Ísak Ólafsson

Ísak was born and raised in Reykjavík, Iceland, where an early interest in nature and wildlife shaped his path into biology. Wanting to work closely with animals, he gained practical experience early through jobs on a dairy farm, as a zookeeper and later as a park ranger in Iceland. These experiences provided a foundation for his later work in wildlife research and conservation.

He studied biology at the University of Iceland, where he worked with birds through ringing and behavioral monitoring, and later completed a master's degree in Biology with a focus on Conservation Biology at Lund University in Sweden. During his master's, his research focused on the movement ecology of Arctic-breeding waders, combining fieldwork with ecological research to better understand migratory species.

Ísak now works as a wildlife biologist on Iceland's west coast. His work primarily involves monitoring bird populations to understand how species are changing over time, as well as conducting research on regional mammals. A key focus of his current work is studying how increasing tourism influences harbor seal behavior at a popular haulout site. He is particularly interested in applied research that supports conservation and management, and enjoys communicating science through photography and storytelling to help others better understand the wildlife of the North Atlantic.