The little stoat, named Randell, popped up when a team of researchers landed on Kaffeklubben Island in the Arctic Circle
Scientists greeted by stoat at Kaffeklubben Island
When a British biologist led a party of scientists to the most northerly, isolated and uninhabited landmass on Earth, the last thing they expected was to be welcomed by the world’s loneliest stoat.
Cambridgeshire biologist and photographer Jeff Kerby trekked for days with his fellow researchers to reach Kaffeklubben Island, the highest latitude of land before the vast expanse of Arctic ice surrounding the North Pole.
Thinking they were all alone, the team was overjoyed when a small furry face popped out from a pile of stones – a rust-coloured stoat they named Randall.
The stoat – a member of the mustelid family – survives on a diet of lemmings, which are small Arctic rodents, they believe.
Jeff, a Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge Scott Polar Research Institute, tells the Mirror : “Randall is almost certainly the northernmost ‘settled’ land mammal, in terms of mammals living on terra firma.
“He clearly had no fear of us, and perhaps didn’t know what to make of such strange creatures on his lonely outpost. Juvenile stoats can disperse over many dozens of miles when searching to establish new territories of their own.
“The sea ice on the way to the island is present year-round, so he probably scampered over to the island from the mainland, but definitely calls Inuit Qeqertaat home now.
“I’m used to being around wild animals from my work as a field biologist and photographer, but rarely is one so inquisitive as this little stoat.”
The uninhabited island, also known as Inuit Qeqertaat, at the very top of Greenland and is the undisputed furthest north land point on the planet.
Inuit Qeqertaat is closer to the North Pole – around 440 miles – than it is to the nearest small human settlement, which is more than 500 miles south.
Senior Climate Scientist at the Environmental Defense FundBrian Buma, who was with the team, adds: “Being visited by this little spirit animal Randall, unafraid and friendly, was both surprising and also oddly fitting.”
Fearless and playful, Randall happily perched on archaeologist Aka Simonsen’s boot.
Brian adds: “Randall most likely walked here. That in itself is impressive, as I doubt Inuit Qeqertaat is visible from stoat-height from the mainland, so he got pretty lucky when he struck out over the ice on his own, I think.”
Charmed by the new friend they all made at the top of the world, Jeff adds: “This was truly a once in a lifetime experience. It also was a good reminder how surprising the world can be, even to experienced field biologists.
“I’d gone into this wondering if the rocky edge of Inuit Qeqertaat could even support a few scraggly flowers.
“It never once crossed my mind that we’d encounter a gregarious and playful stoat at the edge of the world.”
