Ny-Ålesund Zoo

One of the coolest parts about being in a remote area is that animals don't necessarily think they should be scared of humans. The Arctic has a surprising amount of biodiversity which we couldn't even pretend to be knowledgeable about. Instead, here are some of the cuter animals that's we've been lucky enough to encounter in and around Ny-Ålesund.

Svalbard Reindeer

Fjord finds tracks from his cousins.

This guy was not at all disturbed by three humans walking past. Stunning antlers.


Reindeer, fjord, and glacier. Can't beat Svalbard sometimes.

Arctic Terns

A closeup view of the Arctic Tern, also known as red-billed terns. They travel huge distances every year, from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere, following summer at each end.

Terns will dive for food, and if you go anywhere near their nests they will divebomb you, too!

Barnacle Geese

Families of Barnacle Geese wander through town all the time. They mate and breed on the small islands just offshore (safe from foxes!), but bring their families to land for a larger food supply. Although they move as a large group, family groups stay very distinct - in a flock it is easy to spot pairs of parents and the three or four goslings that go with them. The Dutch researchers here spend a lot of time studying these geese and their habits. The gosling hatched in late June and the photo below was taken last week. Just in the past couple days a lot of them have started to show their adult colorations, and by the end of August they'll be flying south for the winter.

Arctic Foxes

Possibly the cutest inhabitants of Ny-Ålesund, a couple Arctic Foxes actually have a den underneath the Dutch station. In the winter they have very thick white coats to blend in with the snow. In the summer their coats are much lighter (it's hot!) but they are tan and brown. The Dutch scientists have also been studying these foxes and how they interact with the geese - and most of them have tracking tags on their ears. The pups are just a couple weeks old and like to play around a lot.