Let's talk about one of the natives of the snow-covered tundra - the Arctic fox. This is a very interesting predator. We will tell you where he lives, how he looks and what he eats.
Habitat and appearance
The distant Russian Arctic is rich in amazing, colorful inhabitants. One of the most interesting is a remarkably clever animal, the Arctic fox. Living in the harsh conditions of the tundra, where the thermometer sometimes drops to -50º C, this representative of a large canine family is the only one who exhibits a unique property, seasonal dimorphism (i.e. color change). This feature is inherent in some species of hares. The summer version of the “clothing” of the polar fox is dark, sometimes brown fur, which on the belly becomes grayish. But the winter camouflage of the cunning northern beast is a snow-white shiny fur coat with a silky long pile and thick undercoat. Against the background of freshly fallen snow, Arctic fox can be found only by the coal of the nose. Among the peoples of the Far North, the hunter is considered the most vigilant, skillful and dexterous, who tracks the Arctic fox on this black point.
The decoration of the tundra, the arctic fox is of a unique color - grayish with blue, coffee-sand and silver. Such individuals are called “blue” for their wonderful winter fur. On the mainland, the number of such specimens is small. But individual islands can boast the predominance of it is of a variety of individuals.
Breeding
Many people think that the Arctic fox is a herd animal, but this is not entirely true. The form of existence of the population is small flocks. Like close relatives of wolves, arctic foxes are monogamous. The family of polar foxes consists of parents, grown one-year-old females and a brood of the current year. But there are exceptions to each rule, and here on the Commander Islands, in conditions of isolation from the mainland, Arctic foxes do not form strong pairs.
Each family has its own housing - burrows, which clever arctic foxes are located near the water in stable soils. Spring warmth returns the nomads to their homeland for reproduction. If the old housing is already occupied by another pair, the animals are content with natural shelters - crevices of rocks.
Offspring
The nest for the future offspring is covered with arctic foxes with soft moss and dry grass. Pregnancy lasts up to 57 days, and the number of cubs (usually 7-12 puppies) depends on the weight of the mother and food supply in the hunting grounds of the couple.
The male becomes the only prey of the family in the first two months of the life of newborns, and the female completely takes care of the cubs until the end of autumn, teaching them to hunt and helping to adapt to the difficult existence in the ice open spaces of the Arctic. Not all babies will survive the cold and a constant lack of food. Only the smartest, hardiest and healthiest will be able to return to their native places in springtime.
Food
The furry animal inhabits the distant tundra and forest-tundra. The vast territory of its range is Greenland, the Arctic and subarctic zone of Russia, Canada and Alaska.
White fox is an animal that constantly migrates in search of food. Without sharp eyesight, the beast relies more on its excellent scent and sensitive hearing. The usual diet of the arctic fox is the polar mouse lemmings, stolen bird eggs, cleverly caught hares and frosted carrion. Often follows the tracks of a polar bear and feeds on the remnants of the "lord's table" smart stubborn animal. Arctic fox does not neglect vegetarian food - its menu includes berries, juicy herbs, algae and fresh fish. These animals are very mobile almost all day: without even getting food, they play with each other for a long time and run.
Hunting
The Arctic fox is an animal of the tundra, perfectly adapted to extreme conditions. A furry predator hunts in the moonlight, at dawn or at a quiet sunset. And on a long polar night, the search for prey helps the northern lights.
In windy noisy weather or very frosty days, Arctic foxes prudently dig deeper into a snowy mink, noticing the entrance from heavy winds and cold. The thrifty of the animal helps to wait out the rampage of the northern elements - the constant concealment of food remains sometimes saves him from starvation under the thickness of the shelter.
Arctic foxes are extremely friendly and trusting. Often animals run into settlements for the purpose of selfish gain, sometimes they even take food from human hands. The duration of their difficult life is on average about 8 years, and the population size directly depends on the amount of the main food source - lemmings.
