Iceland - 7 - Animals - Wild & Domestic

11-15 August,  24 August - 4 September, 2025

Wild Creatures

We started our tour in Iceland at the time when most of the birds are beginning their annual migration to more southernly climes. By the time we left in early September, the vast majority of the birds had left.

11 August

There were still quite a few puffins on the cliffs at Dyrhólaey. I didn't get a good close-up because my camera with the good telephoto lens had a dead battery.

Puffins can be pretty comical in flight. Whether they're coming in for a landing or hurling themselves off the side of a cliff, they just don't look like they were made for flight.

We saw an arctic fox or two (or three) in Greenland, but in Iceland we saw them at the Arctic Fox Centre, a research center and museum in Súðavik in the West Fjords. There's a wealth of information here about arctic foxes here.

1 September

I never did understand some of the exhibits - why is an arctic fox on the table in the midst of a tea set?

Some of the exhibits were disturbing, if accurate. This fox had "Naked Fox Syndrome", an infectious disease that causes hair loss and swollen joints, and is only found in Iceland.

We saw seals at several beaches around Iceland. Two were particularly noted for almost always having seals present.

1 September

Seals basking at the appropriately named Seal Lookout on Skötufjöður in the West Fjords.

4 September

The best place to see seals was on the beach at Ytri Tunga on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. At first, I thought these seals were just rocks offshore, but a closer look revealed them to be alive.

More seals just off the beach.

A closer view of these two seals.

29 August

We went on a whale watching tour in Húsavik. We got to watch a humpback whale go for three dives, taking 8 to 11 breaths before each dive.

We also had a rare view of a basking shark.

To go out on the open whale watching boat, we had to wear cumbersome, but essential, survival suits.

Domestic Animals

Iceland is full of sheep, noted for its horses, and has plenty of dogs and cats.

26 August

No matter where you are in Iceland (except, perhaps in and near Reykjavik), you need to be prepared to encounter sheep on the road.

11 August

Sheep are curious. These were checking us out as we returned to the parking lot after a short hike to Kvernufoss.

29 August

Checking us out on our hike through Dimmuborgir.

More sheep as we waited for the ferry at Brjánslækur.

4 September

Icelandic horses are renowned for their sturdiness and five natural gaits. They are small horses (not "ponies") and have many variations in their colors. To preserve both genetics and potential diseases, once a horse is exported, it cannot be returned to Iceland.

Icelandic horses have shaggy manes that cover their eyes.

25 August

A show horse at the Friðheimar tomato farm.

4 September

Most hotels in smaller communities had itinerant cats. They slept where they wanted to and came and went as they pleased. Most were accompanied by notes that explained that they were not strays and liked to be cuddled, but not picked up and carried around.

12 August

Most dogs in Iceland are working dogs. In Iceland they were sheep herders; in Greenland they were sled dogs. This dog came to us as we were admiring Foss á Siðu (waterfall) in south Iceland, and loved to retrieve rocks we threw into the creek.