During the summers 2003-2007 an international research project was conducted on arctic foxes in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. It was lead by Dr. Eli Geffen from the University of Tel Aviv and his collaborators, Dr. Miki Cam from the same university, Professor Anders Angerbjörn - Stockholm University, Dr. Eva Fuglei - Norwegian Polar Institute, Dr. Þorleifur Eiríksson - The Natural history Institute of Westfjords and Professor Pall Hersteinsson - University of Iceland. The research main goal was to determine parental investment and contribution to rearing their offspring. Energy use and metabolic rate as well as movements and area use was measured and compared between breeding pairs and non-breeding individuals. During the period of the study, several individuals (both adults and pups) were caught, radio-collared and ear tagged, for identification and so it was possible to record their area use and movements.

We still see some of these foxes in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve and we sometimes get photos and locations of tagged animals, for example those two great photos taken by Elma Rún Benediktsdottir in July 31st and August 1st. This photo shows a blue male which was tagged in Hornvik as an adult in the spring 2007, which means that it's at least four years old.
It would be nice to have more photos from everyone who have seen tagged foxes, with information about date and location. You can send the photos to The Nature History Institute (nave@nave.is) and/or The Arctic Fox Center (melrakki@melrakki.is).

We are also happy to get all good photos of arctic foxes you meet in Iceland, to enlarge our online web-gallery. If you want to take part in the collection, please send us your photos on melrakki@melrakki.is
All good stories are also accepted...

Many people have now come to visit the Arctic Fox Center and today we handed out ticket nr. 1000. It was this little girl, Harpa Dís, who came with her parents and little brother. She got her fathers ticket but ofcourse it is free for kids who come to the exhibition with their parents.
Other guests of the weekend were Eggert and Michelle Nielson but they run Iceland Tour Guy and rent out houses here in Sudavik. We took the picture of Michelle in her brand new t-shirt with „Arctic Fox on the road" sign.
Frosty is happy in his new fence but he just got a food contract with the local pet food company Murr - high quality product.
Yesterday we sadly said goodbye to Fanney and Hjörleifur, who have been working with us all summer, besides Runa and Inga Vala. Now Fjola has joined us and we certainly hope Fanney and Hjörleifur will come and work with us again next summer.
As before, we have open 10-22 all days - the exhibition fee is 800kr but free for kids with parents.
Welcome to the Arctic Fox Center

The Arctic Fox Centre just receieved beautiful photos of the house and exhibition from Sigurjón J. Sigurdsson and Þordur Sigurdsson. We find these photos so great and have created a special photo album for them. 
Photos from Sigurjon J. Sigurdsson and Tobias Mennle are on our flyers for the summer, many thanks for that.

For those who want to send us photos of foxes, the house, landscape or wildlife of Westfjors, please use the mailform to the left. We appreciate all photos and it´s great to be able to add to our online web gallery.

We will leave for the Quest for the Arctic Fox
19. - 24. July 2010

The great bird cliffs of Hælavík and Hornvík are home to 3-4 million seabirds such as Guillemots, Razorbills, Puffins, Kittiwakes and Fulmars. The Nature Reserve is also home to the only native terrestrial mammal in Iceland - the Arctic Fox - and the first region of Iceland where all hunting for foxes is forbidden. Here you have a chance to "shoot" some arctic foxes with your camera, with the magnificent landscape of Hornstrandir as a background.
Using the comfortable expedition yacht AURORA as a mothership gives us flexibility in itineraries and enhanced safety.
Further information: Borea Adventures

 

First month
The first month since we opened has passed by and time goes fast here with the foxes. We have had over 500 guests, besides those 300 who came the first opening weekend. We have had lot of good gifts from old foxhunters, such as photos, books, stories, old tools etc. We were offered to house a private and very precious stamp collection from Helgi Gunnarsson in Rvk. A lady who knew the house in the old days gave us considerable amount of money which we used as the basic starting fee in a fund we will then use for future donations we might get from supporting people. The first thing we like to collect money for is a web camera that we can use to see the arctic foxes in the wild, on screen and on internet.

Last weekend we had a whole wedding ceremony here at the centre - the groom was born here in this house as well as his nine brothers and sisters. They wanted meet here and held a wedding on our loft with 40 guests. These people were thrilled about how well the house has been rebuilt and that it is now possible to visit it like this, enjoying the memories of the old times.

