The Arctic fox is definitely less familiar to us than a regular red fox,
but in fact, arctic foxes are incredible animals that are often
overlooked. You might wonder what arctic foxes eat or what adaptations
they need to survive in one of the most extreme and coldest places on
Earth. In fact, there are many more interesting facts about these little
canine predators worth learning. Ready to expand your knowledge on the
arctic fox? Check out these some Little Known Facts About Arctic Foxes.
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Officially called the arctic fox, this animal also has several nicknames
such as white fox, polar fox, or snow fox.
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Living in extremely cold regions, the
arctic fox has a unique system of heat exchange that will not let it
start shivering until the temperature drops to an astounding −70 °C (−94
°F).
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People usually think arctic foxes are just white, but in summer when the
snow melts away, their fur turns dark to blend in with the environment.
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Their ability to change colors can be even more advanced – studies have
shown that arctic foxes living in areas where the snow is not purely
white, produce fur of the same, grayish color as the snow.
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Arctic foxes live in underground dens which can be centuries old, used
by numerous generations of foxes. These tunnel systems are often very
large, covering as many as 1,000 sq. miles (1,200 sq yd) and having up
to 150 entrances.
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The young have to grow up and build fat reserves very fast because
summer is short in the polar region. Unfortunately, many cubs fail to do
that and the first winter is often fatal for them.
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Arctic foxes are omnivorous, eating almost anything they can find – from
rodents, birds or fish to berries, seaweed and carcasses left by larger
predators. In case of extreme scarcity, they have been even known to eat
their own feces.
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When hunting, the arctic fox has to break through thick layers of snow.
In order to do that, she jumps high in the air and dives headfirst into
snow.
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When food is not available, the arctic fox is able to reduce its
metabolic rate by half while remaining still active, thereby saving
energy.
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The Arctic fox is usually hunted by polar bears, but in Canada, there
was a recorded case of a strong friendship between these two animals.
They played together, and the giant bear even shared his food with his
little fox friend. |