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ARTIC FOX (APPEARANCE (The average head-and-body length of the male is 55…
ARTIC FOX
APPEARANCE
The average head-and-body length of the male is 55 cm (22 in), with a range of 46 to 68 cm (18 to 27 in),
while the female averages 52 cm (20 in) with a range of 41 to 55 cm (16 to 22 in).[ :<3:
In some regions, no difference in size is seen between males and females. :<3:
The tail is about 30 cm (12 in) long :<3:
The height at the shoulder is 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) :<3:
On average males weigh 3.5 kg (7.7 lb), with a range of 3.2 to 9.4 kg (7.1 to 20.7 lb) :<3:
females average 2.9 kg (6.4 lb), with a range of 1.4 to 3.2 kg (3.1 to 7.1 lb). :<3:
The fox has a low surface area to volume ratio, as evidenced by its generally compact body shape, short muzzle and legs, and short, thick ears. :<3:
Its fur changes color with the seasons: in most populations it is white in the winter to blend in with snow, while in the summer it is greyish-brown or darker brown. In some populations, however, it is a steely bluish-gray in the winter and a paler bluish-gray in summer :<3:
HABITAT/BIOME
common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. :<3:
The Arctic fox has a circumpolar distribution and occurs in Arctic tundra habitats in northern Europe, northern Asia, and North America. :<3:
Its range includes Greenland, Iceland, Fennoscandia, Svalbard, Jan Mayen and other islands in the Barents Sea, northern Russia, islands in the Bering Sea, Alaska, and Canada as far south as Hudson Bay. :<3:
In the late 19th century, it was introduced into the Aleutian Islands southwest of Alaska. It mostly inhabits tundra and pack ice, but is also present in boreal forests in Canada and the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. They are found at elevations up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) above sea level and have been seen on sea ice close to the North Pole. :<3:
The Arctic fox is the only land mammal native to Iceland.[ :<3:
It came to the isolated North Atlantic island at the end of the last ice age, walking over the frozen sea. :<3:
in the treeless lands where it makes its home. :<3:
Arctic foxes live in burrows, and in a blizzard
they may tunnel into the snow to create shelter.
:star:
ADAPTATIONs
The Arctic fox lives in some of the most frigid extremes on the planet but does not start to shiver until the temperature drops to −70 °C (−94 °F). :<3:
Among its adaptations for survival in the cold is its dense, multilayered pelage, which provides excellent insulation :<3:
ince less of its surface area is exposed to the Arctic cold, less heat escapes from its body. :<3:
Its paws have fur on the soles for additional insulation and to help it walk on ice. :<3:
he Arctic fox has such keen hearing, it can determine exactly where a small animal is moving under the snow. When it has located its prey, it pounces and punches through the snow to catch its victim. :<3:
Arctic foxes do not hibernate and are active all year round. :<3:
The arctic fox is an incredibly hardy animal that can survive frigid Arctic temperatures as low as –58°F :<3:
DIET
The Arctic fox preys on any small creatures such as: lemmings, voles, ringed seal pups, fish, waterfowl, and seabirds. It also eats carrion, berries, seaweed, insects, and other small invertebrates. :<3:
lemmings are their most common prey,[8] and a family of foxes can eat dozens of lemmings each day. In some locations in northern Canada, :<3:
high seasonal abundance of migrating birds that breed in the area may provide an important food source. :<3:
During April and May, the Arctic fox also preys on ringed seal pups when the young animals are confined to a snow den and are relatively helpless. :<3:
They also consume berries and seaweed, so they may be considered omnivores. :<3:
his fox is a significant bird-egg predator, consuming eggs of all except the largest tundra bird species.[11] When food is overabundant, the Arctic fox buries (caches) the surplus as a reserve. :<3:
IMAGES
PREDATORS
Also, the Arctic fox is losing ground to the larger red fox. :fire:
As their name suggests, Arctic foxes are specially adapted to thrive in the cold winters and thick snows of the far north. :fire:
Where conditions are less extreme, however, this highly specialized species is generally out-competed by its cousin, the more adaptable red fox. :fire:
As climate change takes its toll and the snow-line continues to recede further and further north, the range of the Arctic fox shrinks, too, giving way to the northward advance of the red fox.
:fire:
SOUCES
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/a/arctic-fox/
:star:
http://www.defenders.org/arctic-fox/basic-facts
:fire:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_fox
:<3:
STATUS
The conservation status of the species is in general good and several hundred thousand individuals are estimated to remain in total. The IUCN has assessed it as being of "least concern".[1] However, the Scandinavian mainland population is acutely endangered, despite being legally protected from hunting and persecution for several decades. :<3:
The estimate of the adult population in all of Norway, Sweden, and Finland is fewer than 200 individuals :<3:
