The Arctic fox is one of the few mammals that can live year-round in the high Arctic. Its compact body, short ears, and dense fur allow it to survive temperatures that drop well below −50 °C.
In winter the coat is thick and white, providing camouflage against snow and excellent insulation. In summer the fur turns brown or gray to match the rocky tundra. The change happens through molting, not color-changing fur on the same hairs.
Diet and lifestyle
Arctic foxes are opportunistic. In summer they eat lemmings, voles, birds, eggs, and berries. In winter they often follow polar bears to scavenge leftovers from seal kills. They also cache food when prey is abundant. Their hearing is sharp enough to locate rodents moving under snow.
They live in dens, often using the same sites for many years. Females give birth to large litters—sometimes more than a dozen pups—when lemming numbers are high.
Range and conservation
They are found across the Arctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. Populations are generally stable, and the species is listed as Least Concern. Climate change and competition with red foxes that are moving northward are long-term concerns in some areas.
Despite their small size—most adults weigh only 3 to 8 kilograms—Arctic foxes are tough, adaptable predators that have thrived in one of the planet’s harshest environments for thousands of years.
