Arctic Fox: The Tundra’s Winter Survivor

Scientific Profile

❄️ Species: Vulpes lagopus (“hare-footed fox”)
🌍 Range: Circumpolar Arctic (60°N to North Pole)
📏 Size: 46-68 cm (18-27 in) + 30cm tail / 1.4-9 kg
🎨 Coat:

• Winter: Pure white (camouflage)

• Summer: Gray-brown (tundra blending)

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Extreme Adaptations

1. Cold-Weather Superpowers

🦶 Paws:

• Fur-covered soles (-50°C/-58°F insulation)

• Snowshoe-like shape (distributes weight)
  👂 Ears:

• Small size (reduces heat loss)

• Detects lemmings under 46 cm (18 in) of snow

2. Survival Strategies

🍖 Diet:

• Summer: Lemmings, eggs, berries

• Winter: Scavenges polar bear leftovers
  💤 Energy Saving:

• 25% metabolic rate reduction in winter

• Curls tail over nose as a muff

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Life Cycle

🐺 Social Structure:

• Monogamous pairs

• Large dens used for centuries (some over 300 yrs old!)
  🦊 Kits:

• Litters of 5-10 (black fur at birth)

• Hunt at 3 months

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Conservation Status

📈 Population: 100,000+ (Least Concern)
⚠️ Threats:

• Climate change (shrinking tundra)

• Competition from red foxes moving north

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Arctic vs. Red Fox

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Did You Know?
Arctic foxes make the longest migrations of any land mammal – up to 4,500 km (2,800 mi) tracked!

Perfect For: Climate change studies, Arctic ecology, or winter adaptation lessons.

(Sources: IUCN Red List, Arctic Wildlife Foundation)