This morning we had yoga on the patio in the morning sun - very quiet and beautiful moment.

Tomorrow night we will have "foxy lady night" where women will meet and have fun together.

Frosti, the little artic fox pup, has been visiting the centre every now and then. At the moment we are putting a finishing touch on a fence for him here in the yard. Later we will release him into Heydalur where he will be allowed to live free under the supervision of the people from Heydalur.

It´s a tradition in the Westfjords of Iceland that foxhunters bring home young pups to keep at home during the summer. We had one such visiting the center this weekend and it is approximately 7 weeks old male of the white morph, called Frosti (a mans name, same as Frosty). We took some photos of him while he was here today.

These first two weeks since we opened the center have been great and all guests seem to be happy about visiting us and see the house, the exhibition and the little fox.

We have great coffee, new baked waffles with rubarb jam and cold drinks while sitting outdoors to enjoy the beatiful scenario and mild weather - welcome

Now we have just finished the first research week in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve this year. It´s the third year of the project „The Wild North" (www.thewildnorth.org). Abby Sullivan, a student of the University Center in Isafjordur monitored arctic fox couple at a den where tourist path passes by. Jean Larson monitored an arctic fox family at a den. Tobias Mennle and Frank Drygala continued with filming the foxes but they started filming the fox family one year ago. This film will be a part of a Nordic tv series about nature and characteristic wildlife, the other filmed by colleagues who are now working in Sweden (mousse), Norway (reindeer) and Greenland (walrus).
This time Leslie Chang from Hong Kong was also a part of the group but he has been travelling around the world for the past 3 years photographing for a book about animals that can in some way be called the characteristic species of a particular zone. Leslie was here on behalf of Gavial Travel.
Ester showed the group as well as visit and check for occupancy at every known den in the area. The situation is similar to how it was last year but about half of the breeding pairs were the same individuals. Others being more shy and behaved similar to the foxes in the shooting region of Iceland.

We are so happy about the acceptance the Arctic Fox Centre has had in these first days of the opening - despite the football and all.
It looks like people are more than happy about our exhibition and it is sweet to discover the surprise on peoples faces when they enter the Café and realize that they can sit outdoors with their drink, enjoying the view over the sea and up to the mountains in the early summer sun. We are located in the oldest house in the village that has been rebuilt beautifully in an original way.  

We offer the greatest exhibition of arctic foxes available, with historical perspective - great café with internet access, new baked waffles, French chocolate cake, cold beer and wine etc.. etc..

Feel welcome and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere at the Arctic Fox Centre in Sudavik - Iceland

The opening of the Arctic Fox Centre was held last Saturday, June 12th
over 200 guests came and everyone was thrilled, including us, the people behind the centre
we had lots of greetings, for example from The President office, The minister of tourism, Katrín Júlíusdóttir, the minister of education, Katrín Jakobssdóttir, the minister of environment, Svandis Svavarsdóttir. Even Sir David Attenborough send us greetings, but he could not be there with us, busy making new extraordinary nature films for us.
From now on, the Arctic Fox Centre is open all days until the end of August from 10 in the morning to 18 (exhibition) and 10-22 (the CAFÉ). The Exhibition is a unique show about the arctic fox as the only original land mammal in Iceland, the hunting story and the story of the foxhunters.
We have great chocolate cake, brilliant coffee and warm waffles with rubarb jam and cream. We have open internet access and cold beer with snacks.
Feel welcome to visit us - learn and see - relax and enjoy
more photos of the opening are to be seen on the Sudavik web page

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Last Saturday we were lucky to have the members of the board and their families to help us preparing the furniture for the Café, as they all came in flat packing's. As everyone should know, we will open next Saturday, June 12th at 12 o'clock. All next weekend, June 12th to 13th, access to the exhibition will be free of charge. The exhibition will be open until 18 and the café until 22.
The job took all the 15 people three hours to finish the furniture and other things that needed to be put together. The sun was shining and we realized that people need to be aware of using sun protection while sitting at our platform during sunny days. But it´s so nice after visiting the exhibition to sit out there with cold drinks and make plans or just relax..