Published 21 December 2022 at 10.38
Domestic. 164 new arctic fox litters were registered in Sweden, Norway and Finland in this year's inventory, according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. It is a record for the previously endangered animal.
Like the article på Facebook
Furthermore, this year saw an increase of around 88 adult individuals since last year's inventory. The population is now estimated to be over 550 adult individuals.
– During the last 20 years, it has been a record year, says Malin Åhl, wildlife officer at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. It looks like the extensive measures that have been taken to preserve the mountain fox continue to yield results.
The mountain fox was close to extinction in Sweden and Norway as recently as 2000. The population was then estimated to be between 40-60 individuals . It is today classified as highly threatened in Sweden and despite 90 years as a protected species, the arctic fox has had difficulty recovering.
According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the explanation is that there were plenty of rodents this year, which are the arctic fox's main food .