Close encounter with Arctic Fox (1 Viewer)

As summer approaches and daylight hours stretch, allowing plenty of outdoor activities after work, I find myself increasingly taking advantage of the seemingly inexhaustible supply of easy to difficult hikes in the immediate vicinity of Reykjavík.

On Sunday evening I was on an unnamed mountain, not too far from the city, a peak of around 500 metres but as usual not another walker in sight. I'd seen an all white male Ptarmigan at very close quarters on the way up, Golden Plovers doing the slow-winged butterfly displays on the lower ground and Snow Buntings in amongst the rocks. After spending a short while at the summit I headed down the the mountain again. After I had walked about 200 metres something compelled me to turn round and there just below the top was a bright white patch on the hillside. It certainly was far too white for a sheep, which I hadn't seen anyway and then I realised to my delight that it was an Arctic Fox. Just then my mobile rang and I was pulled back into the real world, i.e. I had to stop in the supermarket on the way home. I excitedly told my wife about my find but when I turned round the fox had gone and I set off downhill again. To my amazement the fox had circled round whilst I was on the phone, covering at least 300 metres unseen and was now in front of me, crouching down, watching me very intently only 50 metres away. What a thrill this was, seeing this snow white beauty in its habitat so close by. I was very conscious not to walk towards it or encourage it to come closer and I watched it and then pretended to ignore it, even though I was absolutely fascinated by it, and I began to move away from it. It continued to walk, or rather prance, parallel to me 50 metres away, stopping and crouching, barking and almost howling as it stopped, for the next three or four minutes before it lost interest and disappeared over the brow never to be seen again.

I've been careful not to tell anyone the location where I saw it as there is a price on Arctic Foxes here and if I told anyone where it was people could easily be tempted to go and shoot it, a crazy mentality in my book. It rounded off a good day for mammals as I'd also seen a Minke Whale and a Grey Seal whilst seawatching earlier in the day.

E

Nice one Edward, sounds like a really good day. Maybe the Arctic Fox was expecting a call! Good luck now the better weather is here.

Thanks Bob. Saw another Arctic Fox crossing the main road on the way back from looking at the Semipalmated Plover on Sunday night. This one was all brown and far better camouflaged than the one up the mountain. It was last seen bounding (in inimitable Arctic Fox style) towards a colony of very irate Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

E

Oh, what a sight that must have been Edward! I dearly love the Arctic Fox and have watched many TV programs about them. They are stunningly beautiful and absolutely adorable at the same time. Amazing hunters they are! You're definitely very lucky to have been in it's presence.
How someone could kill an animal like that is beyond me but it happens here regularly with the red fox too. Everyone has different beliefs, I guess but it's a shame. Good for you for keeping quiet.