Wildlife in Iceland is rich with birdlife and marine mammals. It is a popular country with ornithologists who visit to see dozens of species of bird during the summer nesting season. It is also home to many seabirds, among them puffins, skuas, and kittiwakes who nest on sea cliffs around the country.
When the country was settled in the ninth century, the only native land mammal was the Arctic Fox, which came to the island at the end of the ice age, walking over the frozen sea. However, most of the domestic breeds that the settlers brought with them have remained unchanged in isolation. The Icelandic horse is perhaps the most well-known example of this. Other domestic animals include the Icelandic sheep, cattle, chicken, goat, and the Icelandic sheepdog.
Wild mammals in Iceland include the Arctic Fox, mink, mice, rats, rabbits and reindeer. Polar bears occasionally visit the island, traveling on icebergs from Greenland. Icelandic waters are rich with marine life, including seals, whales, dolphins and over three hundred species of fish.
Source: Iceland.is – Photo Credit: Jonathen Pie
About 330 species of birds have been recorded in Iceland Of these only about 85... more
The Atlantic puffin The Atlantic puffin comes to Iceland for nesting in... more
Two winged flies Within this family are about 380 species in Iceland The... more
Beetles (Coleoptera) About 240 species are endemic, 150 in nature, 30 indoors... more
Husavík has a rich history of whale watching, which is one of the most popular... more
Iceland cannot boast of many species of wild animals compared to many other... more
The arctic fox (Alopex Lagopus) is believed to have occupied Iceland since the... more
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus, formerly Thalarctos maritimus) is also called... more
Rabbits imported as pets have become a part of the wild fauna of severaæ parts... more
Picture Great Skuas The extensive alluvial or outwash plains (sander) of the... more
Picture: Oyster Catcher In the capital and its vicinity, there are several... more
About 50 km from Reykjavik and only a short distance from the main road, Lake... more
The mountainous and indented northwest peninsula has several places of... more
In the northern lowlands, between the villages of Hvammstangi and Blonduos,... more
Most of the interior plateau is devoid of vegetation, except in a few areas,... more
In common grey seal areas outside Iceland it seems to be polygamous According... more
Adult males are 7-10 m long and weigh 4½-10 tons and females are 5½-8½ m and... more
The hump back whale (Lat Megaptera novaeangliae) in Icelandic waters is 12,5-13... more
The minke whale (Lat Balaenoptera acutorostrata) seldom grows longer than 9 m... more
The males are about 18 m long and the females about 19,5 m The males weigh 50... more
The sei whale (Lat Balaenoptera borealis) is 12½-15 m long in Icelandic waters... more
Blue whales (Lat Balaenoptera musculus) in Icelandic waters are 22-25 m long... more
In Icelandic waters the average size of male adults is 8,4 m and 7½-8½ tons,... more
Males are 6-8 m long and weigh 4-5 tons, females 4-6 m, and 2-3 tons The... more
Fully grow adult males are 17-20 m long and weigh 40-52 tons Females are 8-17 m... more
Adult males are about 3 m long and weigh 250-370 kg Females are 2½-3 m long... more
Adult males weigh about 7 kg and are less than 2 m long Females are equally... more
Adult males are 1,8-2,6 m long and weigh 80-140 kg Females are 1,7-2,3 m long... more
Adult males are 4,2 – 5,5 m long and weigh 1-1,6 tons Females are 3-4,1 m... more
Adult males around Iceland are 4-6 m long and weigh 1,2 – 1,6 tons and the... more