Arctic fox- a mammal of the canine family. Lives in the tundra and forest-tundra of Eurasia and North America. It is found on the Arctic islands, as well as on the Aleutian and Commander Islands.
There is only one species and several subspecies. In some countries, the arctic fox is called the arctic fox. Body length 50-80 cm, tail 25-30 cm. Height about 30 cm. Weight 6-10 kg. The burrow system resembles a labyrinth. The number of inputs and outputs reaches 60-80. Arctic foxes make seasonal migrations from 1000 km to 5000 km. These journeys are related to the number of lemmings they feed on.
The Arctic fox looks like a fox. He has the same lush fur coat and fluffy tail. Only the color of the arctic fox’s coat is not red, but yellowish-gray. And in winter - snow-white, sometimes with a blue tint. And the muzzle of the arctic fox, compared to the fox, is shorter, and the ears are small, rounded. The Arctic fox lives in the North, in the tundra. The fur coat makes him invisible against the background of snow.
During a snowstorm, the arctic fox makes a shelter for itself right in the snow. And if severe frosts also strike, the arctic fox burrows deep into a snowdrift and waits out the bad weather. The arctic fox can spend several days in this snowy “house” until the weather improves.
The Arctic fox often follows the northern polar bear. Such “friendship” is beneficial to him: the leftovers from the bear’s “table” are a real feast for the arctic fox.
During winter migrations, Arctic foxes can come to the surface multi-year ice and move away from the shores to a very impressive distance. Arctic foxes usually move from continental regions to the shores of seas and oceans for several hundred kilometers. The longest journey was made by an arctic fox, tagged in Taimyr and caught in Alaska; this animal covered 5,000 km!
This animal eats a variety of foods - almost everything that gets its teeth. Catches small animals, birds, fish. It feasts on bird eggs and chicks, and does not disdain plant foods. Its diet includes blueberries, cloudberries, various herbs and algae. Of these, he gravitates most toward seaweed. With an abundance of food in summer period stores it for future use.
But his main food is lemmings, northern mice. The more lemmings, the more arctic foxes there will be. If there is a lot of prey, the arctic fox will definitely hide something, bury it - in reserve.
Digging holes in the frozen soil of the tundra is difficult. Therefore, arctic foxes live in the same burrows for many years. Several generations live together. In arctic fox dwellings there are many living spaces, many entrances and exits. Several families often live in such an underground town. And the Arctic fox’s family is large, with a litter of 7-12 or more cubs (the largest number among predators). The male and the female take care of the offspring.
Babies drink mother's milk and grow quickly. Faster than our fox relatives.
The Arctic fox has well-developed hearing and sense of smell; somewhat weaker - vision. The voice is a yapping bark.
By nature, Arctic foxes are cautious and do not like to take unnecessary risks. At the same time, these animals are characterized by persistence, ingenuity and even arrogance. Having encountered a large predator, they are in no hurry to retreat completely, but only run away; at the slightest opportunity, the arctic fox resumes trying to snatch a piece and does not calm down until its persistence is crowned with success.
Arctic fox carries a stolen egg in its teeth
The arctic fox is still considered an important game animal; it is bred in large numbers on fur farms in America, Europe and Asia, so that its beautiful and warm fur can be used to make fur coats for wealthy fashionistas. In nature, his enemies are considered to be wolves, wolverines and foxes, those predators that are larger than him in size. Young Arctic foxes can be preyed upon by polar owls and eagles.
Where arctic foxes are not hunted, they get used to humans and approach the dwelling. Sometimes hungry Arctic foxes steal food from yards, food from dogs, and break into barns and houses. Such animals can even be tamed to take food from hands; there are cases when they played with domestic dogs and goats.
The Arctic fox animal has several names. Quite often it is called the polar, arctic or “harefoot” fox. Sometimes you can find a romantic and poetic name - “snow fox”. This is a mammalian predator belonging to the Canidae family. It is believed that this animal is better adapted to the cold than others and can withstand extremely low temperatures (down to -60 ° C).
Appearance
The Arctic fox animal is relatively small in size. It is very similar to a fox, but has a stockier body, a shorter muzzle and wider, rounded ears. The body of the Arctic fox is elongated, its length is from 50 to 80 cm. The tail of the animal is fluffy, its length is about 30 cm. Measurements at the withers do not always reach 30 cm.
