Arctic fox burrows can have dozens of entrances and sometimes house generations of foxes.When people think about the religions of the world they only think of the differences and there is so much more then that because they really have a lot of similarities.They are the smallest member of the canid family found in the Canadian wilderness.Arctic foxes are so well-adapted to handle the cold, they can endure temperatures as low as -50 ☌ (-58 ☏) before their metabolism kicks in to heat their bodies.They have fur on the bottom of their feet, which keeps them from slipping on the ice.Arctic foxes have small noses, eyes, and ears as an additional caution against the cold.Their legs are short and stubby, keeping them low to the ground and out of the cold Arctic winds.Arctic foxes have one of the warmest mammal furs in the world.Grey wolves were traditionally the largest predator of Arctic foxes, but due to global warming, the territories of Artic foxes and red foxes are overlapping, causing a new and increasing threat to Artic foxes.Īrtic foxes were also hunted by fur trappers due to their luxuriously warm and beautiful coats. Their population fluctuates depending on the availability of food sources, especially the lemming population. There is not a solid population estimate for Arctic foxes, though they are thought to be in the hundreds of thousands. Mortality in their first year can be as high as 75%. How long do Arctic foxes live?Īrctic foxes generally live three to six years in the wild, though a 16-year-old individual was once recorded in Longyearbyen. Kits first emerge from their dens about a month after being born and are weaned off their mother’s milk after a further four or five weeks. Arctic fox pregnancies lasts about 52 days, after which litters of 5-10 offspring, called “kits,” are born.īoth mothers and fathers help raise the young. These dens often contain a long network of tunnels covering as much as 1,000 square meters (3,280 square feet). Couples either dig out new dens or move into pre-existing ones. What are Arctic fox mating rituals like?Īrctic fox breeding season occurs from February to April, when they mate in monogamous pairs. How fast can Arctic foxes move?Īrctic foxes can move fast when they want to, making short sprints of up to 50 kph (31 mph). In the fall, Arctic foxes work hard to store up body fat, increasing their weight by up to 50%.ĭuring winter, when food becomes much more scarce, Arctic foxes often follow polar bears around, scavenging what they can from their leftover kills.Īrctic foxes are generally solitary creatures until they mate, which means their territory has fewer mouths to feed in the winter. Once they have located their next meal, Arctic foxes pounce straight into the air, then right down on top of their prey. With their wide (but short) ears, Arctic foxes can hear prey moving even under snow. The fact that Arctic fox coats change color all year round means they are always camouflaged and able to sneak up on prey. During the summer, lemmings are often the main part of their diet, but Arctic foxes also go for birds, eggs, even seal pups.
This type was particularly valuable to historic trappers.Īrctic foxes eat just about anything they can get their paws on. Around 3% of Arctic foxes are charcoal-colored all year long and are known as “blue foxes”, though this might be as high as 10% in Svalbard. Name: Arctic fox (also white fox, snow fox, polar fox) ( Vulpes lagopus)ĭiet: Small animals, carrion, fish, birds, berries, seaweed, insects, eggs and small invertebratesĪppearance: Arctic foxes are white in winter and during the summer tend to have gray-brown backs, yellowish sides, and brown bellies with white spots.
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