structured by sea ice, polynyas, and short seasonal pulses of productivity.

Along the northern coastline and surrounding island waters; limited in area relative to land but regionally critical for marine mammals and seabirds.

Black spruce and white spruce taiga with lichen understories, muskeg, and fire-regenerated stands; common across Taiga Plains/Shield.

Open spruce-lichen woodlands and sparse treeline stands in the forest-tundra transition, often interspersed with shrub tundra and wetlands.

Dwarf birch/willow shrub tundra and riparian shrub corridors, expanding in some areas with warming and disturbance; important browse for ungulates.

Sedge-moss meadows, lichen heaths, and patterned-ground communities across the Low/High Arctic portions; key habitat for caribou, muskoxen, and ground-nesting birds.

Herb- and graminoid-rich alpine patches and snowbed communities in mountainous areas, with short growing seasons and high wind exposure.

Mackenzie Mountains and associated rugged uplands with elevational zonation from boreal foothills to alpine tundra, cliffs, and talus.

Rock escarpments and canyon walls (including river valleys and mountain faces) that provide raptor nesting sites and specialized plant microhabitats.

Very large deep lakes (Great Bear, Great Slave) and countless smaller glacial/thermokarst lakes; generally cold, clear, and nutrient-poor with locally productive nearshore zones.

Major river corridors (Mackenzie and tributaries) with dynamic channels, floodplains, and migration routes for fish; riparian zones are biodiversity hotspots.

Shallow ponds and thermokarst features common in permafrost terrain, highly productive in summer and important for invertebrates and breeding birds.

Extensive peatlands, fens, and seasonally flooded lowlands; major carbon stores and key waterfowl habitat.

Acidic, peat-accumulating bogs dominated by sphagnum and stunted spruce, widespread in the boreal lowlands.

Floodplain and lakeshore marshes, especially in deltas and low-gradient river reaches, with strong seasonal variation in water levels.

Wooded wetlands (often spruce/tamarack where present) in poorly drained areas of the southern/central mainland; less common north of treeline.

Beaufort Sea coastal plains, barrier islands, and lagoons influenced by sea ice, storm surges, and permafrost; includes important nearshore feeding areas.

Gravel/sand spits and barrier beaches along the Arctic coast and some large lake shores; highly dynamic with storms and ice push.

Bedrock and boulder shorelines around large shield lakes and parts of the Arctic coast, with sparse vegetation and harsh exposure.

Seasonally ice-covered Arctic waters supporting plankton blooms, seabirds, and marine mammals during the brief productive season.

Continental shelf and nearshore benthic habitats in the Beaufort Sea and archipelago channels; important for benthic invertebrates and fish.

Small, widely separated population centers (e.g., Yellowknife, Inuvik, Hay River) embedded within largely intact surrounding habitats.

Very limited and localized due to climate and soils; small-scale operations mainly near southern communities and along some river corridors.