On average, males weigh about 4 kg. The maximum weight that was recorded was 9 kg. Females are slightly lighter: their average weight varies between 3 kg.
The Arctic fox differs from foxes and other canids in its pronounced seasonal color dimorphism. This means that one species, depending on the season, has a different color. There are two subspecies of these animals based on color:
- White Arctic fox. In summer, the fur of the animal is dirty brown; by winter it becomes denser and pure white.
- Blue Arctic fox. In summer, the fur is grayish-brown, and by winter it acquires a smoky gray color with a bluish tint or becomes similar in color to coffee with milk.
Seasonal color changes provide ideal camouflage during hunting. Actually, “blue” arctic fox is not exactly a designation for fur color. This suggests that the animal is rare, and meeting it in nature is a great success.
Adaptation to cold
The Arctic fox animal managed to adapt to the cold through several natural improvements. Firstly, this is the structure of the fur. The animal's winter coat is dense and multi-layered, it perfectly retains heat. Secondly, short rounded ears protrude slightly above the fur, this protects them from severe frosts. Thirdly, the shortened muzzle and legs reduce heat loss. Fourthly, even the soles of Arctic foxes’ paws are covered with fur: here it is thick and hard, which prevents the animal from frostbite. Thus, nature took care of the fur-bearing animal, and the arctic fox is guaranteed not to freeze in any cold weather in winter.
By the way, it was the presence of hair on the soles of the paws that gave the species its scientific name (lagopus). This is translated from Greek as “ hare's foot" Therefore, the arctic fox is sometimes called the hare-footed fox.
Habitat
Since you already know that the animal easily tolerates severe frosts, it will not be difficult to guess where the arctic fox lives. The furry animals thrive in the Arctic Circle, inhabit the coast and islands of the Arctic Ocean, and are common in the tundra and forest-tundra.
In winter, the Arctic fox constantly moves in search of food. It can enter the south of Finland, the Baikal region and the lower reaches of the Amur. On the territory of Russia, the arctic fox in the tundra and forest-tundra is considered a typical representative of the fauna.
Lifestyle
Arctic foxes make their homes in burrows. They dig real labyrinths with many passages and exits. The burrows are located in sandy hills or coastal terraces, but the entrance is always surrounded by stones so that larger predators cannot dig it out. Since the place where the arctic fox lives is tundra and forest-tundra, the animal is adapted to life on open, hilly terrain.
Do you think it’s easy to choose a place and dig a hole in permafrost? Construction in frozen ground takes quite a long time. As the ground thaws, the hole deepens. Both blue and white arctic foxes select burrow sites close to water (within half a kilometer). There are not so many suitable places, so a family of animals uses one hole for 15-20 years. True, in winter, in search of food, they often have to move around and set up a den in the snow. If the snow is deep and dense enough, the polar fox digs a temporary hole in it. In such a shelter, an animal can wait out bad weather or live for several days during a protracted search for food.
If there is no way to dig a normal earthen hole, arctic foxes can settle among stones or dig small depressions in bushes. But such cases occur infrequently.
Nutrition
Despite the fact that the arctic fox is a predator, it can safely be called an omnivore. Its diet includes more than 120 species of animals and about 30 species of plants. Most often, small rodents and birds are on the menu. The most common prey are field lemmings and pieds. On the ocean shore, Arctic foxes willingly pick up discarded fish and various algae, especially seaweed. They love blueberries and cloudberries, but if there is no animal food, they can snack on herbs.
Arctic foxes can often be seen at the hunting grounds of polar bears. They pick up leftover fish and seal meat. For lack of fresh meat, they are content with carrion. They often find hunting traps and eat any living creature in them (even if there is another Arctic fox in the trap). Fur-bearing animals often watch wolves hunt from afar, and then pick up the remains of their prey. Occasionally, they themselves can attack the cubs of larger animals.
In summer, animals carry excess food into burrows, where it is stored until winter. The blue and white arctic fox, the animal whose description we present, obtains food through its developed hearing and sense of smell, since its eyesight is not very good.
Social structure
Arctic foxes are a monogamous species, but cases of polygamy have been observed in the area of the Commander Islands (Bering Sea). Often there is 1 male, 4-5 females and puppies in a family. Often families pick up orphaned adoptees. In huge burrow labyrinths, sometimes several families unite, then the arctic foxes live in a small colony. The family's hunting grounds can range from 5 to 30 km².
