Arctic Fox
Arctic Fox – Photographer: Keith Morehouse
Description
With a full grown adult size from 5 to 20 pounds there is plenty of diversity when it comes to the Arctic Fox. They are going to vary in size depending on the area where they live. Some are able to find more sources of food than others which plays a major role in how large they become.
Some believe that the Arctic Fox is white in color all year long. While they are for the majority of it, they do turn a shade of brown for the summer months. This is to help them be able to remain protected in their natural environment. The white color helps them with the snow but when there isn’t much of it they need to have another option.
Anatomy
Since only a few specific animals are known to live in the cold Arctic temperatures, exploring what it is about their anatomy that makes it possible is fascinating. Like so many other animals in this area they have layers of fat called blubber. This helps to give them the body heat they need to be comfortable here. They also have feet covered with fur so that body temperature can’t be lost here.
They are able to move around quickly and without falling on the ice and snow due to the pads at the bottom of the feet. This is important or they would struggle to hunt and to get away from predators in this type of environment. The ears are also designed to help them with maintaining body temperature. Their sense of smell and hearing are wonderful which also help them to be able to live in such an area.
Evolution
The fact that this fox can live here is believed to be due to evolution. They have differences with the design of the body that allows it to be possible. You couldn’t take another species of fox and place them here as they would die due to the cold. How did this species of fox get to theArctic? Most believe it occurred with the Ice Age and a quest to find food.
Changes to their bodies allowed them to be able to survive here instead of dying out. This is also believed to be why they have the white coloring most of they year. While other species of fox do feature some white, they don’t have it all over the body. There is still plenty of unknown information though about how they evolved into the animals as we know of them today.
Behavior
Another difference among them and other species of fox is that they are social animals. Others are very isolated and really only interact for mating or when they are taking care of their offspring. They are able to recognize others that they have been around through the scents that are given off. The females tend to be more interested in maintaining social relationships though than the males.
There are unfounded fears out there about the Arctic Fox too due to the fact that they do come out during the day. All other species of fox are nocturnal so they only come out at night. For this one though they need to find food when they can so if that opportunity is during the day they will take it.
Fears though stem from the 1988 outbreak of rabies inNewfoundland. This fox is believed to be the animals that introduced it. That is the information people remember, and they often associate seeing a fox out during the day with the chances that it could have rabies.
Habitat and Distribution
These animals are able to live where it is extremely low and the temperature is often in the negatives. They live in dens like other fox but most of the time these dens are found under the ground. They also have detailed tunnel systems there that they use to move around. When there are layers of snow on the ground they will use them to save energy.
They can also find sources of food under the ground this way. They will have a better opportunity of doing so then remaining above the ground. They do like to stay on the frozen ice though better than in the snow because it consumes less energy to walk there.
Feeding Habits
Finding enough food is a challenge at times in the Arctic so this fox has to do all it can to increase the chances of survival. They search for food underground as well as above it. They can hear rodents and other animals moving under the snow when they are above it. Then they can reach down and kill it instantly.
The biggest source of food for the Arctic Fox is the Lemming. They can consume several of them on any given day when they have the chance to do so. They will also each the eggs that birds leave behind. When they have a chance, they will also feed on the smaller species of birds in their environment.
Another interesting element of the Arctic Fox is that they will consume remains of animals that have been left behind. Other species of fox won’t do this, they only consume what they actually kill themselves. This is why they are often seen tracking the Polar Bear. When they do so, they will get the opportunity to consume the meat from seals as the Polar Bear will only want the layers of blubber it offers.
Reproduction
Mating season is very long for this fox which works to their benefit. It can take several months for them to find each other. They mate for life and track each other by scent. They can mate as early as September or as late as May of the next year. They do give birth to a very large litter, but almost all of them will die before they are old enough to venture out on their own.
This isn’t due to a lack of parenting but the environment. The extreme cold can prove to be too much. From the moment they are born the young rely on their mother for warmth and for food. The male has to bring her food though so she can produce enough for the young. If he doesn’t return, she will have no choice but to leave them for her own survival.
Predators
In this type of environment, there aren’t nearly as many predators as other fox deal with. What they have to worry about include the Golden Eagle, Polar Bears, and the wolf. All of these animals are going to do all they can when it comes to finding food for their own survival. They often hunt the younger fox but will try to get the adults if they feel they have a chance of capturing it.
Humans also go to this remote part of the world in order to hunt the Arctic Fox. They love the chance to hunt for something that is so unique in the world. They want to have the challenge of tracking them in unfamiliar territory. The great look of this fox is another reason human’s go hunt for it. As I mentioned, there are also those that worry about rabies again. They feel this animal should be hunted to prevent that from happening.
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