Christer Michaelsen in the National Nature Inspectorate has had the cream of the crop in checking known dens. This summer has offered an unusually high number of encounters with the mountain’s leading charmer, who is critically endangered. – It has been a very good year for the arctic fox here on the Varanger Peninsula, says Michaelsen. SNO uses a number of wildlife cameras at the dens in addition to its own observations to determine the number of puppies as reliably as possible. – We currently have 12 documented younglings, and we have 76 puppies that we have managed to count in the photos, says Michaelsen. In comparison, there were 7 litters and 27 puppies last year – and last year was actually a record year in recent times. The population has been thoroughly monitored since 2001. – For many years, there have been no young at all. Other years there have been one to three younglings, so this is a really great year! The interior of Trøndelag is a good area for arctic foxes in Norway. There are over 60 puppies born this year. Photo: The Norwegian Nature Conservancy At least 230 puppies in the whole country No other mountain area in the country can show such high numbers, but Trøndelag also has a number of litters. The Sylan–Kjølifjell area has at least seven litters with 36 puppies. Blåfjella–Hestkjølen has six litters with 28 puppies. Otherwise, the arctic fox breeds in inner Troms; on Saltfjellet, Junkeren and Børgefjell in Nordland; Snøhetta in the Inland; and on Finse and Hardangervidda in Vestland. In total, at least 239 puppies have crawled out of the den this summer. The figures on the website of the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research were last updated on 28 July, so they will probably increase somewhat. 18 such automatic feeders on the Varanger Peninsula provide the arctic fox with enough food for the young even in a bad rodent year. Photo: The Norwegian Nature Conservancy Fears stray dogs Christer Michaelsen encourages people who come across the arctic fox to pull away and enjoy the sight from a good distance. – It can be difficult to see them. But if you listen, you soon hear that they start to alert you when you get close. It’s a kind of bark. They will usually continue to alert until you remove yourself from the area. If you get too close to them, they will go down into the den and hopefully stay there until you are gone. Respectful hikers are not a major threat to the arctic fox, Michaelsen believes. By contrast, stray dogs can be a problem. The game cameras have revealed several dogs on fox hunts this summer, i.e. during the period of off-leash. – For the dogs, it will be completely natural to go to the den, perhaps stick their heads into the opening and scratch and dig. – In the worst case, it could be that puppies are in the area around the den and have not discovered that a dog is nearby. This can have fatal consequences for the puppy. It is the size of a kitten and does not have much to contend with, even against an ordinary companion dog. Christer Michaelsen asks people to take good care of the dog – even after the leash is over on 21 August. Photo: Bård Wormdal Powerful measures The mountain fox was very common in Norway in ancient times, but its beautiful fur became the fate of the species: It was hunted almost to extinction. Although it was completely protected in 1930, the arctic fox has struggled to make a comeback. The fact that it is increasing in number now is due to strong measures. In Varanger, SNO and local hunters have shot close to 4,000 red foxes to give the mountain foxes less competition for food and dens. In several mountain areas in both southern and northern Norway, arctic fox pups bred in captivity have been released to strengthen the population. In addition, dog food has been put out in vending machines with such narrow openings that only arctic foxes – and not red foxes – get in. The supplementary feeding is probably an important reason why the arctic fox breeds in Varanger, where it is a mediocre small rodent year. This year’s puppy record in Varanger comes after a total of 67 puppies have been released from captivity. They were released in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Photo: Statens naturoppsyn Source: Nina’s annual reports on arctic foxes in Norway Family idyll in Varanger. The mountain fox is critically endangered, but the population is on the rise and has passed 300 adult animals, according to the Norwegian Environment Agency. Photo: The Norwegian Nature Conservancy
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The mountain fox breeds in record numbers on the Varanger Peninsula in Finnmark – release and feeding have worked – news Troms and Finnmark
