![]() ![]() ![]() It’s sort of like how bears hibernate, but for a shorter period of time. As long as a fox is warm, it can slow down its heart rate and metabolism, which helps the animal save energy so it doesn’t have to eat as much. If a fox can’t find food, or if the weather gets really bad, it can dig a snow den and hunker down for up to two weeks. Sometimes an arctic fox will follow a polar bear on a hunting trip and eat the bear’s leftovers. They prefer to eat small rodents called lemmings, but when times are tough they’ll eat whatever they can find: insects, berries, and even the droppings of other animals. ![]() ![]() When it’s not trying to keep warm or avoid predators, an arctic fox is on the hunt for food. And their white coats make it difficult for predators such as wolves, polar bears, and golden eagles to spot them among the ice and snow. This helps muffle an arctic fox’s footsteps, making it harder for prey to hear them. Their feet also have a layer of thick fur, like built-in snow boots. Their long, fluffy tails act like a blanket, keeping the fox warm when it wraps the tail around its body to sleep. Their thick fur coat keeps the fox’s body at a toasty 104☏. Luckily, these small foxes have some useful adaptations for living in the icy Arctic. From October to February, the sun never rises to shine warmth and light. Winter in the Arctic is unlike winter in most parts of the world. BUILT FOR THE ARCTICĪrctic foxes live on the land and sea ice within the Arctic Circle. Until spring arrives, this arctic fox will rely on some freeze-defying strategies, making it a champion of the cold. But warm fur alone might not keep this fox alive during the polar winter, when temperatures rarely get above zero degrees Fahrenheit. The canine casually shakes the blanket of snow off her thick coat-the key to her survival. The lump is transformed into the furry white body of a lone arctic fox. Suddenly a snowy mound wiggles and reveals two dark eyes. So, although the paw remains cold, blood circulation is unaffected.Not far from the North Pole, the world is frozen for thousands of miles. The arterial blood loses heat to the blood returning to the heart, and thus it doesn’t have much excess heat to lose in the paws.Ĭyclically, the blood returning from the paws is gradually warmed by heat gained from the adjacent arterial bloodstream. Due to this, a continuous chain of heat transfer is established between the warmer blood in the arteries and the colder blood in the veins. The arteries and veins in its limbs are situated quite close to each other. » The arctic fox has a fascinating evolutionary trait to survive in its cold climate. The arctic fox also has dense hair on the footpads that protect it from the cold, especially while hunting. The compact and dense body, which lessens the amount of surface exposed to the snow, along with its short legs and thick fur helps it to battle the intense colds. » This species also has the warmest fur among canids. The slate-shaded coats are particularly prized. Humans also pose a constant and serious threat to the arctic fox, as these harmless animals are constantly hunted down for their fur. Grizzly bears are also known to be a threat to arctic foxes. Wolves and snowy owls are known to attack the kits. » Due to its small size, the Arctic fox has quite a few enemies, such as polar bears and gray wolves. ![]()
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