Arctic Fox
Arctic Fox Facts
| Size | 20-24 inches (50-60 cm) (body) |
| Speed | Up to 30 mph (50 km/h) |
| Weight | 7-18 pounds (3-8 kg) |
| Lifespan | 3-6 years |
| Food | Lemmings, voles, rabbits |
| Predators | Snowy owls, wolves, polar bears |
| Habitat | Arctic |
| Order | Carnivores |
| Family | Dogs |
| Scientific name | Vulpes lagopus |
| Characteristics | Small predator with white winter fur and brown summer fur |
Main Characteristics
The arctic fox is a small canine predator. It is also called white fox, polar fox or snow fox. Its most striking feature is its fur. In winter it is dense and white so that it is well camouflaged and protected from the cold. It is brown in summer to blend in with the brown tundra landscape. The bushy tail, the fur under the paws (!), the short legs and small ears are also adaptations to the habitat in the icy Arctic.
Species
Arctic foxes are foxes, just like red foxes, desert foxes (or fennec foxes), corsac foxes, Tibetan foxes and gray foxes. The fox family comprises 15 species.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution
Arctic foxes live north of the tree line in northern Europe, northern Russia, northern Canada, Alaska and Greenland.
Habitat
The habitat of the arctic foxes is primarily the tundra. However, they can also survive on pack ice and ice floes. In their habitat temperatures can be as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit (-50 degrees Celsius). Brr!
Way of Life
Arctic foxes are primarily active at dusk and at night. In summer they spend most of their time building a den and looking for a mate. When two pair up, they form a lifelong bond. They protect their territory and work as a team to raise their young. Arctic foxes don't hibernate, they stay active during the winter.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Arctic foxes have a body length of 20-24 inches (50-60 cm) and a shoulder height of around 12 inches (30 cm). Their tail is 14 inches (35 cm) in length. They weigh 7-18 pounds (3-8 kg). Their size and weight are comparable to a Jack Russell Terrier with a body twice as long.
Fur
Of all mammals, the arctic fox has the warmest fur. Its winter fur is 40% thicker than its summer fur because it grows an additional, dense undercoat. The fur is made up of multiple layers, providing excellent warmth. During the summer months, the fur becomes thinner and more lightweight.
Paws
The arctic fox stands out as the only canine predator with a layer of thick fur beneath its paw pads. This unique feature helps shield its feet from the frigid ground and provides better stability when navigating through soft, loose snow.
Color
The arctic fox adapts its fur color with the changing seasons. In winter, its fur is a brilliant white, blending perfectly with the snow, while in summer, it shifts to a gray-brown hue that matches the tundra's earth. This clever adaptation allows it to stay camouflaged throughout the year. During spring and autumn, it can look quite amusing as it sheds, sporting a mix of brown and white fur—like having a brown face paired with a white tail!
Skin
The arctic fox has black skin under its fur - just like the polar bear.
Diet
Arctic foxes are omnivores. They feed mainly on lemmings, but also on voles and rabbits. In summer they also eat fish, eggs and berries. When they are extremely hungry, they follow polar bears and try to steal some of their prey. However, this is very dangerous because polar bears also feed on arctic foxes. They’ll even resort to eating polar bear poop before they starve, since it’s packed with fat.
Adaptations to the Habitat
Small Body
The arctic fox has a small body, small rounded ears, a short muzzle and short legs. These adaptations help it lose as little heat as possible.
Warm Fur
The arctic fox has the warmest fur of all mammals. Its fur is extremely dense, consisting of 70% warming undercoat in winter.
Thick Fat Layer
The arctic fox builds up a fat layer that is 50% thicker compared to summer. If it struggles to find food in the snowy terrain, it can rely on this stored fat for nourishment.
Bushy Tail
The tail of the arctic fox serves more than just balance. During winter, it acts like a cozy, thick scarf that it can snuggle around itself for warmth.
Warm Paws
Arctic foxes can control the temperature in their paws independently of their bodies. When they get cold feet, they increase the temperature by pumping more blood into them. Its feet are always warm, even in the icy cold.
