How does arctic fox adapted to its environment

In summer, Arctic foxes become dark grey to brownish blue to blend into the tundra, and turn their attention to raising young. Fox pairs rear litters averaging six to seven pups in dens on the tundra, some of which have been used by foxes for several hundred years. Arctic foxes typically live three to six years in the wild but with luck can reach 10 years of age.

The Arctic fox specializes in eating tundra-dwelling rodents including lemmings and voles — so much so that fox population cycles often mirror those of their prey. When lemmings are plentiful, Arctic foxes tend to survive better and have large litters that lead to peaks in fox numbers.

However, in years when lemmings are scarce, foxes are more vulnerable to starvation and resort to eating other foods from birds to fish to carrion. In lean years, the sea ice provides an important foraging ground offering food resources that can help foxes survive the winter. Foxes have been found to roam great distances over pack ice, often following polar bears to scavenge their seal kills.

Some foxes are able to capture ringed seal pups in their snow dens on the sea ice as an extra food source. European Arctic fox populations in Sweden, Finland and Norway were decimated by hunting for their fur in the early 20th century and have failed to recover despite total protection since Numbering around only foxes, European populations are threatened with extirpation.

Although the Arctic fox in the rest of its range is still considered fairly abundant, Arctic foxes have been disappearing from the southern edge of the tundra around the globe. The Arctic fox faces a multitude of threats from climate change: its sea ice and tundra habitat are shrinking, its lemming prey are becoming less abundant in some areas, and it faces increased competition and displacement by the red fox which is moving northward as temperatures warm.

Because sea-ice habitat provides important winter food resources for Arctic foxes, especially in low lemming years, the loss of sea-ice foraging grounds is likely to result in lower winter survival and reproductive success for Arctic foxes. Because Arctic foxes rely heavily on lemmings for food, climate change impacts on lemmings can have profound effects on foxes. During the winter, lemmings live in spaces under the snow that provide insulation from the cold, protection from predators, and access to plant foods.

If snow conditions are good, lemmings prosper and can even get a head start in raising young. However, in Norway, scientists have found that rising temperatures and changing humidity in recent decades have created cycles of thawing and icing in winter that result in poor snow conditions for lemmings. Scientists believe that the absence of regularly occurring lemming peaks is likely responsible for the breeding failures and dramatic declines in Arctic foxes in Norway.

The Arctic fox has a fierce competitor [ 5 ] — the red fox — a dominant, larger-bodied fox that can kill or expel the Arctic fox in areas of overlap.

However, red foxes have been moving northward at the same time that Arctic foxes have been retreating from the southern edge of the tundra. Warming is converting the tundra to shrublands, which are favored by the red fox. Warming-related reductions in lemming populations are also lowering lemming grazing pressure on the tundra, favoring the shrublands that encourage the northward invasion of red foxes.

Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player. Roth, J. Temporal variability in arctic fox diet as reflected in stable-carbon isotopes: the importance of sea ice. Oecologia Pamperin, N. When the seasons change, the fox's coat turns as well, adopting a brown or gray appearance that provides cover among the summer tundra's rocks and plants. These colorings help foxes to effectively hunt rodents, birds, and even fish. But in winter prey can be scarce on the ground.

At such times, arctic foxes will follow the region's premier predator—a polar bear—to eat the leftover scraps from its kills. Foxes will also eat vegetables when they are available. Like a cat's, this fox's thick tail aids its balance. All rights reserved. Common Name: Arctic foxes. Scientific Name: Vulpes lagopus. Type: Mammals. Diet: Omnivore.

Group Name: Skulk, leash. Size: Head and body: 18 to Weight: 6. Size relative to a 6-ft man:. Least concern. Least Concern Extinct. The cooling is made possible as their noses cool down the intake of air. Arctic foxes also stay warm by avoiding the wind and staying in their underground dens. This also allows them to raise their young ones.

Arctic foxes have a keen sense of smell that aids them to track predators such as polar bears to avoid them. Arctic foxes have sharp teeth and claws that are effective during hunting and for self-defense against larger predators. Their coats camouflage enables them to blend with the surrounding environment and hide from predators.

During winter, the coat turns white to blend in with the snow. This helps them to spot their prey and also hide from predators. In summer, the coat can turn brown to blend with the environment around it. There are three types of mammals. Find out what they are here. Arctic foxes are omnivores feeding on small creatures, including sea birds, voles, and lemmings. They will also eat rodents, hares, birds, eggs, fish, birds eggs, and carrion.

They also feed on berries and seaweed, as well as insects to supplement their diet. Lemmings are their most common prey, and often the amount eaten will help their bodies decide on the number of pups they can give birth to.

The arctic fox also feeds on carcasses left behind by other predators such as polar bears. One of the most astonishing facts and an ingenious way to survive is that the arctic fox feeds on its feces during starvation. Find out more here. During summer, Arctic foxes shed their heavy white coats and change color to brown or grey. The color change protects the fox from their predators as they blend into the environment, enabling them to pounce on their prey swiftly.

Their coats are much thinner in summer, unlike the thick fur during winter. The arctic fox also reduces in size due to the shedding and looks quite unlike the bulky winter foxes. This helps to cool down the body. Arctic foxes have several natural predators.