Reproduction
At the beginning of spring, females begin to estrus. During this period, males often fight, asserting their right to a family. The gestation period ranges from 49 to 57 days. Females are quite fertile: each litter consists of 7-12, and sometimes more babies. The male participates in caring for the offspring along with the female. But even in nursing years, despite the care of their parents, not all puppies survive.
The adult arctic fox has white fur, but is born with a smoky brown coloring. The fur of blue fox cubs is almost brown. Babies in a hole open their eyes only on days 10-18, and after 6 months they already reach the size of their parents. The puppies emerge from the hole for the first time at 3-4 weeks. The female can feed her cubs with milk for 8-10 weeks. Starting next year, the young are capable of reproduction, but full maturation usually occurs by two years.
What does the number depend on?
The greatest influence on the number of animals is the availability of food. Despite the fact that the Arctic fox is an omnivore, with a small amount of food, especially lemmings and voles, fewer cubs are born and more of them die.
The local population may decline as a result of mass migration. The outflow begins in the fall, and in the spring many return to their usual places. But in hungry years, many nomadic Arctic foxes die.
In addition, diseases and large predators affect numbers. And the arctic fox is also valuable hunting trophy, which also reduces the number of livestock.
Natural enemies
Many predators hunt these animals. From the air, the main danger is polar owls and eagles, and even crows can carry off their young. On land, the main danger comes from polar bears, wolverines, foxes and large dogs.
When families break up, adult males can kill young competitors in neighboring areas.
IN natural conditions Arctic foxes can live up to 9 years. With artificial breeding, the lifespan of animals is slightly higher - 11-16 years.
Economic importance
Due to the high quality of its fur, the arctic fox is an important commercial animal. In addition to production in the natural environment, cellular reproduction is carried out. Semi-free breeding of animals is carried out on island farms. They are not limited in movement, but are taught to listen to special signals that are issued before feeding. For humans, this is a more convenient way to get warm fur than free hunting for animals.
If you see an image of a white fox, you can rest assured that this is a fox, only it is an arctic fox, or arctic fox. And its more correct name is the common arctic fox.
Arctic fox
Like the fox, the arctic fox belongs to the canine family. It is indeed difficult for a non-specialist to distinguish a small predatory animal from a fox at first glance. All body outlines are similar, body length ranges from 50 to 75 cm, tail is half as long. The weight of males and females is approximately the same - up to 3 kg. Foxes are larger than arctic foxes.
The structure of their muzzle also differs. In the polar fox it is shorter, the ears are small, rounded and hidden in winter fur. This way they are protected from frostbite.
White polar fox in winter fur. Snow-white wool is an ideal camouflage against the background of snow. But the main difference is the coloring. Foxes, like all canids, do not experience seasonal changes in coat color.
Our animals wear dirty brown coats in the summer, and the color changes in the fall. In white polar foxes it becomes pure white. Blues have all shades of brown with a silver or blue tint. This is where their name comes from.
They hear very well, and their sense of smell is also well developed. Like foxes, they make sounds in the form of yapping barks.
Where do polar foxes live?
The main habitat is the forest-tundra and tundra zone with areas of hilly terrain. During migrations in the fall, in search of food, they go far to the south into the forest and taiga zone.
They live in earthen burrows. They dig a hole themselves in soft sandy soils near water bodies. They get to the permafrost and dig again the next year. The holes are a labyrinth with many exits. They have been living in the same place for years; a new couple can occupy someone else’s vacant space. Thus, polar foxes use old dwellings for not only tens, but also hundreds of years. Often the hills in the tundra are completely covered with a network of arctic fox burrows.
In winter, they sometimes sleep simply buried in the snow.
Animals mate for life. In the spring, in mating season, males fight fiercely. After 2 months, the female gives birth to 6–12 cubs. These are the most prolific of predators.
A whole family lives in the hole: a male, a female, the previous year’s cubs and newborns. Both parents care for their offspring. After six months, the youngsters will catch up with the size of adults, but they will only be able to reproduce by next year.
Basically, their whole life is spent moving from place to place in search of food.
What does the Arctic fox eat?
Although the arctic fox is a carnivorous animal, it is omnivorous. It has been established that in addition to the 125 species of animals it eats, it also prefers 25 species of plants.
