In March last year we got a visit from a great couple, working on wildlife photographing on their journey to collect photos for a new National Geographic book of Iceland. These were the Haarberg couple, Orsolya and Erlend,great people with a good sence of the magnificent nature of the north.

They went to see our arctic foxes in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve and managed to shoot great series of mating behaviour in the snowy landscape of the region. Unnur Jokulsdottir, an Icelandic writer and adventour, wrote the text in the book.

Now, the book was published in the fall and both of them have been rewarded for their work, not surprisingly when you look at the photos in the book and on their web page.

In January, a series of their arctic fox photos were published in the BBC magazine Discover Wildlife. We are so proud on the behalf of the Haarbergs and our foxes - they have now been seen by the world.

Here you can see the book and gallery: http://www.haarbergphoto.com/books
Here is the Magazine: http://www.discoverwildlife.com/gallery/arctic-fox-photo-gallery-orsolya-and-erlend-haarberg

We have been renovating the old house of Eyrardalur, where the Arctic Fox Centre is located, since last November. When we first opened in June 2010 the house was not yet ready so we had to continue now when there was time. The loft has now been panelled and lined around windows and doors. Now we are painting upstairs and at the café and kitchen downstairs. The Grand Commity room and the exhibition will not be painted but when we clean and refresh, we will add some new things..
We are sorry that we have not managed to open the doors for visitors but we look forward to open again during Easter, with a new program and lovely "new old fashion" café !

Two of our greatest sentinels departed this life late last year, with only one month interval: professor Pall Hersteinsson, (b. 22.3. 1951, d. 13.10. 2011) and Kristjana Guðný Samúelsdóttir, our "Jana Sam" (b. 12.5. 1918, d. 13.11. 2011).
Kristjana came to the centre on the opening summer 2010 and became thrilled - for two reasons. Firstly, she knew the house from the past and was delighted to see how well it had been renovated. Secondly, the idea and the concept of The Arctic Fox Centre pleased her a lot, being an entrepreneur herself, both in heart and practice.
Pall Hersteinsson was a respected and efficient scientist, both in Iceland and abroad. His studies on the arctic fox, since the early 80´s, have resulted in valuable information on the biology and population dynamics of the species in Iceland and worldwide.
Family and friends have donated The Arctic Fox Centre in the memory of Jana and Páll. For that we are grateful and we know that they both wanted to see the centre grow and thrive well.
For those who want to honour the memory of Páll or Jana through their funds, you can find the account numbers and further information on the "Support us" page, to the left.

with kindest regards
Ester Rut Unnsteinsdóttir, on the behalf of The Arctic Fox Centre....
More

Dear friends
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Thanks for visiting and taking part in our project
We will publish the annual review soon - so you can see it all in text and photos

looking forward to open again after months of reconstructing - it looks great !

See you next year

The Arctic Fox Centre

Prof. Pall Hersteinsson, the inventor and guardian of The Arctic Fox
Centre, passed away, after short but severe illness, at The University Hospital
of Iceland on October 13th.
Pall was a respected and efficient scientist, both in Iceland and
abroad. His studies on the arctic fox since the early 80´s have resulted in
valuable information on the biology and population dynamics of the species in
Iceland and worldwide. Pall´s work was based on long-term hunting statistics
and dissections on carcasses from foxhunters in the past 32 years. This
collaboration between hunters and a scientist has shown to be extremely
important and practical.


In the summer of 1998 a year-long collaboration was established between
the Westfjords Natural History institute and Pall Hersteinsson, on behalf of
The University of Iceland. The first project was a thorough study on arctic fox
behaviour in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, where the arctic fox had been
protected by law in 1995. The institutes hired two biology students, Ester Rut
Unnsteinsdóttir and Hólmfríður Sigþórsdóttir. Their main job was to monitor two
arctic fox dens and record all behavioural activity seen. The pups were "trap
trained" so that they would willingly enter traps when they were large enough
to carry transmitters for dispersal studies. The next summer, another
expedition was conducted to Hornstrandir, this time on the old sailboat Neisti
with Captain Guðmundur Jakobsson. That summer was used for visiting all known
den sites within Hornstrandir Nature Reserve to see if they were occupied. Jón
Oddsson, a former foxhunter of Hornstrandir, was on the boat and explained the
locations of the dens, remembering all details and never failed, he was more
than 80 years old. After these two summers, several other projects were
conducted and friendship was formed between the people involved....
More

We have open by agreement and if no one is at the house, it is ok to call us at 456-4922 /862-8219 to open for you (if we are here).
More and Less (our arctic foxes) will be here at least into October and it is fun to see them grow winter fur.

There are several events taking place in September, such as lecture about the Grand General Committee (in Icelandic) and the autumn theatre tour by the Comedia theatre (in Icelandic). The house is rented out for meetings and other events and if you want to place an order, please call us or send e-mail to melrakki@melrakki.is.

Thank you for a great summer and hope to see you soon - special thanks to those who decided to donate us and help around with the project.

In Sudavik we will celebrate our first annual Blueberry festival during the weekend 26th to 28th of August.

We start on Friday and you can come to The Arctic Fox Centre ot get a blueberry map from 10-17.
At 20.00 we have concerts with great mucicians in three locations in Sudavik: The Arctic Fox Centre (open until 24), Amma Habby (open until 03) and Jón Indíafari (open until 03). The Blueberry Train will drive you between places if you don´t feel like walking ...

