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When Iceland was settled in the ninth century, the Arctic fox was the only land mammal in the country. Foxes are still common all over Iceland and are known to eat sheep. Man later accidentally introduced the brown rat, the black rat, the house mouse and the field mouse. Reindeer were imported from Norway in the late eighteenth century, and there are considerable numbers of them in the highlands of the east. In about 1930, mink was introduced for fur farming, but soon escaped in great numbers and reverted to its wild state, causing great damage to bird life and fresh-water fish. Polar bears have occasionally ended up in Iceland on drift ice, but have always been shot shortly after their arrival.

The most common domestic animals are cattle, sheep and horses. Other farm and domestic animals include pigs, goats, dogs, cats, hens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pigeons and angora rabbits.

The Vikings who settled in Iceland brought horses with them from Norway, as well as other domestic animals. The horses, now called Icelandic horses, are small, sturdy and well-natured. The breed has been isolated in the country for over 1100 years and is therefore considered a unique breed. For centuries the horse was the principal means of transportation and its meat an important foodstuff. Now horseback riding has become a popular sport and is commonly practiced in the country's urban as well as rural areas. The Icelandic horse is hardy and sure-footed and has a variety of five natural gaits, which is one more than most other horse breeds are capable of. The five gaits are walk, trot, gallop, amble or pace, and a running walk called tölt. The tölt and pace are sought after qualities in the Icelandic horse, since the gaits make for an astonishingly smooth ride.

Sea Mammals

Grey seals and especially harbour seals are common all around the country. Other arctic seals are also seen off the north cost during the winter months. Seventeen species of whales have been found in Icelandic waters, among them porpoises, killer whales, fin whales, bsei whales, sperm whales and mink whales. Even the big blue whales and humpback whales are now a common sight on whale watching tours.

Birds

There are 241 kinds of birds which have visited Iceland at one time or another. Of these 72 nest regularly, 6 are common passage migrants, about 30 are regular drift migrants or winter visitors, and the rest end up here accidentally. Sea birds, waterfowl and waders are the most common indigenous birds..

Iceland is one of the major breeding grounds of waterfowl in Europe - Lake Mývatn in particular is renown for its abundance of waterfowl. There are no fewer than 16 species of ducks known to nest in Iceland, including two American species; Barrow's Goldeneye and the harlequin duck. Two nesting species and three passage migrants represent the geese. Iceland is one of few places where the whooper swan is still a common breeding bird. It is most numerous on lakes lying on the borders of the central highlands.

On the towering bird cliffs along the coast of Iceland, the most important sea birds are the common guillemot, Brunnich's guillemot, the razorbill, the puffin, the kittiwake, the fulmar and the gannet. There are also puffins, but these also form huge colonies on low-lying grassy islands.

The most celebrated of all Icelandic birds is the Icelandic falcon, which in former times enjoyed a great reputation amongst falconers. The huge white-tailed eagle was also formerly fairly common, but now it has been reduced to such an extent that there is grave concern for its future. Two species of owl inhabit Iceland. The snowy owl, which is extremely rare, was restricted to certain wild parts of the central highlands. The short-eared owl is found in low-lying moorland and valleys. The short-eared owl preys on field mice and small birds, while the snowy owl, like the falcon, usually preys on the ptarmigan, which are the country's only gallinaceous bird and also its most important game bird.

Freshwater Fish

Icelandic rivers are full of salmon, while trout and char are plentiful in lakes and streams. Two other species of freshwater fish are also to be found, the eel and the three-spined stickleback. None of these five species are really freshwater fish, but represent marine species that are establishing themselves in fresh water.