The Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse YT brings to life the remarkable story of Beringia, an ancient landmass spanning approximately 3,200 kilometres between Asia and North America. During the Pleistocene epoch, this vast region remained free of glacial ice due to its dry climate and limited snowfall. Beringia became a critical corridor for migration, enabling humans and a diverse range of animal species to cross into North America and shape the continent’s natural and human history.
1.5 million years ago. Fossils from this time period are very rare.
Inter-glacial: 125,00 years ago. This period of relative warmth
saw the ice sheets melt and the sea levels rise, flooding the Bering Strait.
Last Glacial: 20,000 years ago. When most of Canada was covered by
glaciers, Beringia was ice free, nearly treeless, and covered in a variety
of grasses and flowering plants. Large herds of grazing mammals and
their predators made Beringia their home.
Grey Wolf discovered in the tundra.
Caribou
Steppe Bison -A successful species.
Bison survived in the Yukon until quite recently - 400 yers ago
In this treeless environment the natives used bones and mammoth
tucks for building shelter and animal dung for a warm fire
The indigenous people survived this frigid environment by creating expertly
tailored clothing made from hides and fur.
Wolf
Saige Antelope
Giant Short-Faced Bear
Arctic Ground Squirrel. They gathered seeds and leaves to
create there nests. These seeds and leaves provide a rich and
detailed record of the mammoth steppe plants.
