Arctic Fox

VULPES LAGOPUS
The thick coats of Arctic foxes are 7% warm under fur. This enables them to withstand very cold conditions. This species is distributed across tundra and open woodland in the Arctic regions of Europe (Norway etc.), Asia and North America.
Interesting facts:

• Arctic fox dens can be up to 8000 years old with many generations of one family living in them. Although the females move out of the dens to create new families, the males stay to help look after the next litter of pups.
• The Arctic foxes coat is the warmest in the animal kingdom.
• When food is scarce they sometimes eat faeces especially polar bears, and polar bears sometimes eat Arctic foxes. Which is awkward as that means without meaning to Arctic foxes are basically eating themselves.
• The Latin name for the Arctic fox (Vulpes Lagopus) means, vulpes, fox while Lago means Hare and Pus means foot. Their feet were believed to look like hares feet, hence the name fox harefoot.

Picture: Arctic fox in summer.

Summer
In the Arctic Summer Arctic foxes are brown with, cinnamon and black flecks but they can also be steel-grey and blue. They are very resourceful adaptable hunters, they will eat anything from birds and bird eggs to fish.




Winter

Picture: Arctic fox in Winter.

In winter they turn white which makes them very camouflaged in the snow. They have hairy feet which provide warm slip-proof shoes. They use their tails as blankets to keep the snow from their eyes and for warmth when they sleep, they wrap themselves up into a tight ball. Arctic foxes won't start to feel the cold and shiver till it gets to -50◦C. The Arctic foxes coat is one of the warmest in the animal kingdom, but sadly that is why it is so sought for and have been hunted by humans in the past.
During daylight hours they sleep in underground dens. In the winter their prey is limited and their main prey is lemming. Lemmings live underground     in tiny burrows. Arctic foxes have a very special way of hunting. They burrow into the ground very quickly with their front paws. Then they grab the lemming with their mouth with extreme ease and skill. They have sharp, powerful dog-like claws which they use to burrow into the ground.
Young
Vixens bear a litter of 4-17 young in May or June after a gestation period of 51-57 days. Female Arctic foxes do not breed until at least two years old. In good lemming years, the survival rate of the fox pups is higher. These characteristics are adaptations to living in a closely linked relationship with a prey species whose numbers fluctuate widely.

Picture above: Greyish Arctic fox cub.

Picture left: Greyish Arctic fox in Winter. There are quite a few varieties of coat colours  for Arctic foxes such as the pure white and the less common greyish fur.

Picture above: Arctic fox in winter.