The arctic fox is unquestionably one of the loveliest animals on earth, with lovely snow-white fur, fluffy tails, round ears, and startlingly curious eyes. These charming creatures are playful, inquisitive, and cute, yet they are also sly, vicious predators that have evolved in some of the harshest environments on Earth. Here are 10 amazing arctic fox facts that will help you learn more about these unusual cold-weather furry friends.
1 - Depending on the season, they change color.
The colors of an Arctic Foxes fur change with the seasons, and they do not hibernate. The Arctic fox's summer coat is brown or gray with a brighter belly. In the winter, it then transforms into a thick white one. It is the only canid that can change the color of its coat, enabling it to blend in with summertime vegetation and wintertime snow and ice.
2 - They depend on lots of food caches buried in the summer for the entire year.
The Arctic fox takes full advantage of the summer's abundance by gathering and burrowing as much food as it can. Foxes have been seen storing goose eggs in the summer and eating them throughout the winter, well into the next spring, thanks to the chilly soil, which retains them for a long time.
3 - There is a variety of data about how Arctic foxes hunt.
Being carnivores and scavengers, they hunt rodents, birds, and even fish. In the winter, prey may be scarce, so Arctic foxes occasionally display their cheekier characteristics. They have a reputation for eating leftover food and following the polar bear, the top predator in the Arctic.
4 - Arctic foxes can play dead for defense on occasion.
A young fox will roll over and pretend to be dead if it is in danger in order to protect itself. Polar bears pose the most serious threat to arctic foxes, but if they are taken by surprise, they may have to deploy this defense right away. Along with polar bears, their natural predators include wolves, golden eagles, grizzly bears, and humans.
5 - They possess a remarkable sense of smell.
Arctic foxes have exceptionally sensitive noses; they can detect a polar bear carcass up to 40 kilometers away and can detect a frozen lemming hidden beneath 70 centimeters of snow. They may even actively seek out polar bears in an effort to scavenge their kills.
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6 - They are life partners.
Similar to certain other species, like geese, Arctic foxes form lifelong partnerships. Most of the time, when there is a lot of food, Arctic foxes become pregnant. They are less likely to reproduce if there is an absence of food or competition.
7 - To get their prey, they can even dive on snow.
They will jump into the air and dive into the snowfall to catch their meal if they have detected a lemming digging beneath the snow. They are so dependent on lemmings as a food source in some regions that their population will change in response to the size of the lemming population.
8 - Long distances are covered by the Arctic fox.
The Arctic Fox travels large distances and lacks a true home range. A juvenile female fox was tracked by researchers; she travelled anywhere between twenty-nine and ninety-six miles per day. Tourists and experts have observed them cuddling with one another while they are frequently out hunting in small packs.
9 - Red and Arctic foxes do not get along.
Red foxes are dominant in regions where Arctic and red foxes coexist, and they will always kill Arctic fox adults and kits if they come across them. Climate change and declining wolf numbers, which hunt and kill red foxes, are assumed to be to blame for red foxes steadily expanding farther north into Arctic fox territory. Read This: Kids Friendly Fox Wonder Facts
10 - Arctic foxes are pack animals.
Arctic foxes are rather social animals. The female adult arctic fox is referred to as a vixen, the male as a dog, and the young as kits. A litter is a collection of kittens that were all born at the same time. In general, arctic foxes spend the spring and summer months in family groups.