The Arctic Fox

Every where around the globe there are charming places, views, and creatures, of these amazing places are the Arctic territories that are full of marvelous views and lots of exciting animals. Many countries are included within the Arctic regions as Canada, USA, Iceland, Finland, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

Many animals are living in the Arctic with their own habitat , But actually not all of the Arctic is frozen as it is commonly known. Arctic animals are of different sizes and characteristics. They are vital and essential for others and to the Arctic people as well. For example, the Arctic fox has a very warm fur that can be used for clothing and can be sold or traded.

The Arctic fox is one kind of those animals living in the Arctic territories that survive by their own. This Fox lives farther north than any other fox do. It is very adapted to the severe cold weather of the Arctic and this adaptation to the subzero habitat include a compact body with short legs, short ears, dense fur, and thickly haired foot pads, which insulate its body against the cold and provide traction on ice. The Arctic fox can hunt lemming that they can't see beneath the snow, but if the Arctic fox can't kill enough to eat, it will settle for leftovers from other animals.

The Arctic fox is the only one in the dog family that changes color. The Arctic fox mates for life. The babies are as small as a kitten. A male Arctic fox is called a dog fox. A female Arctic fox is called a vixon. The Arctic fox can travel many miles. The Arctic foxes foot pads are dense with fur so they can move on rough snow, if the Arctic fox family can't find food in the winter the dog fox will let the family kill him and eat him.


See also: Polar Bear

There are two sub species of Arctic foxes. The White fox and the Blue fox which look alike in the summer with their greyish brown fur. But during winter the White fox has a white coat and the Blue fox has a bluish grey coat. The blue coloration is not as common as the white. They have small ears to conserve body heat. Newborn Arctic fox pups of both colored species are covered with short dark velvety brown fur. This fur will eventually get lighter in about 3 weeks. The Arctic fox can weigh up to 43 pounds and its Height at shoulder ranges to about 10-12 inches. The Arctic fox has the warmest fur of all mammals, even warmer than those of the polar bear and the Arctic wolf. Mating of arctic foxes occurs during early March and April and the gestation lasts for about 52 days. 

The Arctic fox lives in a den, caves or burrows that they dig in the side of a cliff. During winter they often bury into the snow for protection, also Arctic fox kits are born in a den too. Arctic fox baby are called kits.

Arctic fox eats birds, eggs of birds, berries, fish, voles, and squirrels. However, it feeds primarily on small mammals, including lemmings and polar bear scraps (what polar bears have left behind) such as seal, or whale meat. Arctic fox denning near rocky cliffs along the seacoast often depends heavily on nesting seabirds such as puffins. Also, when food is plentiful they will bury it to be eaten later. Arctic fox walk along on top of the snow listening for the small creatures under the snow. When they hear one they jump up and down to break through the snow with their front paws. Once the snow is broken they can grab their prey.

In summer, the Arctic fox sheds its white coat for a brown one that acts as a perfect cover during summer and in winter, around september and october, they get back their original coat. By November the white winter coat is complete. Foxes of the blue coloring remain dark or charcoal colored all year but become a little lighter in winter.

  
The enemies of the Arctic fox are polar bears and the snowy owl but their biggest enemies are hunters.

Check out: Polar Bear

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About Ahmed Taha

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