Mushroom Hunting in the Arctic

The Canadian arctic......over 3 million square kilometers of snow and ice for 9 months of the year.

But for the other 3 months, when the sun shines near 24 hours a day, the land flourishes with life. Hundreds of thousands of caribou still roam the barrens along with musk oxen, reindeer, wolves and other animals. Seals, polar bears, walruses and whales frequent the waters while the tundra comes alive with a multitude of plant life....tiny wildflowers, arctic heather and arctic cotton, fireweed and .......mushrooms!
 
 

The trail started off with what looked like a common button mushroom, the kind found in stores.

Larger specimens further on made identification easier.....they appear to be Agaricus campestris, the common Meadow or Field Mushroom, found throughout the world from sea level to above the timberline....and arctic circle!

Mmmm...delicious!

Good bye from Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories!

Many thanks to the beautiful young lady who donated these pictures.