Before the first Viking longship ever reached Iceland’s shores, one animal was already here. Small, quick, and impossibly well adapted to the cold, the Arctic fox arrived in Iceland at the end of the last Ice Age — walking across frozen sea ice from mainland Europe around 10,000 years ago. It has been here ever since, making it the only land mammal that is truly native to Iceland.
Today, Iceland’s Arctic fox population is one of the best studied and most protected in the world. If you are visiting Iceland and want to see one in the wild, this guide will tell you everything you need to know — where they live, how they behave, and the best time and place to spot one.
A Survivor from the Ice Age
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is one of nature’s great survivors. Built for extreme cold, it can withstand temperatures as low as -50°C (-58°F) without shivering. Its thick, multi-layered fur is the best thermal insulation of any mammal relative to its body size. Even the soles of its paws are covered in fur — an adaptation that gives it grip on ice and protection against freezing ground, and is also the origin of its scientific name: lagopus means ‘hare-footed’ in Greek.
The Arctic fox is compact and low to the ground, which helps it conserve heat. Its short, rounded ears reduce heat loss. Its bushy tail, which can measure up to 35 cm long, doubles as a warm blanket — the fox wraps it around its face and paws when sleeping in the open.
In Iceland, Arctic foxes have had no natural predators for most of their history. There are no wolves, bears, or large predators on the island. The only real threat to fox survival has been humans — through hunting, trapping, and changes to the landscape.
Two Colour Forms: White and Blue
One of the most fascinating things about Arctic foxes is that they come in two distinct colour forms, known as morphs. Both are found in Iceland, though in very different proportions.
The White Morph
The white morph is the classic Arctic fox most people picture. In winter, it turns almost completely white — a perfect camouflage against snow and ice. In summer, it moults into a brownish-grey coat that blends with the tundra. This seasonal colour change is triggered by day length and helps the fox stay hidden from prey and potential threats throughout the year. Globally, around 99% of Arctic foxes are white morphs.
The Blue Morph
Iceland is unusual because it has a relatively high proportion of blue morph foxes. Rather than turning white in winter, blue morphs stay a dark, smoky blue-grey year round — slightly lighter in winter, darker in summer. This colouration is actually better suited to Iceland’s often snow-free coastlines, where a white fox would stand out rather than blend in. Around 40–50% of Icelandic foxes are blue morphs, compared to just 1% in most other Arctic regions. This makes Iceland one of the best places in the world to see this rarer colour form.
What Do Arctic Foxes Eat?
Arctic foxes are highly opportunistic omnivores. Their diet changes dramatically with the seasons and varies by location — coastal foxes eat very differently from inland foxes.
Coastal Foxes
Foxes living along Iceland’s coastlines feed heavily on seabirds and their eggs during the summer nesting season. Puffins, guillemots, eider ducks, and Arctic terns are all on the menu. These foxes are skilled cliff climbers and will scale steep rocky faces to raid nesting colonies. They also eat fish, crustaceans, and whatever the tide washes up. Dead seabirds and marine mammals such as seals provide important food in winter.
Inland Foxes
Inland foxes rely more heavily on ptarmigan — a grouse-like bird that is Iceland’s most common land bird and another expert at changing colour with the seasons. They also eat berries, insects, and the eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds in summer. In years when food is scarce, some inland foxes travel long distances to find alternative food sources.
Food Caching
Like many predators, Arctic foxes cache food when it is plentiful. They bury eggs, birds, and scraps in the ground or under rocks, creating hidden stores they can return to in leaner times. Their spatial memory for these caches is remarkably precise.
Breeding and Family Life
Arctic foxes are monogamous and typically pair for life. They begin mating in February or March, and cubs are born between April and June after a gestation period of around 52 days. Litter sizes in Iceland are usually between 4 and 8 cubs, though in exceptionally good food years, litters of up to 14 have been recorded.
Cubs are born blind and helpless in underground dens. These dens, called earths, are often elaborate tunnel systems dug into hillsides or soft ground. Some dens have been used by generations of foxes for hundreds of years — researchers have found den sites that are believed to be over 300 years old.