Among animals, the main food is small rodents such as lemmings. Attacks unwary birds. It can catch fish itself or eat those washed ashore. Does not disdain any carrion. Arctic foxes often follow in the tracks of polar bears and eat the remains of their feast - hunted seals. Excess food can be stored in burrows. Among plants, they eat a lot of seaweed, other algae, and various herbs. Closer to autumn, people in the tundra feast on ripe berries - cloudberries, blueberries, blueberries.
The Arctic fox is a fairly common animal. Their main enemies are their relatives - foxes, wolves, wolverines, birds of prey white owls and eagles attack.
They live in nature for 6-10 years, but many of them die from infection with helminthic infestations and during migrations. In hungry years, when there are few lemmings in the tundra, arctic foxes have to travel long distances. This is where they become prey for large predators and humans.
The Arctic fox is a resident of the Far North, which is why he has such a warm, light and beautiful fur coat, which both warms him and makes him unnoticeable in the snow. Unfortunately, it was because of her that the animal became widely known.
Taxonomy
Russian name- Common arctic fox, arctic fox
English name- Arctic (blue, polar, white) fox
Latin name- Alopex lagopus
Order - Carnivora (Carnivora)
Family - Canidae (Canidae)
Genus - Arctic foxes (Alopex)
Conservation status of the species
Over most of its range, the species is common, however, the numbers of individual subspecies vary significantly. The rarest Arctic fox lives on Medny Island; it is listed in the IUCN Red Book; the number of adult individuals does not exceed 100.
Species and man
In the tundra zone, the arctic fox is the most common and numerous predator. This is the main object of the fur trade in northern regions: they hunt it for fur. For a long time, people have tried to breed this animal in captivity to obtain its skins. For the same purpose, the arctic fox was released several times onto the small islands of the Kuril ridge: there it was kept in “semi-free” conditions - the animals were fed, but otherwise they were given complete freedom. Since the 30s of the last century, industrial breeding of Arctic foxes began on state farms. This, of course, had a beneficial effect on the preservation of the Arctic fox in nature.
This animal is easily tamed: taken from a hole by a puppy, it almost never runs wild with age. On the Commander Islands, where the arctic fox is protected, it makes brood burrows under buildings; adult animals even take food from human hands. Where feeding is carried out regularly, the animals quickly get used to gathering at the feeders at a certain time.
Spotted interesting feature: in those places where arctic foxes live close to people, in the summer they become not just trusting, but even impudent - they rummage through garbage heaps, sometimes even steal food from domestic animals. In winter, the same animals try not to be seen by people, as if they know the value of their beautiful fur coat.
Distribution and habitats
The arctic fox is a typical representative of the fauna of the Arctic and Subarctic; its distribution area, as if in a ring, covers the Arctic Ocean. This animal inhabits the continental tundra, starting from the Scandinavian and Kola Peninsulas through all of polar Eurasia and North America, as well as Greenland, Spitsbergen, New Earth, many islands of the Arctic Ocean, Canadian archipelago. Arctic foxes live permanently on the Pribilof Islands, Aleutian and Commander Islands. It is noteworthy that the boundaries of the range of this predator shift greatly depending on the season. These animals build burrows and breed in the tundra and on the Arctic islands, and during winter migrations they sometimes go far into the continent and can end up not only in many northern taiga regions, but also in southern Finland (almost at the latitude of Moscow), the southern part Baikal region, lower reaches of the Amur. Sometimes in winter, Arctic foxes leave their native tundra and go north, into the ice of the ocean. Following the polar bear and feeding on the remains of its prey, arctic foxes penetrate into places very remote from land.
The high mobility of animals and the constant mixing of populations also explains the weakly expressed geographical variability of this species: only 8 to 10 subspecies are distinguished throughout the vast expanse of its range.
The most typical habitats of the arctic fox in the summer, when they live sedentary, are open tundras with hilly terrain. Most often, animals choose for settlements the tops of watersheds and hills, the upper terraces of river valleys, the high shores of lakes and sea coasts.
Appearance and morphology
The polar fox is a medium-sized animal (body length 45–70 cm, weight from 2 to 8 kg) and looks different depending on the season of the year. In winter, when the fur is extremely thick and lush, it appears squat, with widely spaced ears barely protruding from the fur. In short summer fur, the arctic fox is quite tall-legged and slender. The relatively large head looks disproportionately large in summer, with huge ears and a blunt muzzle. There are two color morphs based on winter color: white and blue. Each morph changes in its own way by the summer: the “blue” arctic fox becomes chocolate brown in summer, and the “white” arctic fox becomes brown on top and light gray below.
