OPPDAL, NORWAY (Reuters) – Five Arctic foxes are released into the snowy landscape one by one as the crate doors swing open. However, in southern Norway, where the foxes are set free, they may struggle to find enough food due to the impacts of climate change affecting the availability of their traditional rodent prey. Hardangervidda National Park, where the foxes are released, has not seen a good lemming year since 2021, according to conservationists.
To ensure the foxes have enough to eat, scientists breeding them in captivity have set up over 30 feeding stations across the alpine wilderness, stocked with dog food kibble – a rare and controversial strategy in conservation. Conservation biologist Craig Jackson from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, managing the fox program on behalf of the country’s environment agency, emphasized the necessity of providing food for the foxes when their natural prey is scarce.
With climate change and habitat loss pushing many species to the brink of survival, disrupting food chains and leading some animals to starve, the question of whether feeding programs are necessary to prevent extinctions arises. While some scientists believe feeding programs are essential to protect endangered species, others question the sustainability of supporting animals in landscapes that can no longer sustain them.
Norway has been supporting the Arctic fox population with feeding programs for nearly two decades, with an annual cost of approximately 3.1 million NOK (€275,000), and they have no plans to discontinue the initiative. The program has helped increase the fox population in Scandinavia from around 40 to approximately 550 since 2006. Wildlife biologist Andrew Derocher at the University of Alberta noted that feeding programs aim to bring species above critical thresholds but acknowledged challenges in achieving this goal due to the rapid warming of the Arctic habitat.
Feeding animals to ensure population survival, known as “supplementary feeding,” can be a contentious issue. While most instances are temporary and aim to aid newly released or relocated animals, some governments provide assistance to animals facing acute threats, such as Florida feeding manatees after pollution decimated their food supply. Despite risks such as altered behavior and disease spread, Norway’s Environment Agency views supplementary feeding and breeding programs as vital in raising Arctic fox numbers in the wild.
The government has invested 180 million NOK (€15.9 million) in the program, amounting to roughly €34,000 per released fox. While the program has seen success, including foxes crossing borders and breeding in the wild in Finland, the goal of reaching a sustainable population of 2,000 foxes in Scandinavia remains a work in progress.
Arctic foxes are not the only species facing challenges in the Far North. Polar bears are losing hunting grounds due to melting sea ice, and caribou struggle with irregular plant cycles. Previously hunted to near extinction, Arctic foxes have seen some reprieve with protection measures implemented in the 1920s and 1930s, becoming a symbol of the region.
Though the captive breeding program has faced difficulties, with fewer pups born in recent years, scientists remain committed to helping the foxes survive in the changing climate. While the program has boosted the wild fox population, challenges persist as warming temperatures impact prey availability and breeding success among the foxes.
Researchers emphasize the need to reach sustainable population levels before considering discontinuing feeding programs, estimating it may take another 25 years to achieve the goal of 2,000 Arctic foxes in Scandinavia. While progress has been made, the journey to securing the species’ survival is ongoing.
(Reporting by Gloria Dickie in London and Lisi Niesner in Oppdal and Geilo; Editing by Kat Daigle and Daniel Flynn)
