The Successful Breeding of the Arctic Fox in Finland
The Arctic fox successfully bred for the first time over 25 years in Finland. An Arctic fox couple successfully bred in the Enontekiö mountainous area in Northern Lapland and gave birth to three pups. The last confirmed breeding had taken place in Utsjoki in 1996. In recent years, more Arctic fox observations have also been made at the feeding stations maintained by Metsähallitus, National Parks Finland, and WWF, making breeding expected.
Two factors have had a significant impact on the success of breeding and the growth of the Arctic fox population in the Nordic region. A natural reason is the return of cyclic fluctuations in small rodent populations in mountainous areas. Another reason is the joint Nordic Arctic fox monitoring and conservation work, which has lasted for decades. In Finland, Metsähallitus, National Parks Finland is responsible for the conservation and monitoring of the Arctic fox. In 2020, WWF Finland re-established the Arctic fox working group to support this work.
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