Life flourishing in the Hornstrandir nature reserve
A recent field trip to the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve to assess the status of the Arctic foxes that live there brings positive news – not only is wildlife flourishing in the nature reserve, there is also every reason to expect a significant number of pairs of foxes and therefore foxes in vor. The good news arrives with a status on the Facebook page of the Icelandic Institute of Natural History (IINH).
Scientists visited the nature reserve on 15-25. March. Their compilation paints a picture of a ruthlessly inhuman and wild environment in the spring. “It was a winter picture and stormy in Hornvík for the first two days,” says the post, “and the surf was great. Over the next few days, the beach was filled with freshly killed wolffish, both large and small. This was a favorite catch of foxes that walked along the shores and collected fresh fish, which they carried up to the ridge and buried here and there in the snow. One vixen medicine 40 cm [16 in] a wolf on a cliff; it was possible to see her all the way to the top … sleeping on top of her catch. After a good nap, she woke up, shook off the snow and got a good bite of the fish before continuing uphill, near the edge of the cliff.
“It snowed most days, deep enough to dive under my feet as they wrapped themselves in the dust,” the post continues. “Foxes are hardy animals and everything seemed to go well for most of them. Some of them were throbbing and if all goes well we can expect a number of pairs with litters this spring, unlike what happened last summer when only 25% were young [foxes’] territory in Hornbjarg. ”
Other than birds, birds have not started to nest in large numbers on the Hornbjarg cliffs, according to scientists, although a group of kittens has been seen briefly, like blondes, although not close to the numbers usually found at Hælavíkurbjarg: “… hundreds, even thousand birds at this time. Ravens were seen, busy “doing the same thing as the foxes, collecting fresh fish that had washed ashore. A few purple sand pipes were also on the beach and the waves did not let themselves be disturbed. Nearly a hundred eider ducks were seen here and there in the sea, three kingfishers among them, dozens of longliners, a few black gulls and red-breasted grebes. Several staring gulls pecked at stars that washed ashore in the surf, and several large black gulls were also spotted. Almost 20 snow helicopters took up residence near the house by Horn and a falcon was seen on the wing. Gray and spotted seals also appeared on the lively coastline.
“You could say that it is as usual in terms of the flora and fauna of the area,” the post said, “despite the pandemic and the ban on gatherings almost everywhere.