Arctic Foxes in Iceland: Where They Live and How to See Them Without Disturbing Them

When people first settled Iceland, it had just one native land mammal: the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus). Foxes are thought to have reached the island across sea ice at the end of the last glacial period, and they have lived alongside seabird cliffs, shorelines and tundra ever since. Today they are found across much of the country, but they are shy where they are hunted. The best-known place to watch them is Hornstrandir, a remote nature reserve in the far northwest where foxes are protected.

The animal

Arctic foxes are small, compact canids built for cold: short muzzles and ears, dense fur, and furred foot pads. They eat whatever the season offers, including seabirds and their eggs, carrion washed up on beaches, small birds, invertebrates and berries. Unlike arctic foxes in mainland Scandinavia or North America, Icelandic foxes do not depend on lemming cycles, because Iceland has no lemmings; coastal food sources matter a great deal.

Two color morphs

Arctic foxes come in two genetically determined color forms:

• White morph foxes turn white in winter and grayish-brown in summer.
• "Blue" morph foxes are dark chocolate or bluish-gray all year, a little paler in winter.

Both occur in Iceland, and dark foxes are a common sight along the coasts. The two morphs can appear in the same litter.

The year of a fox

• Late winter: pair formation and mating.
• Spring: pups are born in dens, often in established sites used for many years.
• Summer: adults hunt and carry food back to dens; pups emerge and play near the entrance. Coats are thin and patchy.
• Autumn and winter: young foxes disperse; coats thicken.

Where to see arctic foxes

Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

Hornstrandir is a peninsula of fjords, sea cliffs and green valleys at Iceland's northwestern tip. It was abandoned by its last year-round residents in the mid-20th century and is now a protected area. Because foxes are not hunted inside the reserve, they are often less wary of people there than elsewhere in Iceland.

Hornstrandir is wilderness in the full sense: there are no roads, shops or permanent services, mobile coverage is unreliable, and weather can change quickly even in summer. Visitors usually arrive by scheduled or chartered boat in the summer season and either hike for several days or join a guided trip. It is not a place to visit casually or without preparation.

Elsewhere in the Westfjords and beyond

Foxes are also seen along quiet coastal roads and beaches in the Westfjords and in other parts of the country. Outside protected areas they tend to be wary because of hunting, so sightings are usually brief.

The Arctic Fox Centre in Súðavík

The Arctic Fox Centre in Súðavík, on the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord, is a research and exhibition center about the species. It is a good place to learn about fox ecology before visiting the wild, and to find current information about fox research in the region.

Watching foxes ethically

Foxes in Hornstrandir may approach people. That makes it all the more important not to change their behavior.

Conservation context

Arctic foxes are not globally threatened, but populations depend on food supply, climate and human pressure. In Iceland, protected areas such as Hornstrandir and long-term research help scientists understand how the population responds to these changes. Responsible visitors contribute by keeping wild foxes wild.

References

• Arctic Fox Centre (Melrakkasetur Íslands)
• Environment Agency of Iceland — Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
• Environment Agency of Iceland — Drones in protected areas
• Safetravel Iceland (ICE-SAR)
• Icelandic Met Office
• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
• Visit Westfjords