Top 10 Most Fascinating Facts About the Arctic Fox

The Arctic fox, belonging to the Canidae family, Carnivora order, is easily recognizable by its small size, pointed ears, thick fur, slanted eyes, narrow and long muzzle. It possesses an exceptional ability to withstand extreme cold. Despite temperatures in the Arctic dropping to -70°C, they remain active without hibernating like other animals. However, to adapt to the harsh environment, they often dig dens in thick snow layers for shelter and refuge during snowstorms.

Description:

• Common name: Arctic Fox
• Scientific name: Vulpes lagopus
• Class: Mammalia
• Diet: Carnivorous
• Living pattern: Group
• Lifespan: 3 - 6 years
• Average size: head to body length over 50 cm, tail length 30 cm, height 24-30 cm
• Average weight: about 3-7 kg
• Red List status: Least Concern (LC)

Polar foxes form monogamous pairs during the breeding season and they will stay together to nurture their young in burrows underground. Polar foxes construct and choose entrances facing south towards the sun, making the burrow warmer. They prefer large mouse colonies, like mazes, to evade predators and escape quickly, especially when red foxes are in the area.

The mating season typically occurs from April to May, and the gestation period lasts about 52 days. On average, a litter consists of 5 to 8 fox cubs but can exceptionally be as many as 25. Both parents take care of the fox cubs. Sometimes, other family members will assist them in this task.

The cubs will leave the den early when they are 3 or 4 weeks old and are weaned by 9 weeks old.

The polar fox is a small fox species living in the Arctic tundra environments of Northern Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. These are extremely cold and harsh regions; however, the polar fox adapts remarkably well to this environment. Its thick fur and special heat exchange system help this species stay warm even when temperatures drop to -70°C.

Polar foxes do not hibernate and remain active year-round. They store fat reserves in the fall and sometimes increase body weight by over 50%. This provides thermal insulation throughout the winter as well as an abundant energy supply when food is scarce.

They live in large, non-melting dens, slightly raised above the surface. These are complex tunnel systems spanning about 1,000 m2 (1,200 sq ft) and are often located on winding hillsides, long mountain ranges formed by previously deposited sediment material covered with ice. The dens have many passages and may have existed for decades as well as being used by multiple generations of fox families.

The average length from head to tail of a male Arctic fox is 55 cm, ranging from 46 to 68 cm, while females average 52 cm with a range of 41 to 55 cm. In some areas, there is no difference in size between males and females. The tail is about 30 cm long in both males and females. The shoulder height is about 25 to 30 cm. The average weight of male foxes is about 3.5 kg, ranging from 3.2 to 9.4 kg, while females average 2.9 kg, ranging from 1.4 to 3.2 kg.

With small body sizes, male Arctic foxes weigh around 3.5 kg and females 2.9 kg. They are often attacked by other predators, but their biggest threat comes from humans. They are frequently hunted for their fur, used to make luxurious coats. Due to their relatively high reproductive rates, Arctic foxes are generally not at risk of extinction. In the wild, they have an average lifespan of 3-6 years.

Polar foxes generally consume the flesh of any small animals they encounter, including Lemmings, voles, other rodents, rabbits, birds, eggs, and even carrion. They scavenge leftover carcasses from larger predators such as wolves or Polar bears, and when food is scarce, foxes may even resort to eating their own feces. In areas where foxes reside, Lemmings are the most common prey, and a fox family can consume dozens of Lemmings per day.

In certain regions of Northern Canada, large flocks of migratory birds also provide abundant food sources. Along the coastlines of Iceland or other islands, birds are also a primary food source. During April and May, Polar foxes may hunt seal pups when fox cubs are still in the den and unable to hunt for themselves. Fish beneath the ice also form part of their diet, and foxes also eat berries and seaweed, making them omnivorous animals.

They specialize in raiding bird nests, except for those of the largest Arctic species. When there is excess food, foxes will bury the surplus for later use.

Polar foxes employ a highly unique hunting technique. Once they've pinpointed their prey's location, they leap high into the air and dive headfirst into the thick layer of snow and ice. This efficient technique allows them to capture prey hidden beneath the dense snow layer.

Their acute sense of smell and hearing are crucial factors in their hunting success. They can hear the sounds of rodents burrowing under 12cm of snow or detect the scent of food left by Polar bears from up to 40km away.

In the harsh winter, Polar foxes can travel up to 100 km in search of food. They are omnivorous creatures, consuming nearly anything they can find, from rodents, seals, fish, and seabirds to berries, seaweed, insects, and leftovers from other species.

Polar foxes are distributed near the polar regions and inhabit the Arctic tundra environments of Northern Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. Their range includes Greenland, Iceland, Fennoscandia, Svalbard, Jan Mayen, several islands in the Barents Sea, northern Russia, numerous islands in the Bering Sea, Alaska, and Canada extending southward to Hudson Bay. In the late 19th century, they were introduced to the Aleutian Islands southwest of Alaska.

They primarily inhabit tundra regions and ice floes but are also found in the taiga forests of Canada and the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. They have been observed at altitudes up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) above sea level and have been sighted on sea ice close to the Arctic.

