Arctic foxes could also be small, however they’re fearless and this, together with their crafty intelligence, is the important thing to their survival within the frozen Arctic Circle.
The Arctic fox, also called white fox, polar fox or snow fox , was high of my wildlife want record once I visited the Arctic Circle.
Svalbard
This epic panorama is harsh and unforgiving and but it groups with wildlife. Hundreds of breeding seabirds clamour on its towering cliffs, offering loads of meals for the Arctic Fox. In winter Arctic foxes have a thick, white coat, however right here they’re sporting their mottled summer season fur, completely camouflaged in opposition to the tundra and rocky terrain.
Fearless
Watching a male nimbly scale a sheer cliff, leaping effortlessly between ledges, is unbelievable. Small sized fox When this arctic fox catches a kittiwake you get a way of scale. This fox species’ brief, rounded form is an adaptation to this chilly atmosphere because it helps cut back warmth loss.
Arctic summer season
It’s vital for foxes to take advantage of this summer season bounty, guaranteeing they’ll placed on loads of weight for the powerful winter months forward. This fox has a household. It is cubs would have been born in late spring, rising from the den 4 weeks later. One is a uncommon blue morph… it gained’t flip white for winter, staying darkish all yr spherical. Watching the foxes chase and tumble, the teachings realized at this younger age are clear: extra aggressive pups get first dibs on meals and sleeping spots, growing their very own probabilities of survival.
Household dynamics
Each fox dad and mom take care of the younger however this male is working onerous to supply. The seabirds are plentiful now, however arctic foxes additionally eat bugs, seaweed and carrion, akin to reindeer carcasses. These crafty creatures have additionally been identified to observe searching polar bears to scavenge their leftovers. Much more spectacular as soon as you realize the polar bear is the Arctic fox’s solely predator on Svalbard.
