WITH a landscape as rich and vast as that of Iceland, it is no surprise to hear that this natural wealth is also reflected in the wildlife that resides there and which therefore provides a perfect destination for fans of flora and fauna The majority of Iceland is uninhabited and so there is a considerable amount of nutrient-rich open space for plants to flourish and wildlife to graze.

Since Iceland enjoys long hours of sunlight throughout the summer months, there could be no better time to explore all four corners than this month and August, when the animal communities are thriving as the young are taking their very first steps.

The north of Iceland has a rich and varied landscape with a number of different wetlands, which are particularly important as a habitat for many of the species of bird that currently reside there.

One northern wetland area is frequented by ornithologists is the Mývatn Lake area and the nearby Laxá River, which currently is home to more species of duck than any other place in the world.

There are also a number of bird cliffs in the vicinity which are of particular interest, such as Grímsey, Rauðinúpur and Langanes.

The Langanes cliffs are home to hundreds of thousands of Icelandic auks and guillemots – as well as the uncommon Brunnich’s Guillemot – and are a sight to behold over the summer months when the young begin to flee the nest.

Heading slightly further East, Skoruvíkurbjarg cliff which juts out into the Norwegian Sea is the best place on the island to see the northern gannet, as well as one of the best places to see guillemots nesting.

With a population of between eight and 10 million puffins at any one time, Iceland is currently home to one of the largest colonies in the world and over half of the Icelandic puffin population lives on the Westmann Islands - a small chain of islands, just south of Iceland.

In early August each year millions of new-born puffins hatch and the children of Heimaey - the main island of the Westmann Islands - launch the ‘Puffin Patrol’. The baby puffins leave their burrows in the cliffs of Heimaey late at night and use the moon to navigate, but sometimes the streetlights of Heimaey throw them off course and they end up flying into town and crash-landing on the streets, instead of flying out to sea.

This is when the children of Heimaey form the Puffin Patrol and search the town for the befuddled pufflings, as they have been doing for generations.

The releasing of hundreds of rescued pufflings at the end of the summer has become a local tradition.

Although reindeer have lived on Iceland since the 18th century - when they were introduced from Norway, they have never been domesticated by the Icelandic people and to this day live in the east, relatively undisturbed.

Whilst their primary habitat is in the deserted expanses by Snæfell, reindeer are seen every year in the territory from Vopnafjordur in the north to the Glacier Lagoon. During the summer, when the days are longer, the wild reindeer populations tend to head toward higher elevations, but remain closer to the coast for the winter. The best places to view reindeer herds during the summer are the areas surrounding Mount Snæfell, in Vesturöræfi and Brúaröræfi.

Located in the Northern hemisphere and surrounded by water, Iceland is one of the best places in Europe for whale-watching since there are over 20 different species that live in the Norwegian Sea, the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Sea.

The best way to witness the different types of whale that live in the waters around Iceland - namely minke whales, humpback whales, blue whales, orcas, as well as harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins - is by taking a boat tour which operates along the Western coast.

A great example of prime places for summer whale watching is the small maritime town of Bíldudalur in Arnarfjörður, which is located in the very north of the West fjords and is actually the home of the humpback whales that live around Iceland.

Each spring humpback whales migrate from the great seas to Arnarfjörður, where they remain throughout the summer, feeding close to the shore.

One of the longest-standing and most unique agricultural traditions in Iceland is the great Horse and Sheep round-up, which takes place in each of the different regions across the island each year.

Since the majority of island is uninhabited, the local farming communities let their sheep and horses free over the summer months to roam and graze. Of course, letting these animals loose can only mean one thing – at some point, someone will have to gather them together again!

The gargantuan task takes almost a week to complete and, depending on the region, the sheep round-ups usually take place in early September, whilst the round-up of the horses tends to begin towards the end of September and carry on into October.

Whilst the farmers round up the animals on horseback and herd them in to central pens, locals and visitors alike watch on in awe and the event is followed up with a huge celebration – Réttardagur, which is famous for bringing whole communities together to sing, dance and drink the night away.

The larger-scale round-ups take place in the Skagafjördur and Húnavatnssysla regions, as well as in the southern farming communities. For those who prefer the less strenuous option, you can watch from a distance with a warm drink, whilst a number of tour operators give the more adventurous traveller the opportunity to take part in the round-up and actually help the Icelandic farmers.

Extreme Iceland is offering six-night, seven-day tours in Iceland for ISK 279,840 per person (around £1,488) where you will be able to ride with the Icelandic farmers, as well as sharing a mountain cabin with them, for the week of the Horse and Sheep round up. Flights are not included.