The Arctic fox is an active animal, similar in behavior to a fox. The sense organs of this inhabitant of the harsh polar deserts are better developed than those of other representatives of the canine family. A mousing arctic fox hears the movement of a vole under the snow several meters away, smells grouse birds sleeping in the snow 100 meters away, sees white partridges, which for the human eye merge with the white background.
Nutrition and feeding behavior
The Arctic fox is an omnivorous predator, not picky about food: in the harsh places where it lives, there is no need to be picky. In the continental tundra in the diet all year round rodents predominate, mainly lemmings, which the predator watches at the hole, or “mouses” like a fox. On the coasts, arctic foxes feed on sea waste; carrion makes up a large part of their diet.
On Medny Island, where there are no rodents at all, they hang around in seal rookeries, looking for dead animals; hungry predators sometimes dare to attack even living cubs. In winter, arctic foxes live here mainly at the expense of the polar bear, picking up the remains of his meal. And during the fishing season, they settle near coastal villages, eating garbage.
This small predator hunts alone, since the prey is most often small, and in winter there is too little to share. However, about potential production large sizes, for example, a baby seal or seal, several animals gather. They attack the prey from all sides, so that the mother simply does not have time to turn around to repel the attacks of predators. As a result, the cub dies from numerous bites.
If there is a lot of food, the arctic fox stores. He pushes the caught lemmings and fish into the crevices between the stones, buries them in the ground, compacting the dig tightly with his nose and paws. Over the summer, a layer of fat accumulates under the animal’s skin, which protects it from the cold and at the same time serves as an energy storehouse. Over the winter, the fat is gradually consumed, so that by spring the animal loses up to a third of its autumn weight.
Living conditions in the tundra are very harsh. Although arctic foxes are perfectly adapted to them, in some years they find themselves in an extremely difficult situation. Periods of sharp decline in lemming numbers, when predators living on the continent are deprived of their main food, have a particularly detrimental effect on them. These depressions recur regularly every few years and invariably lead to a decline in the number of Arctic foxes.
Lifestyle and social organization
Arctic foxes are active at any time of the day, since in their habitats the change of day and night is pronounced only in spring and autumn.
These animals show attachment to a specific place only in the summer, during the breeding season, when the puppies are growing. At this time, the pair occupies and protects from other arctic foxes the territory where the hole is located and where the animals hunt. The territory is actively marked with urine, and during the rutting period, males intensively rub their cheeks and shoulders against the marking site, transferring the smell to their skin. The boundaries of the territory are regularly patrolled and tags are updated. In addition to smell, animals confirm their presence in the territory with sounds, thanks to which the animals know where their neighbors are and what they are doing.
On Wrangel Island, where long-term research on tagged animals has been carried out, the width of the border strip between neighboring territories ranges from 600 to 800 meters, depending on the topography. During years of high numbers of breeding Arctic foxes, pairs practically do not violate the boundaries of territories while feeding puppies. When numbers are low, on the contrary, animals make regular trips outside the territories - the space used is much larger than the protected space.
On the territory of each arctic fox family there are one or several burrows of complex structure that serve as brood burrows. In addition to them, there are small holes that can be used by puppies after they begin to actively explore the parent’s habitat.
A separate territory can be occupied and protected from neighbors by a non-breeding group of Arctic foxes of 3–5 animals, between which complex relationships are established, for example, greetings when meeting, but stealing from each other’s hiding places.
In addition to territorial animals, the population always contains solitary animals that are not tied to a specific area and are constantly moving, stopping only to hunt and rest. They do not mark, do not indicate their presence by barking and tend not to contact the owners of the territories. Among such wandering arctic foxes there are not only young and aging animals, but also adult animals.
As the puppies grow up and move on to independent life, both they and their parents increasingly violate the boundaries of their neighbors’ territories and are more tolerant of the appearance of strangers in their areas. On the islands, if there is a sufficient amount of food, adult arctic foxes can remain for the winter in their territories, but young ones roam very widely. In case of food shortage, adult animals also leave their areas in search of food.