Behavior
Hibernation
Arctic foxes remain active throughout the year because their fur is incredibly warm, allowing them to thrive even in the coldest conditions. They don't hibernate.
Territory
Arctic foxes have a territory that they defend. It can be over 11-12 square miles (30 km2), the size of 4,000 football fields.
Den
Arctic foxes build large dens underground that are designed like labyrinths. These dens can have as many as 100 different entrances and exits, ensuring that the foxes always have a way to escape if needed. Many of these dens are inherited by their young, with some being several decades old.
Why Do Arctic Foxes Follow Polar Bears?
Arctic foxes often follow polar bears because they leave behind remains of killed seals or other animals. For their own safety, they leave enough distance from the polar bears.
Senses and Abilities
Sense of Hearing
Arctic foxes have an excellent sense of hearing. They are able to detect the sounds of rodents even when they are buried beneath the snow.
Sense of Smell
Arctic foxes have an excellent sense of smell. They can pick up the scent of a polar bear's leftover prey from as far as 25 miles (40 km) away.
Range
In the winter, food is scarce in the Arctic. When an arctic fox struggles to find food in one location, it moves to another area, traveling remarkable distances. To monitor these migrations, scientists attached GPS collars to some of the foxes. One fox managed to travel 96 miles (155 km) in just one day, while another journeyed a total of 2,857 miles (4,599 km) over 163 days, averaging about 56 miles (90 km) each day.
Swimming
Arctic foxes can swim. However, they only do it when they need to get from one ice floe to the next or to hide from enemies.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Arctic foxes have many enemies. Wolves, grizzly bears, wolverines, snowy owls and polar bears prey on them or their pups.
Human Impact
The greatest danger to arctic foxes comes from humans, despite the fact that no people actually reside in their habitat. The snow-covered ice that makes up their natural environment is melting because of climate change. Furthermore, offshore drilling presents a significant risk. The extraction of oil and natural gas releases harmful toxins into the ecosystem, putting the animals that inhabit it at risk.
Endangerment Status
Arctic foxes aren't threatened with extinction. However, their numbers have decreased significantly in recent years, which is why they may be at risk in the near future.
Reproduction
Arctic foxes create warm, comfortable, frost-free dens so that their pups don't have to freeze. The babies are born in the den between May and June after a gestation period of around 50 days. A litter usually contains 5-14 puppies. If there is a lot of food, it can even be up to 20-25. When food is scarce, they sometimes don't reproduce at all. The puppies spend their first 3-4 weeks in the den. After that, they venture outside for the very first time. By mid-August, they leave their parents and begin their independent journey. Unfortunately, most of them don't make it through their first year, facing challenges like freezing, starvation, or falling prey to predators.
Can Arctic Foxes and Red Foxes Interbreed?
Arctic foxes and red foxes typically don't breed in the wild. Nevertheless, it's possible for them to produce offspring in theory. Unfortunately, these offspring aren't able to reproduce themselves.
Do Arctic Foxes Make Good Pets?
Arctic foxes are friendly and not particularly shy of people. Still, they don't make good pets. They need the arctic cold to survive. Adding to that the fact that the smell from their scent glands is very unpleasant for us humans - it smells similar to that of a skunk. The urine and feces also have a very strong smell.
Name
The arctic fox is scientifically known as "Vulpes lagopus," a name derived from Latin. In this term, "Vulpes" translates to "fox," "lago" refers to "hare," and "pus" means "foot." Therefore, its name can be interpreted as "hare-footed fox," which is a nod to the thick fur that covers its paws.
The Arctic Fox Is Related To:
- Bat-Eared Fox
- Common Raccoon Dog
- Fennec
- Red Fox
Animals in the Same Biome:
Sources:
- "Longest journey by a fox" (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.de)
- "Arctic fox dispersal from Svalbard to Canada: one female’s long run across sea ice" (https://www.researchgate.net)
- "Northern nomads: Ability for extensive movements in adult arctic foxes" (https://www.researchgate.net)
- "Most cold-tolerant canid" (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.de)
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