Iceland is a Nordic Island country that lies between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The wildlife of the country survive in a hostile landscape.
Icelandic horses were brought to Iceland more than 1,000 years ago. They can be seen all across the country.
Arctic foxes make their homes in the remote corners of the Eastfjords and the Westfjords. These foxes are brown or gray in the summer and white in the winter.
Reindeer might not be native to Iceland but they can be found in wild herds in the southeast and eastern parts of Iceland.
Icelandic Sheep can be seen everywhere from late spring to autumn.
European rabbits live in the wild and can be found in large numbers in Reykjavik.
Icelandic sheepdogs have fluffy coats and curled tails. A majority of them can be found in the countryside.
Birds
Whooper swans are the largest birds in Iceland. They live here year-round and during the winter months, their numbers increase in the small lagoons and bays.
Gannets make their homes on the high seas cliffs with the largest colony being on Eldey Island.
Large numbers of seagulls can be found around Olafsvik, in the west of Iceland.
Snow buntings are regular visitors to the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland in the wintertime with their summer residence in the south of Iceland. Hiding from the elements they can be seen at the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon under the road bridge in the southeast of Iceland.
Arctic terns also known as Kria in Icelandic can be seen all over the country. Larger colonies can be found on Diamon Beach and in the Westfjords.
Visiting the Grotta Lighthouse outside of Reykjavik visitors have to be careful since terns nest here on the ground and can disturb them. Therefore, the lighthouse is best viewed from the mainland.
Eider ducks are lovely ground nesting birds that can be seen around Iceland, They are found in small groups and feed on mussels, crabs, and seaweed.
Among their protected areas is around Hraunhafnartangi Lighthouse in the grassy area. The lighthouse is located northwest of Raufarhofn and is the most northerly area of mainland Iceland.
Slavonian grebes can be seen around the shoreline of Lake Myvatn. They're small diving water birds and feed on larvae, small fish, and aquatic invertebrates.
Marine Animals
American minks have made their way to Iceland and make their homes around the waterways feeding on rodents, fish, crustaceans, and birds.
Seals live around the coast of Iceland raising their young in the freezing waters. Among them are harbor seals and gray seals.You can also spot harp seals, bearded seals, and ring seals with the best place to seal watch being the Vatnsnes Peninsula in northwest Iceland.
The rarest seals are the hooded seals ranging from the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada to Svalbard, Norway.
Atlantic puffins can be seen at Latrabjarg in the Westfjords, the Westman Islands off the south coast and at Hafnarholmi. They can be seen on land from May through early August.
Iceland is one of the best places for whale watching with tours starting at Reykjavik and Husavik in the north. You can spot minke and humpback whales.
In the Westman Islands you can see Beluga whales at the Beluga Whale Sanctuary.
Iceland is home to six species of marine dolphins among them Atlantic White-sided dolphins, white-beaked dolphins and short-beaked common dolphins.
Harbor porpoises are the world's smallest marine mammals and can be seen on whale watching tours in Iceland. Occasionally they can be seen in river estuaries.
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