A 5 days tour of polar fox hunting in North West Iceland costs approx 4.000 Eur. This is hunting tourism. All over Icelandic touristic and souvenir stores, from Blue Lagoon to Laugavegur, the arctic foxes furs are for sale with prices between 180 and up to 5-600 Eur.
Hunters are key factor to understand and analyze arctic foxes population dynamic as they may contribute every year to accurate census over the entire Icelandic territory. The carcasses provided are given information on species ecology and possible species ecto- and endo- parazites or zoonosis when interacts with domestic fauna. Of course, species hunting has to be sustainable and arctic fox management, if is necessary, should follow always an accurate continuous specialized and integrated monitoring.
According to the Act No. 64/1994 on Protection and Hunting of Wild Species the arctic fox is protected in the nature. The hunting is conducted by a special exception from these law, by the minister of environment and resources, to prevent damage on live stock. Arctic fox dens are also protected by the same law and following acts and this encounts for the period from May to August. In other Nordic countries, the species is regarded endangered and strictly protected. Source: This data was shared by the arctic fox species specialist Ester Rut Unsteinsdóttir, (PhD Mammal Ecology) on 14th of February 2017. Dr Unsteinsdóttir explained that the arctic fox shouldn't be considered a game species.
In Iceland, provisions of European regulation (EEC) No 3254/1991 prohibiting the use of leghold traps and of Decision 97/602/EC are not transposed, but according to Act 64/1994 leghold and other traps are prohibited except for mice, rats, minks and juvenile foxes. The Environment Agency has the authority to grant temporary exemptions (Source: Screening Report Iceland, bilateral meetings Nov 2010 and Jan 2011)
Hunters are key factor to understand and analyze arctic foxes population dynamic as they may contribute every year to accurate census over the entire Icelandic territory. The carcasses provided are given information on species ecology and possible species ecto- and endo- parazites or zoonosis when interacts with domestic fauna. Of course, species hunting has to be sustainable and arctic fox management, if is necessary, should follow always an accurate continuous specialized and integrated monitoring.
According to the Act No. 64/1994 on Protection and Hunting of Wild Species the arctic fox is protected in the nature. The hunting is conducted by a special exception from these law, by the minister of environment and resources, to prevent damage on live stock. Arctic fox dens are also protected by the same law and following acts and this encounts for the period from May to August. In other Nordic countries, the species is regarded endangered and strictly protected. Source: This data was shared by the arctic fox species specialist Ester Rut Unsteinsdóttir, (PhD Mammal Ecology) on 14th of February 2017. Dr Unsteinsdóttir explained that the arctic fox shouldn't be considered a game species.
In Iceland, provisions of European regulation (EEC) No 3254/1991 prohibiting the use of leghold traps and of Decision 97/602/EC are not transposed, but according to Act 64/1994 leghold and other traps are prohibited except for mice, rats, minks and juvenile foxes. The Environment Agency has the authority to grant temporary exemptions (Source: Screening Report Iceland, bilateral meetings Nov 2010 and Jan 2011)
Crispus NGO Sibiu Romania, by its Ecology Department, aimed to disclose data on Icelandic arctic fox species, mostly on their population ecology and monitoring in areas without anthropogenic pressure.
Holistic approach of their suitable specific ecological systems would be performed together with ornithologists and small mammal specialists. The research is open and all data would be of public interest. We will inform periodically the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. We are open to every collaboration and mostly we would like to have a close collaboration with Game Management Authority in Iceland.
We understand the farmer and the hunter in the complex ecological network of the arctic fox species with the entire economic aspects.
Crispus NGO Sibiu Romania started arctic fox suitable and specific ecological systems observations in non-common habitat (out of known increased density areas) in April 2016. In October 2016 with motion sensor camera, it was possible to identify species in Vatnhornsskógur Nature Reserve (here). On 21st of January 2017, after consultations with locals, 4 camera traps were installed in the area for a better assessment of species diurnal pattern and to identify the control area for further studies.
Within an area of 247 ha, we plan to perform bio-acoustic monitoring (BAM) using specific methodology. Accordingly, by measuring small mammal density and population dynamics in time together with birds and other prey species dynamic analysis with arctic fox continuous monitoring an integrated ecological network analysis would be performed. Data would be used to compare with hunting bag data in other regions with anthropogenic pressure.
Conservation measures should be taken in specific areas if population decreases over time or control management should be considered when the population clusters are showing carrying capacity for consecutive years. These measures should be taken only for definite and specific areas close to human settlements and farms.
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