On the mainland, mass migrations of Arctic foxes begin in August-September following the departure of birds from nesting grounds. At this time, the animals show signs of restlessness, rush randomly along the banks of reservoirs, and often gather in large groups. Then purposeful movements to the south begin, covering masses of animals. During their migrations, Arctic foxes run day and night, almost without being distracted in either direction, and often bark and howl. Nomadic groups swim across wide rivers and even sea straits up to 2–4 kilometers wide. In spring, Arctic foxes gradually return. In years of famine, such relocations are especially massive.
Vocalization
Arctic foxes are very talkative, and the sounds they make, depending on the situation and psycho-emotional state, are very diverse. They may resemble purring, crying, whining, clucking, or squealing. But most often, arctic foxes bark. They make these sounds when patrolling the boundaries of their territory, when moving around the territory, family members use barking to call each other, and neighbors bark from their territories. In calm weather, a person can hear the bark of an arctic fox from a distance of 3 km; it is hoarser and higher-pitched than that of a dog. During conflicts, animals growl or screech. During the rutting season or at the beginning of mass migrations, animals often howl. The sound repertoire during interactions between the female and the puppies is very rich.
Reproduction and raising offspring
The breeding season for Arctic foxes begins in April. Animals that do not have a mate look for partners. In old, formed pairs, the male tries to stay close to the female, both animals actively mark the area (the male puts his mark on top of the female), and both bark a lot. At this time, as a rule, not only the male, but also the female is aggressive towards other arctic foxes. They begin to show interest in the burrows, regularly visit them, mark and clear the burrows of snow.
After the rut, a period of calm begins: the male and female live in their own area, mainly hunting or sleeping. When meeting, they greet each other. At this time they do not mark the area and almost do not bark. About three weeks before whelping, the female begins to beg for food from the male. At first, he responds to her by giving back the lemmings he caught, but after a few days, having caught the animal, he barks for the female or looks for her in her tracks to feed. On Wrangel Island, scientists often observed the following picture: a male slowly walks around the area, hunting, and a pregnant female slowly follows him. When he starts listening to the lemming, or digging snow, she sits down, looks at him and waits for the outcome of the hunt. As soon as the male catches the prey, the female quickly runs towards him and violently demonstrates begging. Simultaneously with the male feeding the female, both animals begin to actively mark their area, bark and be aggressive towards other foxes.
When pupping, the female goes into a hole and does not emerge from it for about 2 days. There are up to 20 cubs in a litter - arctic foxes are very fertile, on average 8–9 puppies are born, however, all survive only in years with favorable feeding conditions. In the first two weeks, the female comes to the surface rarely and not for long (no more than 30–60 minutes). During her outings, she runs around almost the entire family plot, marks and often barks. At the same time she feeds, although she mainly feeds on what the male brings to her hole. During years of high lemming numbers, the male almost completely provides both himself and the female with food while the cubs are in the hole.
As the puppies grow older, the length of time the female leaves them increases to 2–3 hours or more. She begins to sleep outside the hole. When the puppies begin to feed meat (at about the 4th week of their life), the male stops feeding the female and only feeds the puppies. At this time, the female also begins to hunt intensively and feed the puppies. A few days after the puppies start feeding meat food, their first exits from the hole are observed, at first very short and uncertain, only in the presence of their parents, and then without them. As they grow older, young animals begin to run further and further away from the hole following their parents.
During the transition of puppies to a meat diet, fights are common between them, sometimes very fierce. This happens especially often if an adult brings one portion of food. In such cases, the mother often intervenes, pressing her paw or grabbing the aggressor with her mouth, ending the conflict. To reduce competition among cubs, experienced parents, if possible, bring several lemmings to the hole at once. Sometimes, at the moment of switching to meat food, adults divide a large litter, transferring half of the puppies to another hole. Next, both the male and female feed the pups from both burrows. This behavior strategy of adults allows them to raise their cubs in the most favorable social environment and contributes to the survival of more puppies.
Young Arctic foxes grow and develop quickly and at 2.5-3 months of age they begin to transition to independent existence. At this time, parents stop giving them meat food. All prey that adults do not eat immediately, they bury in hiding places. The puppies constantly run in their tracks and get food from hiding places. Thus, the construction of caches by adults becomes the main way of feeding the cubs during their transition to independent life. At the same time, young Arctic foxes learn to hunt themselves and master the entire parental area. They run alone, but often meet each other, play and relax nearby, 2-3 animals each, and the whole family gets together about once a day.