On Saturday (27th) we begin early with mountain climbing (Kofri - 3 shoes), be at the gas station at 9.00. Or you can walk to Valagil (in the bottom of the fjord), an easy route with a lot of berries - bring a bucket..

At 10.00 we start the first and only Blueberry Run (21.1km, 10km and 3km). Register on www.hlaup.is. If you don´t feel like running, be at the Centre and shout and greet the runners on their last meters to the goal (around 12)...

11.00- 16.00. Flea market and handcraft and home made goodies at the Samkomuhús (in front of the harbour)..

 

13.30. For The first time in Iceland: Blueberry pie eating contest ! at The Arctic Fox Centre. Face painting etc...

 

14.30. Introducing the "to become Blueberry Association" and the wonder pot at the Arctic Fox Centre.- Filling contest, The largest berry etc.

 

14.00.-17.00. Games at the football plane - competition in all sort of games.

 

* 13.00-14.30 Delivering competing dishes to the Samkomuhúsið. The Best Blueberry dish of whatever edible ...

 

17.30-19.00. Potlock in Raggagarður. Everyone brings their dish of various food and goodies, we share the potlock and enjoy eating all the good food and berries...

 

The blueberry winners get rewarded.

21.00-22.30. A bonfire at the Beach below the School. We always sing at bonfires..

23.00-03.00. A Country Ball/Dance in Samkomuhúsinu. Entrance fee 2.000,-kr

 

On Sunday (28th)

 

10.00-17.00. Blueberry pancakes by Eggert Nielsen, Blueberry waffles, Blueberry muffins and Blueberry pie with Blueberry smoothie at The Arctic Fox Centre. Art Exhibition and market.

 

Everyone is out in the field, picking berries or playing in Raggagarður.

 

14.00. An annual Church ceremony in Eyrakirkja Church in Seyðisfjordur (next fjord).

 

Melodica acoustic festival The International Troubadour conspirecy proudly announce The international Troubadour Olympics. We will have troubadours from USA, Australia, Italy, Germany, etc. etc.... besides all those who will join in on the way up here.

Those are for example:
Owls of the swamp (AU) www.soundcloud.com/owlsoft​heswamp
Torben Stock (ÞÝS) www.soundcloud.com/torbens​tock
...Athebustop (IT) www.soundcloud.com/athebus​top
Kendy Gable (USA) www.myspace.com/kendygable
Elliot Rayman (USA) www.myspace.com/elliotraym​an
Joshua Teicher (AU) www.videodaymusic.com
Phia (AU) www.listentophia.com/
Friday night idols (IS) www.myspace.com/thefridayn​ightidols
Daníel Jón (IS)

The Olympic team will be at The Arctic Fox Cenre next Friday, August 19th, at 21.00
Entrance fee only 1.000,-  (for the traveling costs)

Be there and enjoy great music with us !!

In August we will not take it easy rather than in other months - and there will be some music at the Centre !

Next sunday, August 7th we will have Skúli mennski, the very human Trubador Skúli, who has the deapest voice and the most ironic lyrics in the region. Skúli will be accompanied with our good friend Mugison and together they will probably form the most creative duet in the history of this town ...
the concert starts at 20.00 and the entrance fee is only 1.000,-   we have filled the cooler with cold beer and white wine, the coffee is also great !!

On Saturday, August 13th we will play as many types of games and cards as possible, we bring some for you to join in and you can also bring your own or whatever - this will be a nice treat for us who love joining others in various table games and playing cards ... we will start at 20.00

The Blueberry festival takes place in Súðavík on the weekend 26. - 28. of August ... more of that later ... further on www.blaberjadagar.com

July has been busy at the Arctic Fox Centre - we have finished one week´s monitoring in Hornvik with great volunteers: Edwin, Carla, William, Dotan and Moritz and are soon heading for the next one next week with a new group.

We have been to two daytours with West tours and one 5-day tour with Borea Adventures to see the foxes in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve - running around us, busy feeding young pups who were born late or small this cold spring - but weather has been extremely nice in July, lot´s of food and everything is fine..  next daytour is on Thursday 26.7. with West tours.

Tatjana from Orkney island has done a miracle in our garden, piling up the heavy stones and making a nice flower bed for Icelandic herbs and plants. Aslo a stone bench and seats down by the river, this will last forever and is totally in harmony with our natural surrounding, we want to keep Tatjana.

Moritz has now left us after two months here, helping around as well as working on a nice study on "den geography" where he mapped various den sites in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. Hopefully his study will become a basic for a larger study on the den sites in Westfjords, how they are formed and what structures are useful for foxes in a long term perspective, as permanent den sites...

Westfjords Vikings came for a visit but they had been lifting stones in Raggagardur earlier. Altogether they weighted something over 3 tons but the house is strong and well built ... nice vikings :-)

We have had one beautiful concert on our loft, with Svavar Knútur, melodic sweed guitar and soft voice with great stories behind each song and filling the house of nice tones... more of that later if we can fool him out here again :-)

Next weekend we will offer our visitors a music festival in collaboration with Amma Habby - we will have a concert at 21.00 on Saturday 23th. Eggert and Michelle Nielsen with our friend Skundi Litli, will come and play and then around 23 we will move on to Amma Habby and continoue the concert there, singing into the night ... this will be fun

Our little arctic fox pups, More and Less, are growing fast on the good food from Murr - they love visits ...

See you at the centre...