Species in Peril:
Arctic Fox
Snow Foxes Aren't Always White!
As its name suggests, Arctic fox distributes in the high latitude areas of the northern hemisphere. Misguided by lots of photos or videos on social media, people may believe that the Arctic fox, also known as snow fox, always has white fur in order to hide in the snow. Actually, this smart animal changes its color to brown or gray during the summer to better fit the environment of snowmelt. Compared to other members in the fox family, Arctic fox is smaller, has shorter ears, snout and legs. These characteristics might make them less competitive in the wild, however, their compact size would help them reduce heat loss and their thick and warm furs give them a great advantage to survive through the most extreme cold temperature in the world. Adapting to the frozen environment, it even has fur under its paws to prevent it from slipping on the ice. And when Arctic Fox is sleeping, it curls its tail around the body to protect its nose from freezing air.
The Little Followers of Polar Bear
Arctic fox’s diet is far from picky, which means it eats almost everything it can find, including lemmings, voles, ground squirrels, birds, insects, eggs, berries, and carrion. In the winter, when food is so scarce, you can usually see several Arctic Foxes following the Polar bears. Of course, these tiny animals never dream of preying on the huge bears. They are just looking for some leftovers from the bear’s kills. And if there is no choice, they don’t mind eating the feces of other animals. The harsh winter teaches Arctic foxes to cherish food in the summer. In the warm season, they would bring extra food to its den and store it under rocks to eat later. To keep these foods fresh longer, these clever foxes even make their own freezer by digging holes in the permfrost. Before the winter comes, Arctic foxes can increase their weight up to 50%, which ensures they have enough body fat to withstand a temperature down to 70° below zero.
Their Population is in decline
This species is best known for its white and thick fur in the winter and its excellent ability to live in the ice-freezing world. But their beautiful fur makes this species a target for human hunters as well.
A Few More Facts about Arctic Fox
- Under their fur, Arctic foxes have dark skin which can help them absorb and retain more heat.
- Arctic foxes are not long-lived animals, in the wild their average lifespan is 3-4 years.
- Arctic foxes can snow-dive to catch lemmings.
- In summer, Arctic foxes live with families. One female fox would stay with its parents to take care of its younger siblings.
- In 2018, one female fox moved 3500 kilometers in 76 days for food and new territory.
Species Name
Acinonyx jubatus
Estimated Population
7,100 globally
Conservation Status
Vulnerable
Range
Parts of Africa; Central Iran
Reasons for Population Decline
Habitat destruction
Livestock protection
Poaching
