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Before human settlement, Arctic Foxes were the only land mammal that lived in Iceland. During the last ice-age, they walked over the sea-ice to the island, only to be stranded there when it melted over 10,000 years ago. Incredibly adaptable creatures, they managed to sustain themselves feeding on eggs, birds, invertebrates and berries.

When humans arrived, the foxes were hunted extensively for fur and to protect livestock; with the development of fur-farms, the former reason no longer applies, but farmers still maintain that population control is still essential for their economy. While hunting obviously disrupted the fox populations, human arrival meant a wealth of new food in the form of rodents, food waste and lambs, allowing the species to survive.
The Arctic Foxes in Iceland come in two colour morphs, white and blue. White foxes change their coat completely between seasons, going from snow-white in winter to a brown and white in summer. Blue foxes do not change coat, but their fur is bleached throughout summer so that they are much lighter by the arrival of winter. Both variants thicken their fur throughout the colder months, however, and lose it when the weather warms.

Arctic Foxes can be found all across Iceland, but are especially concentrated in the Westfjords, most notably the remote Hornstrandir Reserve in the very north where they are protected. In this region, they are noted for being quite fearless of humans, so wildlife photographers often come for some very intimate shots.

Since 2007, there has been an Arctic Fox Centre in the village of Súðavík. This has led the way in researching these animals, educating people about their threats, and promoting eco-tourism.
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►Music used in this video:
Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com/)
Winter - Audionautix
(http://audionautix.com/)