Skip to main content

Arctic Fox

Winter Coat
We received our first snowfall of the year just recently, which made me think of all the amazing animals who are adapted to life in absolutely frigid temperatures. The Arctic Fox (Alpoex lagopus) is just one of those creatures. Able to live at temperatures of -58 degrees Fahrenheit, they are animals well suited to the Arctic expanses.

One of the most well known features of the Arctic Fox is its ability to change color depending on the season. In the summer, when the snowfall had abated and the ground is dark, they take on coat that ranges from grey to brown. In the winter, they are a startling white. This adaptation allows the Foxes to camouflage themselves at all times of the year. Arctic Foxes also have short legs, ears, and noses, which leave them less exposed to the elements. Their long, bushy tail is also used for warmth and coverage.

Summer Coat
Arctic Foxes are nomadic creatures. They move around from place to place in search of food, which consists of birds, mammals, and even fish. Lemmings are a major source of food for the Foxes, and the population trends of both species tend to mirror one another. One rather interesting fact is that they will sometimes follow Polar Bears, in order to feed off of their scraps and even their feces.

Every spring, 6-12 young are born in a den built by the mother. Both parents feed and care for the kits, and they remain together during the summer months before going off on their own.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Burmese Peacock

Polyplectron bicalcaratum Burmese Peacocks are also referred to as Grey Peacock-Pheasants, which is probably a more apt name, as they are not actually Peacocks... though they do belong to the same family. At any rate, they share some physical resemblances to Peacocks- most notably the eyes on their tail feathers. Burmese Peacocks are the national birds of Myanmar, which was called Burma until 1989, though some still refer to it as such. The birds live in several other Southeast Asian countries as well, and are divided into four subspecies. The species as a whole is listed as being of Least Concern , because they have a large range and population size. It unfortunately appears that they may be declining in number, but it is a slow descent that does not yet meet the vulnerability thresholds. The birds are listed under CITES Appendix II, because they can be kept in captivity and grabbing individuals from the wild could become problematic for the species. IUCN Stat...
3 comments
Read more

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a...
59 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more