Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
many Icelanders put forward the argument that culling whales preserves fish stock (this
is a simplified argument, refuted by many studies - the WWF, for example, publishes a
few on its website that conclude the greatest threat to fish stock is posed by mismanage-
ment of fisheries).
The fishing industry is of paramount importance to the country, and many believe that
culling whales preserves fish stocks (although this is refuted by studies). Most of all,
whaling has become intrinsically linked to national pride. Icelanders have a long tradition
of not letting others dictate their actions, and in the face of worldwide criticism, asking
Icelanders whether they support whaling is tantamount to asking whether they support
Iceland.
Ironically, 35% to 40% of Icelandic whale meat consumption is by curious tourists. In
2012 the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and IceWhale (Icelandic Whale
Watching Association) launched a high-profile 'Meet Us Don't Eat Us' campaign to en-
courage visitors to go whale watching rather than whale tasting.
Imported by the Vikings, the pure-bred Icelandic horse
(Equus scandinavicus)
is a small,
tough breed perfectly suited to the country's rough conditions. Icelandic horses have five
gaits, including the unusual
tölt
- a running walk so smooth that riders can drink a glass of
beer without spilling a drop.
Birds
Birdlife is prolific, at least from May to August. On coastal cliffs and islands around the
country you can see a mind-boggling array of seabirds, often in massive colonies. Most
impressive for their sheer numbers are gannets, guillemots, gulls, razorbills, kittiwakes,
fulmars and puffins. Less numerous birds include wood sandpipers, Arctic terns, skuas,
Manx shearwaters, golden plovers, storm petrels and Leach's petrels. In addition, there are
many species of ducks, ptarmigans, whooping swans, redwings, divers and gyrfalcons, and
two species of owl. For information on where to see birds in Iceland, see (
Click here
)
.
