ORYX Polar

Greenland

Greenland is home to a unique variety of Arctic wildlife that has adapted to survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth. Despite the island being largely covered by ice, many animals live on the tundra, along the coast, and in the surrounding cold waters.

Wildlife in Greenland

Greenland’s wildlife is strongly influenced by its Arctic climate, vast ice sheet, rugged mountains, and long coastline. While land animals are relatively few, the surrounding seas support a rich ecosystem of marine mammals, fish, and seabirds. Seasonal changes such as the midnight sun in summer and long polar nights in winter also affect animal behavior and migration patterns.

On land, some of the most iconic animals include the polar bear, the largest land predator in the Arctic, which hunts seals on sea ice. Other common mammals include the musk ox, known for its thick fur that protects it from extreme cold, the Arctic fox, which changes color with the seasons for camouflage, and the reindeer (caribou) that roam the tundra in search of vegetation. Smaller animals such as Arctic hares and lemmings also inhabit the region.

Greenland’s coastal waters are rich in marine life. Several species of whales, including humpback whales, narwhals, belugas, and fin whales, migrate through these waters to feed. Seals such as harp seals and ringed seals are also common and play an important role in the Arctic food chain. Walruses can often be seen resting on ice floes along the coastline.

Birdlife is also abundant, especially during the summer months when migratory birds arrive to breed. Species such as Atlantic puffins, snowy owls, white-tailed eagles, and rock ptarmigans nest along cliffs and coastal areas.

Overall, Greenland’s wildlife reflects remarkable adaptations to extreme cold, limited vegetation, and long seasonal cycles. These animals are an essential part of the Arctic ecosystem and have long been closely connected to the culture and traditions of Greenland’s Indigenous Inuit communities.

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ORYX Polar Experiences

Traditional Fishing at Camp Kangiusaq

Experience fishing the Greenlandic way at Camp Kangiusaq, where time on the water reflects a long-standing tradition shaped by the rhythm of the Arctic coast.

Join a guided excursion aboard a small motorboat, using traditional handlines to catch cod straight from the cold northern waters. The day is completed in true camp style, with freshly caught fish prepared into a simple, warming soup shared together back on shore.

Guests are also guided through the traditional process of cleaning and filleting their catch, gaining hands-on insight into the practical skills that have supported life in this environment for generations.

For those who wish to explore further, fishing rods are available at camp for shoreline fishing, where cod — and occasionally Arctic char — can be caught in the quiet waters around Kangiusaq.

Tracing Greenland’s Earliest Stories: Saqqaq Culture Site

Visit the archaeological remains of the Saqqaq culture while staying with Nomad Greenland, where some of Greenland’s earliest known inhabitants once lived and left their mark on this vast, remote landscape.

This ancient society predates the modern Kalaallit and represents one of the longest recorded periods of habitation in Greenland’s history. Though not direct ancestors of today’s Greenlandic people, their presence forms a vital chapter in understanding the deep migrations that shaped the Arctic.

Exploring the site offers a rare connection to this distant past, where fragments of tools, settlement traces, and the surrounding silence together reveal a story of resilience, adaptation, and survival in one of the world’s most extreme environments.

Dog Sledding Through Greenland’s Arctic Legacy

Few experiences connect you to Greenland quite like travelling by dog sled — a tradition woven into the fabric of Arctic life for more than 4,000 years.

Long before roads or snowmobiles, Greenlanders relied on dog teams to survive the unforgiving polar landscape, crossing frozen fjords and sea ice to hunt seals, fish remote waters, and travel inland in pursuit of musk oxen. For centuries, dog sledding was not simply transport — it was essential to life in the Arctic.

Today, while snowmobiles have replaced many traditional journeys and sled dog numbers have declined significantly, dog sledding remains one of Greenland’s most enduring cultural traditions. On this experience, guests have the rare opportunity to travel as generations of Greenlanders once did, gliding across snow-covered landscapes behind a team of powerful Arctic dogs.

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