The Arctic fox is the only mammal native to Iceland. The species arrived in isolation on the island in the North Atlantic at the end of the last ice age, crossing the frozen sea. The Arctic Fox Center in Súðavík contains an exhibition on Arctic foxes and conducts research on their population's impact on tourism. The species' range during the late ice age was larger than it is today, and fossil remains of Arctic foxes have been found extensively in northern Europe and Siberia.

Tình trạng bảo tồn loài cáo này nói chung tốt và ước tính có khoảng vài ngàn cá thể trong tổng số. IUCN đánh giá là "loài ít quan tâm". Tuy nhiên quần thể tại lục địa Scandinavian có nguy cơ tuyệt chủng, mặc dù được bảo vệ hợp pháp khỏi săn bắn và bức hại trong nhiều thập kỷ. Ước tính số cáo trưởng thành trong tất cả các nước Na Uy, Thụy Điển và Phần Lan ít hơn 200 cá thể.

Sự phong phú của cáo tuyết có xu hướng dao động trong một chu kỳ cùng với số chuột lemming và chuột đồng (một chu kỳ từ 3 đến 4 năm). thể đặc biệt dễ bị đe dọa nhiều năm khi số con mồi giảm sút, và nạn săn thú không kiểm soát được gần như loại trừ hai phân loài.

Da cáo có màu xanh xám đen - một biểu hiện của gen lặn - đặc biệt có giá trị. Chúng được vận chuyển đến nhiều nơi khác nhau trước cả cáo hoang quần đảo Aleut trong những năm 1920. Chương trình đã thành công khi gia tăng số lượng cáo lông xanh, nhưng con mồi là ngỗng Canada Aleutian mâu thuẫn với mục tiêu bảo tồn loài cáo.

Cáo tuyết biến mất tại vùng đất có loài cáo đỏ lớn hơn. Điều này đã được quy cho biến đổi khí hậu - giá trị ngụy trang của bộ lông sáng giảm đáng kể khi tuyết ít phủ. Cáo đỏ chiếm ưu thế khi phạm vi sống bắt đầu chồng chéo bằng cách giết cáo tuyết và con non. Một lời giải thích khác cho việc gia tăng cáo đỏ có liên quan đến sói xám: Trong quá khứ, sói kiềm chế số lượng cáo đỏ xuống, nhưng sói xám bị săn bắt đến gần tuyệt chủng trong nhiều phạm vi trước đây, số lượng cáo đỏ phát triển lớn hơn, và chúng đã trở thành động vật ăn thịt đầu bảng của hệ sinh thái. Ở khu vực bắc Âu, có những chương trình cho phép săn bắn cáo đỏ trong phạm vi sống của cáo tuyết trước đây.

Số lượng thế giới không bị đe dọa, nhưng hai nhóm quần thể cáo tuyết đang có. Một là tại đảo Medny (quần đảo Commander, Nga), giảm khoảng 85-90%, khoảng 90 loài động vật, là kết quả của bệnh ghẻ lở gây ra bởi ve ký sinh tai từ chó du nhập trong những năm 1970. Số lượng hiện đang được điều trị bằng thuốc chống ký sinh trùng, nhưng kết quả vẫn chưa chắc chắn.

Quần thể khác bị đe dọa là một trong Fennoscandia (Na Uy, Thụy Điển, Phần Lan và bán đảo Kola). Số này giảm mạnh bắt đầu thế kỷ 20 do kết quả của giá cả lông cáo cực cao, gây ra săn bắn tràn lan làm quần thể giảm sút.Cáo tuyết được phân là một "sinh vật ngoại lai bị cấm" dưới luật cấm chất độc hại và sinh vật ngoại lai năm 1996 của New Zealand nhằm ngăn chặn loài cáo này nhập khẩu vào đất nước.

Polar foxes live in extremely cold places on the planet but do not shiver until the temperature drops to −70 °C (−94 °F). Their adaptation to survive in the cold includes thick, multi-layered fur with high thermal insulation properties, a counter-current heat exchange system in their circulatory system at the foot pads to maintain core body temperature, and an abundant supply of fat.

This species has a low surface area to volume ratio due to its compact body, short muzzle and legs, and short, thick ears. Less surface area in contact with the cold Arctic air means less heat loss from the body to the air.

Hairs growing on the soles of their feet help with insulation and walking on snow. Polar foxes have highly sensitive hearing to accurately locate small moving prey beneath the snow. When they pinpoint the prey's location, they will pounce and grab the victim through the layer of snow. Their fur changes color with the seasons: mostly white in winter to blend in with the snow, while in summer, it becomes gray-brown or dark brown.

However, in some populations, a few individuals may have gray fur with a slight hint of green in winter and become lighter in summer.

Here are some intriguing facts about the Arctic Fox that you might not know:

• The Arctic fox has a talent for stealing goose eggs from nests
• At altitudes above 3,000 meters above sea level, the Arctic fox remains active
• The current population of Arctic foxes is estimated to be only a few thousand, but some areas have declared the Arctic fox extinct in the areas they inhabit.
• The burrows of Arctic foxes are complex architectural structures that can extend up to 1000 square meters. These burrows can be passed down through multiple generations of foxes.
• The Arctic fox has a unique hunting technique that allows it to catch prey hidden beneath thick layers of snow