Management of the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus): Implementation of international and national obligations in Iceland and Svalbard

• Main Author: Kühn, Matthias, 1985-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði; Arctic; Svalbard; Arctic Fox; Climate change; Iceland; Sea ice; Vulpes lagopus
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/23034

The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is Iceland’s only native terrestrial mammal and an important species in Icelandic ecosystems. However, this species has long been regarded as a vermin in Iceland. Major changes in Iceland’s environmental policies in the 1990s awarded, for the first time, a protection status to the arctic fox. Svalbard’s arctic fox population is considered viable and stable and the species, one of the few top predators in the arctic, is equally important to Svalbard’s ecosystems. The species gained the status of a priority species in Svalbard in the 1990s and is regarded as one of the main indicators for the state of the environment in Svalbard. This study reviews the historical background of arctic fox hunting in Iceland and Svalbard, and focuses on the development of the current management regimes for the species. Further, it examines the effect of international commitments on national legislations and management of arctic foxes in Iceland and Svalbard, and provides recommendations to further protect this species. The study shows that the implementation process of international obligations into national legislations in Iceland and Svalbard has ushered major changes in the protection of the arctic fox. Further, the comparison of Iceland and Svalbard represents a good example to develop management strategies for other arctic islands with arctic fox populations to promote the overall long- term survival of the species on a global scale. This study provides comprehensive legislative and management recommendations to complement Iceland’s enormous transformation and achievements towards protecting its arctic fox population. Iceland serves as an example of a sea ice free arctic fox population and can, hence, contribute to potential management strategies on other arctic islands that will become free of sea ice in the future due to climate change.