Icelandic animals

All domestic animals came to Iceland with the settlers. They arrived in Iceland with big Viking boats so they could take the animals with them.

The artic fox is the only mammal that lived in Iceland before the settlers came. The domestic animals in Iceland are horse, pig, sheepdog, sheep, goat, cow, hen and cat. In the winter most of these animals are kept inside the barn, because in the winter it can get very cold and these animals cant handle the cold of the winter.

The Icelandic horse
hesturThe Icelandic horse is pretty small next to the average horse. The Icelandic horse breed has not ben crossed with other breeds due to the country’s isolation. It is claimed that the Icelandic breed is the most fertile in the world. The Icelandic horse is the only one which has five gates. The normal horse has four gates. In the spring they lose their winter coat that enables them to be outside in any weather.
The Icelandic sheep can be seen many places as you drive around Iceland and there are nearly one million sheep in the summertime. The hair of our sheep is called wool, we use the wool to make sweaters which are very popular in Iceland and amongst tourists. During the summer the sheep are outside but during winter they are inside the barn.

The Icelandic sheep
The Icelandic sheep can be seen many places as you drive around Iceland and there are nearly one million sheep in the summertime. The hair of our sheep is called wool, we use the wool to make sweaters which are very popular in Iceland and amongst tourists. During the summer the sheep are outside but during winter they are inside the barn.

The Icelandic dog
hundurThe Icelandic dog is medium sized. It has a cyclic and furry tail and tucked ears. We call the dog sheep dog because it is very active in herding. It is very playful and kind, and also a good watchdog without being aggressive, but hunting is not prominent in it.

The Icelandic cows
The Icelandic cows are smaller then the cows in Europe. A large color variety characterizes the cows, they can be red, black and different types of gray. Today, is the number of Icelandic of dairy cows is about 25.000.

The Icelandic goat
The Icelandic goat have been following the settlers. In the mid 20th Century the stock became almost extinct but since then it has been maintained. Today there are about 700-800 goats In Iceland.

Reindeers
hreindyrReindeers are not domesticated in Iceland, but its part of the fauna. The Icelandic reindeers were brought to Iceland in the 18 th century from Norway. It took a few trys to get the animals to survive in Icleand. Today the reindeers are about 6000 adult animals and most of them are in the eastern part of Iceland. Reindeer hunting is very popular hunting in Iceland and also very expensive. You have to buy a hunting permit and take a gun test.

Written by Íris Björk

Presentation about Icelandic animals

References

Jón Lárusson, Guðmundur Guðjónsson, Birgir Sumarliðason og Friðrik Haraldsson. 1998. ,,Íslenzku Húsdýrin’’.  Retrieved from: http://www.nat.is/husdyr/islensku_dyrin.htm on: 23.09.2015

Ragnheiður Hermannsdóttir og Sigrún Bjarnadóttir. 2013. ,,Íslensku húsdýrin’’
Retrieved from: http://www1.nams.is/husdyr/ on: 6.10.2015

Skarphéðinn G. Þórisson. 2010. ,,Hreindýr’’ Retrieved from: http://www.austurbru.is/static/files/PDF/eldra_efni/100901_hreindyr.pdf on: 28.09.2015