Vatnajokull National Park

🇮🇸 Iceland

🦭 Harbor Seal Pup Parade
🌍 #232 Global · 3.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #11 in Europe #45 in Temperate Forest
Iceland, Iceland 198 spp. recorded

Vatnajökull National Park sits in southeast Iceland, covering glaciers, volcanic deserts, and coastal fjords. The terrain includes ice caps, lava fields, and moss‑covered tundra, offering open trails across glacial rivers and basalt cliffs.

64.643° N   16.878° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare 5–15%
With luck 15–40%
Possible 40–70%
Likely >70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Humpback Whale ★
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

40–50% · Likely
Harbor Seal ★
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

60–70% · Likely
Arctic Fox ★
LC

Arctic Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes lagopus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

70–80% · Very likely
Eurasian Wigeon
LC

Eurasian Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca penelope

70–80% · Likely
Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

60–70% · Likely
Redwing
LC

Redwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus iliacus

60–70% · Likely
Tufted Duck
LC

Tufted Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya fuligula

60–70% · Likely
Common Snipe
LC

Common Snipe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinago gallinago

50–60% · Likely
Whooper Swan
LC

Whooper Swan

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cygnus cygnus

50–60% · Likely
Arctic Tern
LC

Arctic Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna paradisaea

50–60% · Likely
Common Redpoll
LC

Common Redpoll

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthis flammea

50–60% · Likely
Red-breasted Merganser
LC

Red-breasted Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus serrator

50–60% · Likely
Common Eider
NT

Common Eider

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Somateria mollissima

50–60% · Likely
Meadow Pipit
LC

Meadow Pipit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthus pratensis

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Humpback Whale ★
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

40–50% · Likely
Harbor Seal ★
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

60–70% · Likely
Arctic Fox ★
LC

Arctic Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes lagopus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Caribou
VU Endemic

Caribou

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Rangifer tarandus

30–40% · Possible
Minke Whale
LC

Minke Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

20–30% · Possible
Gray Seal
LC

Gray Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Halichoerus grypus

10–20% · With luck
North Atlantic Bottle-nosed Whale
NT

North Atlantic Bottle-nosed Whale

Mammal

Hyperoodon ampullatus

0–10% · With luck
Common Porpoise
LC

Common Porpoise

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phocoena phocoena

Insufficient data
European Wood Mouse
LC

European Wood Mouse

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Apodemus sylvaticus

Insufficient data
Long-finned Pilot Whale
LC

Long-finned Pilot Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Globicephala melas

Insufficient data
White-beaked Dolphin
LC

White-beaked Dolphin

Mammal

Lagenorhynchus albirostris

Insufficient data
Ringed Seal
LC

Ringed Seal

Mammal

Pusa hispida

Insufficient data
ugruk

ugruk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Erignathus barbatus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

70–80% · Very likely
Eurasian Wigeon
LC

Eurasian Wigeon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca penelope

70–80% · Likely
Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

60–70% · Likely
Redwing
LC

Redwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus iliacus

60–70% · Likely
Tufted Duck
LC

Tufted Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya fuligula

60–70% · Likely
Common Snipe
LC

Common Snipe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinago gallinago

50–60% · Likely
Whooper Swan
LC

Whooper Swan

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cygnus cygnus

50–60% · Likely
Arctic Tern
LC

Arctic Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna paradisaea

50–60% · Likely
Common Redpoll
LC

Common Redpoll

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthis flammea

50–60% · Likely
Red-breasted Merganser
LC

Red-breasted Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus serrator

50–60% · Likely
Common Eider
NT

Common Eider

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Somateria mollissima

50–60% · Likely
Meadow Pipit
LC

Meadow Pipit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthus pratensis

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

📊 Most Spotted

Animal Events

🦌

Humpback Whale Feeding in Skjálfandi Bay

MayJulAugSep

Humpback whales congregate to feed on capelin and herring, often breaching and slapping tails in dramatic displays visible from boat tours.

Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

40–50% · Likely
🦌

Harbor Seal Pupping on Breiðamerkursandur

FebNov

Harbor seals gather on glacial outwash plains to give birth and nurse pups, with mothers and calves often seen resting on icebergs in Jökulsárlón Lagoon.

Harbor Seal
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

60–70% · Likely
🦌

Arctic Fox Denning and Hunting

JanFebMarAugOctNov

Arctic foxes dig dens in volcanic soils for raising pups and hunt lemmings or scavenge seal carcasses along glacier edges, with fur-changing camouflage visible in winter.

Arctic Fox
LC

Arctic Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes lagopus

20–30% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
Humpback Whale
50–60
20–30
20–30
20–30
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
10–20
20–30
Harbor Seal
70–80
80–90
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
40–50
70–80
70–80
70–80
80–90
80–90
Arctic Fox
40–50
40–50
40–50
0–10
10–20
10–20
20–30
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
10–20
Black-headed Gull
70–80
80–90
90–100
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
Eurasian Wigeon
90–100
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
50–60
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
90–100
Mallard
90–100
80–90
90–100
80–90
60–70
50–60
40–50
60–70
70–80
80–90
90–100
90–100
Redwing
10–20
10–20
10–20
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
80–90
20–30
0–10
Tufted Duck
10–20
30–40
50–60
50–60
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
50–60
40–50
30–40
0–10
Common Snipe
10–20
10–20
10–20
50–60
80–90
70–80
60–70
40–50
50–60
30–40
10–20
10–20
Whooper Swan
10–20
10–20
20–30
80–90
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
50–60
40–50
40–50
10–20
Arctic Tern
0–10
0–10
0–10
<5
70–80
80–90
80–90
50–60
0–10
0–10
0–10
0–10
Common Redpoll
80–90
80–90
70–80
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
80–90
90–100
80–90
Red-breasted Merganser
80–90
80–90
80–90
60–70
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
70–80
90–100
Common Eider
80–90
90–100
90–100
70–80
40–50
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
60–70
80–90
90–100
Meadow Pipit
0–10
0–10
0–10
30–40
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
20–30
0–10
0–10
Animal Events
🦌 Humpback Whale Feeding in Skjálfandi Bay
🦌 Harbor Seal Pupping on Breiðamerkursandur
🦌 Arctic Fox Denning and Hunting

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good
🦭 Harbor Seal Pup Parade

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
3.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
164
🐒 Mammals
34
🦎 Reptiles
0
🐸 Amphibians
0
198 Total Species
841 Global average across 280 parks
15 Threatened 4 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
3.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
61%
📊
Coverage (71 species at ≥5% of 198 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
36%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 mammal)
47% Global avg
20%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
132 Global avg
59
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
14 Global avg
7
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
26 Global avg
26
⚖️

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