The disintegration of the brood under favorable feeding conditions begins at the age of approximately 3 months. Hormonal changes in young animals lead, in particular, to an increase in the proportion of exploratory behavior, and the animals begin to move beyond the parental area more often. At the same time, the soil begins to freeze, and hunting lemmings becomes more and more difficult; it is necessary to survey a large area. The parents' attitude towards their own puppies remains friendly, but the older animals eventually leave and become wandering.
The next year, young Arctic foxes can already begin to reproduce, but more often this happens in the second year of life.
Lifespan
Arctic foxes do not live long in nature, on average 2–3 years, but in captivity they live much longer.
Currently, the arctic fox is kept on the Old Territory of the zoo in one of the enclosures of the exhibition “Fauna of Russia. The animal never lived in the wild; it came to us from a state animal farm, where its life could hardly be called heavenly. Having changed his place of registration, he became calm, trusting, and approaches the people who care for him. The diet at the zoo is very nourishing and varied. Every day it includes meat, eggs, cottage cheese, carrots.
The enclosure where our handsome guy lives is small but comfortable - you can run around and hide behind cover. The Arctic fox does not pay attention to visitors and behaves completely calmly.
In winter, this animal is dressed in a snow-white fur coat, and when it rests, it looks like a fluffy snowy island. In summer, it is gray-brown in color and, due to its short fur, looks rather awkward: long-legged, big-headed and big-eared.
In addition to the exhibition, the arctic fox is on display at the zoo's visiting section. It is seen by participants of our special thematic programs during lectures. He sits on a table in front of the audience without a cage and allows himself to be viewed from all sides. This is a blue arctic fox, it differs from the ordinary one in its darker color.
A report about the arctic fox can be compiled by grade 4 based on the information presented.
A short message about the Arctic fox
The arctic fox is a predatory mammal of the canine family, the only representative of the genus of arctic foxes. A small predatory animal resembling a fox. This animal is also called polar fox or arctic fox.
Description of the Arctic fox
The arctic fox's body is long, up to 75 cm, but their legs are relatively short. The tail is about 52 cm and reaches the ground. The male weighs on average 3.5 kg, and the female about 3 kg. The wool is very soft and thick. There are two color forms of the Arctic fox - white and blue. In summer, the white arctic fox has a grayish-brown color. The blue arctic fox has a smoky-gray, bluish color in winter and summer. Animals shed twice a year. His muzzle is short and slightly pointed. The ears are small and rounded.
Where does the Arctic fox live?
Animals live in the forest-tundra and tundra of North America, Eurasia, on the islands of the Arctic Ocean, on the Pribilof Islands, Aleutian and Commander Islands. White Arctic foxes predominantly live on the mainland, but blue ones live on the islands. This animal is the only predator that has completely populated the entire tundra of the Northern Hemisphere, even the drifting ice of the Arctic Ocean and the North Pole.
Arctic fox: reproduction
The Arctic fox family includes a male, a female, young females from the previous litter, as well as small cubs. Animals live in colonies of 2-3 families. For most of their lives, animals roam in search of food. But when the time comes to have offspring, they return to their native places where they lived in the fall.
The ideal place for a burrow is among stones and in soft ground. Stones protect their home from enemies digging up their burrows. The arctic fox breaks through all the way to the level of permafrost. When the soil begins to melt, he deepens it. It is imperative that there is water near the habitat. Since there are few places in the tundra for digging holes, arctic foxes can breed offspring in the same hole for 15 years.
After mating in the spring, the female carries the cubs for 49-57 days. One litter can have 7-12 babies, which are carefully cared for by both parents.
What does a scribe eat?
A message about the arctic fox in the tundra is impossible without mentioning what the animal eats. Arctic foxes are omnivores. Their diet consists of 125 animals and 25 plant species. But the basis of the menu is small rodents and birds, fish, berries, grass, seaweed and algae. During hunger strikes, he does not disdain carrion.
- In summer, animals store excess food in their dens for the winter.
- The Arctic fox is the only one of its kind that changes color during the winter and summer periods.
- They live in pairs, separating only in winter to forage for food.
- A pregnant female stops hunting because her partner takes care of her, bringing her food.
- In winter, Arctic foxes often follow polar bears in order to feed on the remains of their meal.
- The animal has a unique heat exchange system. It starts to freeze at -70 degrees Celsius.
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