Are you worried about encountering snakes while camping in Iceland? Fear not! There are no snakes in Iceland!
Snakes are, in fact, illegal in Iceland
Why is that? Well, there are a lot of reasons. For one, snakes don’t seem to like cold weather, so they don’t naturally flock to our frigid climate. Second, it is illegal in Iceland to import snakes, lizards, and turtles. Why? In the early 1990s, after a turtle infected its owners with salmonella, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) banned snakes, turtles and lizards in order to protect humans against deadly salmonella infections.
Even the Vikings didn’t really have an interest in snakes, so they didn’t bring them along when they sailed to Iceland in the 8th century. Snakes are not very useful or tasty, and you can’t teach them anything. If you can’t eat it, make cloth from it, or enjoy it, why bother? (Apologies to those of you out there with pet snakes.)
Walk around fearless in Iceland
So feel free to walk barefoot in the grass at your camp site or sit down to rest during your hike without checking around for snakes first. If you think you hear some hissing, it is probably just the peaceful sound of wind whistling through the grass. You can also feel free to leave your Cozy Camper’s doors and windows open for fresh air without worrying about a snake crawling in.
You actually don’t have to worry about any dangerous wild animals in Iceland. The wild land animals we do have in Iceland – like the Arctic fox, mink, mice, rats, rabbits and reindeer – don’t find humans attractive and usually flee at the sight of people. If you happen to come across any of them while driving in your Cozy Camper in Iceland, just breath in and enjoy the sight.
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