Both parents raise the cubs, and in some cases older siblings from the previous year help care for the new litter. By late summer, the cubs are fully grown and begin to disperse, sometimes travelling remarkable distances to find their own territory.
Conservation: A Complicated History
The Arctic fox has had a difficult relationship with humans in Iceland. For centuries, foxes were hunted and trapped for their fur, which was highly valued in European markets. Farmers also viewed them as a threat to lambs and poultry and killed them in large numbers. By the early 20th century, populations had fallen sharply.
Today, the fox is protected under Icelandic law, though limited hunting is still permitted in some rural areas where farmers argue that foxes pose a threat to livestock. This remains a contentious issue, with conservationists arguing that the impact of foxes on farming is overstated.
Despite these pressures, Iceland’s Arctic fox population has recovered significantly in recent decades. Current estimates put the total population at around 8,000 to 10,000 individuals, which is considered stable.
Where to See Arctic Foxes in Iceland
While Arctic foxes can technically be found anywhere in Iceland, certain locations give you a much better chance of a sighting.
Melrakkaslétta, Northeast Iceland
The name Melrakkaslétta literally translates as ‘Arctic Fox Plain’ in Icelandic — which tells you everything you need to know. This remote flat peninsula in the northeast is one of the densest fox habitats in the country. The open, treeless landscape makes spotting them relatively easy, and the area is rarely visited by tourists, so the foxes are less disturbed than in more popular areas.
The Westfjords — Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
Hornstrandir is Iceland’s most remote and protected wilderness, accessible only by boat in summer. Hunting has been completely banned here since 1994, and as a result the foxes have no fear of humans whatsoever. Visitors to Hornstrandir often report foxes approaching within a few metres out of pure curiosity. It is the single best place in Iceland — and arguably in the world — for close encounters with wild Arctic foxes in their natural habitat.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the South Coast
Foxes are also regularly spotted along the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and in the highlands of the South Coast, particularly near large seabird colonies in summer. If you are travelling the Ring Road, keep an eye on open hillsides and lava fields, especially around dawn and dusk when foxes are most active.
The Arctic Fox Centre in Súðavík
If you want to learn more about the Arctic fox and are travelling through the Westfjords, a visit to the Arctic Fox Centre (Melrakkasetur) in the small village of Súðavík is highly recommended. This is Iceland’s only research centre dedicated entirely to the Arctic fox, combining scientific study with public education.
The centre has a small but excellent exhibition covering the fox’s biology, behaviour, history in Iceland, and conservation status. Outside, you can often see rescued or habituated foxes in large naturalistic enclosures. The staff are knowledgeable and passionate, and the centre is one of the most charming and informative stops in the entire Westfjords region.
Tips for Spotting Arctic Foxes in the Wild
Go early or late. Arctic foxes are crepuscular, meaning they are most active around dawn and dusk. These are also the best times for photography, with softer light and longer shadows.
Be patient and quiet. Foxes have sharp hearing and will disappear quickly if startled. Move slowly, speak softly, and avoid sudden movements.
Watch the coastline in summer. Coastal foxes hunting seabird colonies in June and July can often be spotted from a distance with binoculars along cliff-top paths.
Look for dens. Fox dens are usually located on south-facing slopes sheltered from the wind. If you spot a den, keep well back — disturbing a vixen with cubs is illegal and harmful.
Hire a local guide. Experienced local guides know where fox territories are and can dramatically increase your chances of a sighting, especially in remote areas.
Iceland’s Original Resident
The Arctic fox arrived in Iceland before humans, before sheep, before horses, and long before anyone thought to build a farm or a city here. It has survived ice ages, centuries of hunting, and the dramatic transformation of the Icelandic landscape. Tough, adaptable, and endlessly curious, it embodies something essential about Iceland itself — the ability to thrive in a place that the rest of the world might find impossibly harsh.
Seeing an Arctic fox in the wild, especially in a place like Hornstrandir where they approach you without fear, is one of those travel experiences that stays with you long after you have left Iceland behind.