Iceland’s dramatic volcanic landscapes and glaciers often spark curiosity about its wildlife. While many unique species thrive, bats are not considered native. Their presence is exceedingly rare, primarily involving accidental arrivals.
Why Bats Are Not Native
Iceland’s geographic isolation and subarctic climate play a significant role in the absence of native bat populations. As a remote island, it presents considerable challenges for land mammals, including bats, to colonize naturally across vast ocean distances. Long, dark winters and consistently low temperatures create an environment inhospitable for most bat species.
The landscape lacks many features essential for bat survival. There is a scarcity of large, mature trees that bats typically use for roosting and raising their young. Iceland also lacks extensive cave systems or suitable rock crevices for hibernation during colder months. This absence of appropriate shelter and roosting sites creates a significant barrier to their establishment.
Bats primarily feed on flying insects, and Iceland’s terrestrial insect diversity and abundance are relatively low. The limited availability of sufficient insect prey, particularly during cold periods, makes it difficult for bats to sustain themselves and reproduce. These combined environmental and geographical factors mean Iceland cannot naturally support a resident bat population.
Rare Occurrences and Vagrant Bats
Despite challenging conditions, bats have been observed in Iceland on rare occasions as “vagrant” individuals. They often arrive accidentally, blown off course by strong North Atlantic storms or by hitchhiking on ships. An increase in bat sightings has been observed over recent decades, potentially linked to improved communication, public awareness, and rising international shipping traffic.
At least eight different bat species have been identified as vagrants in Iceland. Examples include the Hoary Bat, a North American species often storm-borne, and Nathusius’s pipistrelle, a small European bat. The Little Brown Bat, another North American species, may have arrived by ship. Most observations involve single animals, often found in the autumn, and it is highly unlikely these individuals can establish breeding populations due to the island’s unsuitable environment. Experts advise against touching any found bats due to potential disease transmission.
Iceland’s Unique Mammalian Ecosystem
Iceland’s terrestrial mammalian fauna is notably limited, a direct consequence of its isolated geography and post-glacial colonization patterns. The Arctic fox is the only land mammal truly native, having arrived after the last Ice Age. Other wild land mammals are primarily introduced species.
Introduced mammals include reindeer, brought from Norway in the 18th century, and American mink, which escaped from fur farms in the 1930s. Various rodent species, such as wood mice, house mice, and rats, also arrived inadvertently with early human settlers. In contrast, Iceland’s marine mammal fauna is much richer and more diverse. The surrounding waters host a variety of species, including two native seal species (grey and harbor seals), numerous whale species (minke, humpback, blue), dolphins, and porpoises. This distinct ecological makeup underscores why bats do not naturally fit into Iceland’s unique biological landscape.