Overview
It has thick, warm fur, and a generally rounded body shape. The fur serves also as a camoflauge, and the rounded body shape helps minimize heat loss.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Canidae
- Genus
- Vulpes
Habitat
Tundra and pack ice. Distribution- The Arctic Fox has a circumpolar distribution in all Arctic tundra habitats. It breeds north of and above the tree line on the Arctic tundra in North America and Eurasia and on the alpine tundra in Fennoscandia, ranging from northern Greenland at 88°N to the southern tip of Hudson Bay, Canada, 53°N.
Diet
This animal is an opportunist, consuming lemmings, voles, ringed seal pups, fish, waterfowl, seabirds, carrion, berries, seaweed, and insects.
Behavior
Nomadic as necessary, and do not hibernate. Primarily nocturnal to avoid the daytime heat, and hunt or forage alone. They can jump high into the air to come down and dive into the snow to catch their prey.
Hunting
Using calls is an effective method, or taken on chance occurance. Spot and stalk is difficult due to its small size compared to it's habitat combined with the fact it rarely stays in the same place for very long.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN, although they are losing habitat to warming temperatures and the encroachment of Red Foxes.