Arctic Fox

Located

The Arctic Fox is circumpolar and can be found throughout the Arctic region. This includes parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, Svalbard, and Alaska.

Habitat

Arctic Foxes can be found in both arctic and alpine tundra.

Like many foxes, they build dens. Their dens can be built in a hillside or river bank, and usually have multiple entrances and exits.

Diet

Their diets consist of small mammals including voles and lemmings, as well as on birds and their eggs. They are opportunistic predators, and sometimes scavenge on dead carcasses of animals. They have been seen following Polar Bears to feed on the leftovers the bears leave behind. Arctic Foxes will also eat some vegetation such as berries.

Size

They measure 3 - 3.5 feet in length from head to tail. They weigh between 6 - 9 pounds, with females being smaller than males.

Description

The Arctic Fox is a small fox that is covered entirely in soft, white fur.

Like many animals of the tundra, they have special adaptations to help them survive in extremely cold climates. These adaptations include fur on their paws to help keep them warm, a thick, dense coat of fur around their bodies, short ears, a small body, and a large and bushy tail that they use to curl around its body.

Reproduction

Arctic Foxes' mating season occurs in the spring, and after a gestation period of 7 - 8 weeks, females will give birth to an average litter size of 6 - 8 kits.