Fox, Arctic

Physical Features

One of the main factors that distinguish the Arctic Fox from other foxes is its dense warmth fur. Its fur is said to be much warmer than that of the polar bear. In the summer, the Arctic Fox's coat is dark grey to bluish brown whereas in the winter its fur is creamy white or white in color. Its white coat helps it camouflage in the snow. The Arctic Fox has a small nose, eyes and ears that curl backwards. Its body is covered in a very thick fur and extends out to a long tail. It has short stubby legs with paws that have hairs on the pads, which serve as a protective function against the cold. The average size of an Arctic Fox is about 3 feet in length and 5 to 15 pounds in weight. The males appear larger in size as compared to the females.

Habitat

During the summer season, the Arctic Fox is commonly found at the edge of the forest in the tundra and as the winter season commences, it is easily found on ice floes. As its name suggests, the Arctic Fox is commonly found in the arctic regions of Asia, Greenland, Europe and Iceland. It can also be found in some areas of North America such as northern Canada in the Northwest Territories, Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.

Diet

The Arctic Fox is an omnivorous mammal that feeds on almost anything edible that lies within its vicinity. It is known to scavenge for food from one place to the other and feeds on birds, eggs, insects, berries, voles, lemmings and carrion. During winter, it accompanies wolves and polar bears in their hunting mission, in a bid to feed on the leftovers that its companions has already killed and partly eaten. When food is scarce, it survives on other animals' feces. During the winter the Arctic Fox mainly feeds on lemmings. This is achieved by walking on the snow whilst attentively listening for creatures beneath. After detecting the presence of a creature, it jumps up and down in a bid to enable its front paws to break and penetrate through the snow after which it easily grabs its prey. The Arctic Fox will also store food that it doesn't wish to eat immediately and hides it under rocks for later consumption. During the winter it even preserves its food in the freezing temperatures of the permafrost by digging a hole through the permafrost, which also guarantees its safety.

Meat

The meat of the Arctic Fox is soft and uniquely scented and very similar to lamb. The pelts of the Arctic Fox that are slate blue in color due to the presence of the recessive gene are very valuable and sought-after.

Behavior

In most cases, the Arctic Fox builds its nest in the form of a burrow in a hillside or a bank while during the winter it builds its den in a snow bank. The den of an Arctic Fox characteristically has numerous entry points. In the summer, they group themselves into a family unit comprising a male, one or two females and the young ones, known as kits. Yearling females do not yet breed but actively help out to cater for the kits and only start reproducing after their second year. The gestation period of an Arctic Fox is 53 days and its mating season ranges between February and June. The female is responsible for building nests. She gives birth to an average of six to twelve kits that have a dark fur. Both the female and the male take collective responsibility of catering for the young kits with assistance from yearling females. At around two to four weeks of age, the kits are weaned and they are introduced to life outside their den. Both males and females reach sexual maturity once they are one year old. The average life expectation of an Arctic Fox is 15 years.

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