Arctic Foxes in Snaefellsjokull - Iceland

Iceland is an amazing country - epic landscapes meet a unique wildlife. This video is dedicated to the Arctic Foxes living in the lava fields of Snæfellsjökull. It is the smallest glacier in Iceland resting on an active volcanic system. The latest eruption was about 1800 years ago. The lava fields reach the ocean. In the evening during sunset the lava fields "wake up" and Arctic Foxes go hunting. Redwings as potential pray can be found as well. The foxes form small teams and are very social. They play with each other. The lava fields reach the coastal line of Djúpalónssandur, which was a fishermen’s hub. Many ships were lost in the rough coastal waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean. The wreckage is from the british fish trawler "Epine GY7" that was lost 1948 and it can be found in parts on the beach in Djúpalónssandur. It is not supposed to be touched. Only 5 out of 19 crew members were rescued. In the novel "Journey to the center of the earth" by Jules Verne, the trip starts in the crater of Snæfellsjökull. The landscapes surrounding the crater are truly amazing. The reddish lava is evidence of "recent" volcanic activity and Iron-Oxide contributions.

Amazing footage from the foxes took us by surprise as we spotted them in the lava fields when we were on our way to reach the black beach of Djúpalónssandur for landscape photography. Pictures and video were taken during sunset (20:30) into the blue hour (23:00), which explains the variation in ISO and shutter speed.

Equipment used:

Animals and (tele) landscapes:
Nikon Z9 & Nikkor AF-S 500 pf

Landscapes:
Nikon Z6 and Z6II with the Nikkor Z 14-30 and Z 24-120
Arial footage:

DJI Mini 3 Pro. Please note that we did not take any footage inside the National Park. We also did not fly the drone in the proximity of the foxes. The arial footage was taken around noon outside the park at lava fields directly connected to the main area. The beach of Djúpalónssandur and Snæfellsjökull are inside a National Park – drone flying is not permitted there. Animals can be stressed by drones.

Footage was taken on the 6’th of August 2023.